Advice on getting quicker on the bike ....

[Tiny01]

I've only been riding a road bike since April & really enjoying it , I try to get out most evenings after work of course weather dependant & do between 15 & 25 miles each night on my own with what now seems to a consistent 19-20mph average pace .

The weekends on one day I ride with a local club & there rides tend to be between 50/60 miles also at a similar pace maybe a tad faster as group riding .

But I'd like to try & up my average on my solo 20 Mile rides in the evening , currently I'm not holding much back & try and ride with a nice tempo keeping the cadence between 90-100 .

Is it just a case of riding , riding & riding more just to increase the average , or maybe miss a night & go to the gym instead ?


Over the last few months I've seen the average increase from 17-18mph now I'm 19-20mph but like to maintain say 20-21mph but it seems a different level , how do I get there ?

I'm 48 , reasonablly fit & toying with the idea of maybe trying an organised track / road race in the future

Any advice really apprecisted

 

[HarryTheDog]

Hi a 19-20 mph average is a very decent speed. However as a bit of a racer myself, extra speed is always welcome. If you have been only riding since April you are doing very well indeed but may not have your full base endurance yet . As a late starter ( like me) it is estimated you have 5 years of improvement ( dont know where I read that) I am in a cycling club that has several people who are serious about racing and the basics go something like this. From the end of the race season to a couple of months before it starts again do long steady miles ( 60-100 miles or further) , as the race season looms start going out in fast chain gangs and doing sprint efforts to increase speed and power. A lot of people on this forum slag off Strava but going for Strava sections has increased my speed. So on your next ride set up some sprint sections which can be anything from between road signs and telegraph poles to Strava sections.
There are lots of training plans out there, I cant follow one properly as most of my miles are commute miles. Also another thing that increases speed is actually racing!.
I am sure some other people can point you in the direction of a proper training plan.

 

[Rooster1]

Hi Tiny01

What sort of terrain are your rides - your speeds are already good?

Are you doing some hills mixed into your rides ? Perhaps you could share some ride data.

I only average about 17mph, but that is because I always do 1000-2000 feet of climbing per 20 miles.

 

[Roadrider48]

19-20 mph is an excellent average!

 

[Tiny01]

Hi Tiny01

What sort of terrain are your rides - your speeds are already good?

Are you doing some hills mixed into your rides ? Perhaps you could share some ride data.

I only average about 17mph, but that is because I always do 1000-2000 feet of climbing per 20 miles.

I'm in SE Essex not blessed with hills but I do try to find a few to mix in with my rides , I love Strava & I'd say that's one thing that has kept me pushing hard & helped with my speed just want to try & take it to the next level whilst I'm still sort of young enough lol !

I'll try & add a few rides from Strava a bit later to help explain / show the terrain

Thanks

 

[jefmcg]

I've only been riding a road bike since April & really enjoying it , I try to get out most evenings after work of course weather dependant & do between 15 & 25 miles each night on my own with what now seems to a consistent 19-20mph average pace .

Stop posting stuff like this, it's depressing!

You are 48 and in 2 months can cycle for an hour at 19mph. At this risk of repeating myself

Honestly, if you "dust off the bike and ride for 18 miles" you should be teaching us

 

[numbnuts]

19-20mph average pace

I dream about thing like this..........

 

[HarryTheDog]

I know Mayland SE Essex, I used to sail from Steeple ( Marconi sailing club) Yes its a very flat area . As I remember there was a thriving TT scene around there though. ( usually started from the Star Pub) TT'ing is another thing you could try, that will help with power and speed. If the club your in is Maldon CC you should be able to get plenty of advice from within the club. When is used to race CX, Maldon CC was always well represented.
Are you thinking of trying Criterium/road racing with the LVRC? or do you just want to go faster.

 

[midliferider]

Average speed of tour De France is 25 miles an hour. You are doing well.

 

[DRM]

I think that because your in a flat area,doing some of the hills that we have here in West Yorkshire will bring that average speed right down, possibly finding some climbs to do will make you stronger, but you could be in for a shock if you did a race in a hilly area.

 

[boydj]

Your averages are already very good. High quality interval training a couple of times a week will improve your speed, but you need to build rest/recovery days into your training plan - rest is when your body repairs the damage done by hard training and helps to avoid injury. Have some variety in your routes to keep it interesting and a regular hard hill session will help.

 

[Karlt]

Bloody hell - I could manage that average on a very flat run, but I've been riding five years and I'm the same age. This is just depressing!

 

[Tiny01]

Stop posting stuff like this, it's depressing!

You are 48 and in 2 months can cycle for an hour at 19mph. At this risk of repeating myself

Lol sorry @jefmcg , yes I remember you saying that , things have moved on quite quickly you've helped me from the start

 

[Tiny01]

I think that because your in a flat area,doing some of the hills that we have here in West Yorkshire will bring that average speed right down, possibly finding some climbs to do will make you stronger, but you could be in for a shock if you did a race in a hilly area.

Yes indeed I make you right , biggest thing to contend with on my training rides is the wind as living close to the Thames Estuary & the river Blackwater , we do have a few hills & I will start to target them

 

[Tiny01]

Your averages are already very good. High quality interval training a couple of times a week will improve your speed, but you need to build rest/recovery days into your training plan - rest is when your body repairs the damage done by hard training and helps to avoid injury. Have some variety in your routes to keep it interesting and a regular hard hill session will help.

Thanks some good advice there , I will take that on board , think it's time to look for a proper training plan now