How to go faster?

[leemo]

I commute an 8.5 mile journey and currently average 13.5 mph according to my iPhone (at least thats what I did today whilst pushing fairly hard!). I think I am cruising at 16-17mph on flat judging from my one minute averages but obviously stopping for lights, and also I have to go through Greenwich tunnel. My route has hardly any hills. I currently ride a spesh sirrus elite with 28mm tyres at about 120psi, mudguards and a saddle bag and wear lycra/cycling clothes.


I'm about a stone overweight, so how much faster would I go if I lost the weight?

Would cleats make me go faster? -- Im currently using toe clips.

How much faster do you think I would go if I were on a serious road bike?

Would you advise anything else to shorten my commute?

 

[Stingy]

What's the rush?

(serious question btw)

 

[amaferanga]

I commute an 8.5 mile journey and currently average 13.5 mph according to my iPhone (at least thats what I did today whilst pushing fairly hard!). I think I am cruising at 16-17mph on flat judging from my one minute averages but obviously stopping for lights, and also I have to go through Greenwich tunnel. My route has hardly any hills. I currently ride a spesh sirrus elite with 28mm tyres at about 120psi, mudguards and a saddle bag and wear lycra/cycling clothes.


I'm about a stone overweight, so how much faster would I go if I lost the weight?

Would cleats make me go faster? -- Im currently using toe clips.

How much faster do you think I would go if I were on a serious road bike?

Would you advise anything else to shorten my commute?

I doubt losing weight will make much difference if there aren't any hills. You could try 25mm or 23mm tyres, but TBH I don't think its the bike that's stopping you going quicker. If you're riding the same route every day at much the same pace then you'll quickly plateau and won't get any faster. You need to mix things up a bit and ride beyond your comfort zone some days - really push yourself on any stretches that you have a clear run on (if its safe to obviously). Have a hard day or two and then have a rest day where you take it a bit easier. If you do this for a couple of months then you'll probably get quicker. If you have time to ride at weekends you could work in some proper intervals (2 x 20 minute at threshold are as good as anything) and see bigger gains.

 

[gaz]

My commuting averages can be less than 13mph. but i'm no slow poke!

 

[leemo]

What's the rush?

(serious question btw)

Good question!

Im working in finance so long hours, but I want to spend more time with my family.

And Im considering where to live in London. Not sure whether to more a mile further out a buy lovely victorian semi house, or move 2 miles further in for a terrace about 60% of the size!

 

[Turkish]

Good question!

Im working in finance so long hours, but I want to spend more time with my family.

And Im considering where to live in London. Not sure whether to more a mile further out a buy lovely victorian semi house, or move 2 miles further in for a terrace about 60% of the size!

Ride faster and move out of London

 

[Fab Foodie]

Cleats will certainly help.
23/25mm Michelin Pro-race will give a bit more pace.
Weight affects acceleration and is notable on hills, but you don't have any of them.
Get more aerodynamically positioned.
BUT, best of all...
Join a club and get some proper training. Clubs certainly help you cycle faster.

 

[DrSquirrel]

Cleats will certainly help.
23/25mm Michelin Pro-race will give a bit more pace.
Weight affects acceleration and is notable on hills, but you don't have any of them.
Get more aerodynamically positioned.
BUT, best of all...
Join a club and get some proper training. Clubs certainly help you cycle faster.

He wants to spend more time at home, so joining club rides is kind of counter productive.

8.5x2x5 is good weekly mileage. Even if you started tacking on 60s at the weekend you would soon loose that training advantage when you stop to spend time. Maybe a turbo trainer at home?

I agree on the rest though.


I think knowing when to push will help also... no point pushing that extra few mph down a hill only to sit on your arse and climb at 1/4 cruising speed. Hit them hills hard.

 

[jimboalee]

Commuting is not a time trial. There are metal boxes on wheels sharing the road, and to be quite honest, some of those metal boxes don't know what they're doing.

You'll learn about riding fast in traffic as soon as one of those metal boxes misjudges your speed and emerges from a side road in front of you.

The trick to a long and happy cycling commute life is to see and be seen. Expect any of those metal boxes to do anything and DON'T rush.

I expect your family would prefer you ten minutes later than having a phone call off the police saying "Mr Leemo is in A&E".

And if you think creeping up the inside of a truck at traffic lights will save you a few seconds, the police might have to say "Mr Leemo is in the morgue."

 

[noelmg]

Have to agree with the last poster. I ride an MTB to work for 8.5 miles each way, and I don't rush. I generally do it in about 40 mins (averaging 11-12mph), if I really push it I can average 13mph and do it in 38 mins. There are a couple of nasty hills but I generally don't rush as it makes so little difference, and to push your average up by 1mph you have to be pedalling consistently harder the whole time.

I think of it that I enjoy my time on the bike, and it doesn't matter if I'm on it a little longer. It is still only 10 mins slower than driving to work, and I get the added bonus of doing exercise 3-4 times a week. When I started about 2 months ago it was taking me 55 mins each way, now it's down to 40 and has stuck there so I'm pretty happy with that.

 

[jimboalee]

Wait until....

You are riding along in the Normal position ( secondary ) and a car drives past you and she is looking at your butt and legs. Then she drives straight into the car which has stopped in front of her.

 

[biking_fox]

Cleats will certainly help.

Evidence?

Cleats or toeclips might help a little bit if the OP isn't already using either. But I seriously doubt they'll take any notable amount of time out of a 40min journey. Changing from toeclips to cleats will gain a second or two at best.

Best bet would be to swap to 23mm tires. And cycle harder (see above).


But consider realistically what your goals are: You're currently about 40min for 8 miles. Maybe you could get this to 30min (ie journey average of 16-17 mph means crusing at 20mph+)

Would you notice?

 

[DrSquirrel]

I don't see how trying to go a few mph faster overall is going to make it much more dangerous on the road.

Have to agree with the last poster. I ride an MTB to work for 8.5 miles each way, and I don't rush. I generally do it in about 40 mins (averaging 11-12mph), if I really push it I can average 13mph and do it in 38 mins. There are a couple of nasty hills but I generally don't rush as it makes so little difference, and to push your average up by 1mph you have to be pedalling consistently harder the whole time.

You say that like it's a bad thing

 

[Norm]

Evidence?

Cleats or toeclips might help a little bit if the OP isn't already using either. But I seriously doubt they'll take any notable amount of time out of a 40min journey. Changing from toeclips to cleats will gain a second or two at best.

As I wrote here, my first clipless ride shaved 2.5 minutes off a 40 minute ride.

Whilst there may be many other factors, the underlying point is that, in those specific circumstances, I was 5% faster when moving from toe clips to clipless.

 

[jimboalee]

I don't see how trying to go a few mph faster overall is going to make it much more dangerous on the road.

Like the power required to keep the bike moving, the amount of force to decelerate it rises with speed.

Force = mass x acceleration. Mass doesn't change but the deceleration from 20 mph into the side of a car is greater than the deceleration from 15 mph.

So if a car pulls out when you are doing 20 mph, injuries will be more likely.

If you're doing over 20 mph, at a speed motorists don't expect a cyclist to be doing, they misjudge your arrival at the junction.