Building speed... Does it come naturally?

[dee.jay]

I suppose the answer is fairly easy for this question.

As I'm building my miles up, losing the weight etc, will it be reasonable to see a natural trend for speed to rise? My stamina is - managed 18 miles (with a few stops of course) where I could barely do 3 only a few weeks ago.....

 

[TissoT]

Speed will come once you have reached a level in your fitnesses...

 

[slowmotion]

I'm a lot fitter than I was but I haven't got any faster. Riding at the same speed that I always have has become a lot less of an effort though.

 

[Drago]

A good fast bike helps too. I'm astonished at how fast my new Felt is compared to my Pinnacle, and I'd previously thought the Pinny was a flighty wee machine.

 

[Doc333]

You know the answer to your question. take it from me, your miles will build, your climbing will improve, your fitness will improve, your thigh muscles won't hurt as much, your waist will drop (I hope because mines not yet) your breathing will become easier, your blood flow will be much healthier and you know what? you'r speed will improve. Mine went from 8 mph ave to 14 mph ave. I went from 45 minute minute rides to 2.5 hour rides. hey I'm still here and feel that I could be here for a while longer

 

[swede54]

I've been riding for 3 years after a long break. Haven't got much faster but I can go 20 times farther now.

 

[dee.jay]

Thanks all - I appreciate it was a fairly obvious answer

 

[jefmcg]

You gotta push it. You will get further and further, but if you don't push it, like me and @swede54 you'll just cruise a long at a comfortable pace.

 

[Fab Foodie]

You gotta push it. You will get further and further, but if you don't push it, like me and @swede54 you'll just cruise a long at a comfortable pace.

This. You will naturally improve to a point .... but to go past that point requires serious effort.

 

[nobbyp]

dee.jay

When I started back riding in August I was averaging 11-12mph. Now riding longer and faster - averaging 15 maybe 16 mph now depending on climb & ride length. Improvement on fitness / waking up the cycling muscles is helping for sure but I also have improved my riding technique - using higher cadence and not trying to grind high gears up climbs - this element alone I think had added a couple of mph and leaves more in the tank to ride for longer

 

[screenman]

You may reach a point where improving is not as easy as it once was.

 

[nobbyp]

Am personally about 1.5 stone away from that point - figure every bit of weight I don't have to drag up hill will help (probably equates to about £2k worth of savings on a lighter bike!!

 

[dee.jay]

I'm 18st odd so carrying around a fair amount of ballast...... :-D

 

[Drago]

A real man.

 

[screenman]

I'm 18st odd so carrying around a fair amount of ballast...... :-D

How tall?