Hi all, I've been cycling since 2015 and cycle 3 or 4 times a week and my average speed hasn't improved much from when I started around 12mph on a 20 mile loop, now I average around 13.5 mph on the same loop. Yesterday I did a shorter route with less gradients I just manage 13.6mph. Looking at my strava data most of my rides give my watts output of around 145 watts. Yesterday I was looking at a rider stats who I was following his watts output shows 116watts and averaging 15.6 mph on a 34 mile loop. I just want to improve my average speed to 15mph anybody could give me some advice?. Hope it make sense my eng!ish is not the good. Thanks.
How to improve my average speed?
- Thread starter kiwifruit
- Start date
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Tenacious Sloth
Guru
- Location
- Huntingdon, UK
I don’t know your build, but if you can lose any weight that will help. The same number of watts will be able to move less weight faster.
I’m assuming you’re riding a road bike or reasonably lightweight hybrid? A heavy mountain bike won’t help your cause.
The other way of getting faster is to target your training to improve wattage output. Going out 3 or 4 times a week for 20 miles at the same intensity while good, isn’t going to improve your output as much as a targetted training regime including intervals and sessions in specific training zones.
There is probably a lot of information on the internet about training plans to study, or alternatively employ an online coach. I know a few people who’ve gone down the coach route and improved their speed massively.
Alternatively, enjoy the countryside, listen to the birds, drink beer and enjoy your riding. One thing is certain, if you go down the improvement route it won’t get any easier, you’ll just go faster.
Or, to simplify (as Carl has above), pedal faster (but not all the time).
I’m assuming you’re riding a road bike or reasonably lightweight hybrid? A heavy mountain bike won’t help your cause.
The other way of getting faster is to target your training to improve wattage output. Going out 3 or 4 times a week for 20 miles at the same intensity while good, isn’t going to improve your output as much as a targetted training regime including intervals and sessions in specific training zones.
There is probably a lot of information on the internet about training plans to study, or alternatively employ an online coach. I know a few people who’ve gone down the coach route and improved their speed massively.
Alternatively, enjoy the countryside, listen to the birds, drink beer and enjoy your riding. One thing is certain, if you go down the improvement route it won’t get any easier, you’ll just go faster.
Or, to simplify (as Carl has above), pedal faster (but not all the time).
DCBassman
Guru
- Location
- The lumpy far South West
Yes, it really is that simple. I went out on an ordinary ride over an ordinary distance yesterday, and simple decided to push a bit harder. Average went up a bit. Still less than yours, @kiwifruit , but faster than the day before.
Kajjal
Guru
- Location
- Wheely World
Normally it comes from eating healthily, losing weight and sleeping well. Also having a well maintained and set up bike. After that it is down to how hard and far you ride.
lazybloke
Considering a new username
- Location
- Leafy Surrey
Style of bike makes the biggest difference to me. That encompasses all sorts of factors such as weight, tyre type/size/pressures, riding position and so on.
Route also makes a difference, as junctions, traffic lights, etc, will slow you down.
Route also makes a difference, as junctions, traffic lights, etc, will slow you down.
Hi all am 5ft8in, weigh 65kg age 48 slight built, I got 2 road bike and a mountain bike. I tend to ride the road bike and I do put some effect in on my rides. I do have a cadence sensor average about 80rpm. Please see attached
Attachments
Training is the best way to improve your performance and fitness, but you can cheat your way to a higher average speed by looking at the "smoothness" of a ride.
Some tricks to increase your smoothness:
- it's tempting to ease off as you reach the crest of a hill, but you will lose a lot of momentum that way. Keep pushing past the summit.
- you will lose far more time and therefore average speed by riding gently uphill than you can regain by riding hard on the flat or descent
- ride at a pace you can sustain, instead of surging and falling back. If you ride very hard for 2 minutes and then take 10 minutes to recover, you're slower than you'd be if you rode moderately hard for 12 minutes. Great training, but usually doesn't make for good average speeds
- when riding up hills, unless you're sure you can get up it quickly in the gear you're in, change to a gear that feels too easy, focus on your pedalling and breathing and spin up it, this will help prevent you becoming fatigued which would force you into the easier gear anyway
- Constantly stopping and starting will kill your average speed. Avoid routes with traffic lights or lots of junctions or dog walkers/joggers.
Some tricks to increase your performance and fitness without formal training:
- seek out hills at every opportunity
- ride with people who are stronger and faster than you (once the pandemic is over, obviously)
- listen to your body when it tells you that you need time to recover
Some tricks to increase your smoothness:
- it's tempting to ease off as you reach the crest of a hill, but you will lose a lot of momentum that way. Keep pushing past the summit.
- you will lose far more time and therefore average speed by riding gently uphill than you can regain by riding hard on the flat or descent
- ride at a pace you can sustain, instead of surging and falling back. If you ride very hard for 2 minutes and then take 10 minutes to recover, you're slower than you'd be if you rode moderately hard for 12 minutes. Great training, but usually doesn't make for good average speeds
- when riding up hills, unless you're sure you can get up it quickly in the gear you're in, change to a gear that feels too easy, focus on your pedalling and breathing and spin up it, this will help prevent you becoming fatigued which would force you into the easier gear anyway
- Constantly stopping and starting will kill your average speed. Avoid routes with traffic lights or lots of junctions or dog walkers/joggers.
Some tricks to increase your performance and fitness without formal training:
- seek out hills at every opportunity
- ride with people who are stronger and faster than you (once the pandemic is over, obviously)
- listen to your body when it tells you that you need time to recover
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
Aside from improving your physical performance you need to learn to...
Ignore pain.
And that's it. I took a KoM recently and I knew before attempting it that the only way I would do it would be to just ignore pain for the 37 seconds it took me to do the deed. The moment I hit the end of the segment and eased off I nearly fainted.
Now that's an extreme example, but the fact remains that if you've been sedentary and are still fairly new to cycling it can take quite a long time to get used to pushing your body where it doesn't obviously want to go, even just a little bit. It'll come, that switch will flick in your brain, and all you can do is to push just that little bit harder, just 2 or 3 percent, than you really feel that you want to and eventually the zen will come to you.
Ignore pain.
And that's it. I took a KoM recently and I knew before attempting it that the only way I would do it would be to just ignore pain for the 37 seconds it took me to do the deed. The moment I hit the end of the segment and eased off I nearly fainted.
Now that's an extreme example, but the fact remains that if you've been sedentary and are still fairly new to cycling it can take quite a long time to get used to pushing your body where it doesn't obviously want to go, even just a little bit. It'll come, that switch will flick in your brain, and all you can do is to push just that little bit harder, just 2 or 3 percent, than you really feel that you want to and eventually the zen will come to you.
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I can't advocate ignoring pain - too easy to injure yourself or make yourself sick that way.
I'd say that it's more important to learn to recognise and interpret the signals your body is sending you, which comes mainly through the experience of what it's like to misinterpret them.
You can then use that experience to build the mental toughness needed to let you tune out unhelpful signals for hours on end or, as you say, for very short very sharp bursts.
All of my best rides happened when I've ended up far outside of my comfort zone and had no option but to keep pushing on (ironically all of my worst rides happened under the same circumstances
)
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
I was thinking more pain in the lungs and the burn in the legs and buttocks, not joint paint or an impending heart attack. One would hope that anyone would just the tiniest bit of gumption would recognise the difference. But you got the idea - the mental fortitude to tune out and away from what your body is telling you.
vickster
Legendary Member
Have you ever joined a cycling club to train with quicker cyclists? Maybe consider that when it’s possible again. Riding in a group will get your average up. Most faster groups will go further than your 20 miles tho.
How hilly are those 20 miles?
How’s the road surface?
And how busy? And how many junctions?
Certainly the above about lights and traffic is true. My average speed increased at the start of lockdown. Now it’s back to where it was as the traffic has got heavier
How hilly are those 20 miles?
How’s the road surface?
And how busy? And how many junctions?
Certainly the above about lights and traffic is true. My average speed increased at the start of lockdown. Now it’s back to where it was as the traffic has got heavier
kingrollo
Guru
Have you ever joined a cycling club to train with quicker cyclists? Maybe consider that when it’s possible again. Riding in a group will get your average up. Most faster groups will go further than your 20 miles tho.
How hilly are those 20 miles?
How’s the road surface?
And how busy? And how many junctions?
Certainly the above about lights and traffic is true. My average speed increased at the start of lockdown. Now it’s back to where it was as the traffic has got heavier
And it's good fun too (club group riding)
That and comuting to work have had the biggest impact on my fitness over the years.
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