1mph improvement

[Martinsnos]

Just keep riding regular and push yourself. Certainly climbing helps to increase fitness.

Riding often, for smaller distances, is better than a long ride once a week.

Yes. I think I found that this week. Did turbo, then hybrid, then road bike on 3 consecutive days and my legs were t-i-r-e-d on day 3 but…they seem to have an element of elasticity/‘learning’ in them.

 

[Martinsnos]

On a flat course , your weight will make bugger all difference to your speed.

Interesting point.

 

[Martinsnos]

Do you have any local hills that take 4-20 mins to get up? Ride up them with the aim to get up them at the fastest average speed possible. This will mean your heart rate reaching at least 90% of max by the top. Try and find 3 or 4 hills close together so you can chain them together. This is what I do about once every 5 days.

My nearest hill loop is 7 mins , 93% max HR, 2 min recovery , 5 min, 90% max HR, 3 mins recovery, 10 mins, 93% max HR, 2 mins recovery, 4 mins, 93% max HR.

Rest of the time I just get the longer (2-3 hours with a 4-5 hour on weekend) easier ride in, below about 78% of max HR.

I’m not sure I can be as technical as you but I will definitely find a good hill and maybe do an up and down as advised earlier.

 

[Martinsnos]

I wan

Tyres can also make the 1mph difference if you aren’t already running fast rubber. I tested two combinations of tyres on my bike this week. Tested them in same out and back section of road for an hour each. The road set was 2.7km/h faster than my touring tyres, averaged over the hour I did each test.

The touring tyres are usually on autumn through spring as more robust. But I’d thought I’d compare them when I’m at same fitness level and with the tyres being the only difference. You ride to HR to ensure consistency and that you don’t ride so hard that blowing up affects the results.

I know it sounds daft but I want to achieve it through training and not equipment - it’s just me!!!

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Interesting point.

On the flat it’s power vs. Aerodynamics. Unless you’ve lost substantial weight the aerodynamics will pretty much remain the same. So it’s mostly about how much absolute power you can put out that determines speed. This is why bigger guys mostly go faster as they have more absolute power. On the hills it’s your power to weight that determines speed. This is why the skinny ones disappear up hill as their power to weight ratio is much higher than the big guys.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I’m not sure I can be as technical as you but I will definitely find a good hill and maybe do an up and down as advised earlier.

It’s actually easy to execute. Go as hard as you can and monitor progress via Strava as most hills are Strava segments. I monitor HR as well but in terms of effort I just go as hard I can manage. You get a feel for how hard you can do for however many mins the hill takes, without blowing after a few times.

 

[Martinsnos]

On the flat it’s power vs. Aerodynamics. Unless you’ve lost substantial weight the aerodynamics will pretty much remain the same. So it’s mostly about how much absolute power you can put out that determines speed. This is why bigger guys mostly go faster as they have more absolute power. On the hills it’s your power to weight that determines speed. This is why the skinny ones disappear up hill as their power to weight ratio is much higher than the big guys.

I hadn’t realised this until you said it (although have heard the pundits say so - it just didn’t compute!). Around Bristol where I am there isn’t much that is truly flat, so losing half-a-stone might not be a bad idea!

 

[Martinsnos]

It’s actually easy to execute. Go as hard as you can and monitor progress via Strava as most hills are Strava segments. I monitor HR as well but in terms of effort I just go as hard I can manage. You get a feel for how hard you can do for however many mins the hill takes, without blowing after a few times.

Great thanks. Good idea re Strava segments thank you. When I look I’m usually half the speed of the top riders, they must be so super fast!!!

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Great thanks. Good idea re Strava segments thank you. When I look I’m usually half the speed of the top riders, they must be so super fast!!!

Doesn‘t matter. I only look at my own times for comparison on Strava. Like you, I’m in my 50’s, and I’m not going to be winning against the best local riders across all ages. Some win the genetic lottery and train, some win the lottery and don’t train, some lose the lottery and train like buggery, some lose the lottery and sit on the couch. Those who win the lottery and pick up biking early probably go into racing. The rest of us enjoy cycling as a past time or become sedentary.

 

[cyberknight]

Interesting point.

indeed on the flat i notice fark all difference between me and a ride mate whos maybe 3 stone heavier and even on shallow grades he has the edge, it when we hit double digit inclines he cant hold the wheel

 

[Martinsnos]

Doesn‘t matter. I only look at my own times for comparison on Strava. Like you, I’m in my 50’s, and I’m not going to be winning against the best local riders across all ages. Some win the genetic lottery and train, some win the lottery and don’t train, some lose the lottery and train like buggery, some lose the lottery and sit on the couch. Those who win the lottery and pick up biking early probably go into racing. The rest of us enjoy cycling as a past time or become sedentary.

Ming the Merciless for President - you have a very good way at looking at life. I’ve got a defensive attitude and it is definitely something I need to let go (and get a big dog!).

 

[gbb]

As I was averaging 16mph over 50 mile solo rides I found the same, wanted to up the game a bit. What I did was by no means scientific but...
Attack inclines (not long hills obviously ) hit them as hard as possible then I'd ride easy at the top for maybe 1/2 mile to get my breath back and recover, then ride as normal.
Generally, dont hit the ride hard as soon as you get out, ride well within yourself for maybe 5 miles, you get it back and then some at the end of the ride.
Alternatively I'd use a computer, set the display to average speed, then aim maintain a speed above my normal average.
Always head out into the wind, if you push too hard and blow out, theres nothing worse than a head wind when you're overcooked.
I also used commuting to absolutely hammer it, although it was only short rides, but use those to push push as hard as possible.

Over maybe 2 years I upped it from 15 to 16, then 18 mph averages over the 50 miles riding solo. It is quite a quite impressive average...but then just once in a while, some fool comes alongside and makes it all look so easy

Tbf, in my case I found while I loved it, the thought of 50 miles hammering myself became a negative and I eased back eventually.

Hard hard work is really the only answer (and do get down on the drops or get tri bars, you instantly cruise 1 mph faster anyway)

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Ming the Merciless for President - you have a very good way at looking at life. I’ve got a defensive attitude and it is definitely something I need to let go (and get a big dog!).

I have a phrase

“Out for a good time, not out for a good time.“

Means when I’m out on the bike I’m out to enjoy myself, not out to set a good time. Doesn‘t mean you can’t have a bit of fun on a local hill with similar ability mates. See who can get up quickest. But it’s just a bit of fun and your position getting up the hill doesn’t really matter. It shouldn’t be taken seriously.

 

[Martinsnos]

As I was averaging 16mph over 50 mile solo rides I found the same, wanted to up the game a bit. What I did was by no means scientific but...
Attack inclines (not long hills obviously ) hit them as hard as possible then I'd ride easy at the top for maybe 1/2 mile to get my breath back and recover, then ride as normal.
Generally, dont hit the ride hard as soon as you get out, ride well within yourself for maybe 5 miles, you get it back and then some at the end of the ride.
Alternatively I'd use a computer, set the display to average speed, then aim maintain a speed above my normal average.
Always head out into the wind, if you push too hard and blow out, theres nothing worse than a head wind when you're overcooked.
I also used commuting to absolutely hammer it, although it was only short rides, but use those to push push as hard as possible.

Over maybe 2 years I upped it from 15 to 16, then 18 mph averages over the 50 miles riding solo. It is quite a quite impressive average...but then just once in a while, some fool comes alongside and makes it all look so easy

Tbf, in my case I found while I loved it, the thought of 50 miles hammering myself became a negative and I eased back eventually.

Hard hard work is really the only answer (and do get down on the drops or get tri bars, you instantly cruise 1 mph faster anyway)

Yes, the drop bit feels like ‘cheating’ (why am I like that?!).
Very impressive 50 mile average. I find long rides hard to take, so I understand why you eased back.
Thank you for all the advice.
I was overtaken on a short but very steep climb the other day, the rider flew by but he was a polite young man and said ‘hello’, so in my moment of ‘defeat’ my faith in human nature was restored!!!

 

[Martinsnos]

I have a phrase

“Out for a good time, not out for a good time.“

Means when I’m out on the bike I’m out to enjoy myself, not out to set a good time. Doesn‘t mean you can’t have a bit of fun on a local hill with similar ability mates. See who can get up quickest. But it’s just a bit of fun and your position getting up the hill doesn’t really matter. It shouldn’t be taken seriously.

These days I very occasionally go for a ‘fun’ ride. I hadn’t really ever done it before (did you know for example that beyond the hedges are fields with cows in? Never even really looked up before!!!).
I think I’ve got a few more years of killing myself and then I’m going to become an expert on cows!