Top tips on improving road riding

[Rock bus]

Really want to step up my road riding this year. Not really to anything special but just so I can concistently ride at 17mph+ and comfortably manage hill, based in Warwickshire so there’s nothing too massive here.

Other than the obvious, riding more, I’d be interested in people’s top tips for improving in The short term?

 

[vickster]

Lose weight. Optimise cadence for you. Make sure bike set up right for you. Go join a club maybe

I’m happy riding rather slower than 17mph and that’s on the flat

 

[hoopdriver]

Exactly - as above. You don’t mention whether your ambition is to ride 17mph for two hours or for ten.

As for me I am happy merely to cruise. I may pedal swiftly on occasion, but I am never in a rush.

 

[Drago]

Go for a regular MTB thrash. It'll do your road control skills the World of good.

 

[Arjimlad]

I extended my normal ride to work from 4 to 10 miles & tried to keep going faster every time.

Made a big difference to my fitness.

 

[Slick]

For me, there are no tips in the short term. It's all about hours in the saddle and putting the graft in. I suppose it depends a lot on your existing level of fitness, but at my level there are no shortcuts.

 

[gbb]

Technique. Research it, work on it.

While I was fit and could achieve 17mph over 50 miles, I just 'rode hard without really looking at what I was doing, although I did increase my cadence in the last couple years of peak riding for me.
Higher cadence helped me achieve the same mileage, but much more comfortably.

Ankling, using your calf muscles more rests your thighs and while I played with it I never got top side of it but could definitely feel the respite it gave my thighs.

I'm sure there are other techniques...

 

[HLaB]

Really want to step up my road riding this year. Not really to anything special but just so I can concistently ride at 17mph+ and comfortably manage hill, based in Warwickshire so there’s nothing too massive here.

Other than the obvious, riding more, I’d be interested in people’s top tips for improving in The short term?

You can do too much riding which wears you out rather than quality sessions; well that's what folk tell me anyway Anyway I've cut back my riding, last year I only done 9,000 miles and did short turbo interval training session mid week. It seemed to work going by the number of pb's I got on TT's. Folk are still telling me I should cut back more but I like loosing my mind on a real cycle ride

 

[HLaB]

I'm sure there are other techniques...

Lol, find a big hill and cycle down it, not many of those though in Peterborough

 

[cyberknight]

Get a ride partner called Eddy

 

[Tin Pot]

Really want to step up my road riding this year. Not really to anything special but just so I can concistently ride at 17mph+ and comfortably manage hill, based in Warwickshire so there’s nothing too massive here.

Other than the obvious, riding more, I’d be interested in people’s top tips for improving in The short term?

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/structured-training-in-2018.229025/post-5155902

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Lol, find a big hill and cycle down it, not many of those though in Peterborough

He's in Warwickshire and there's some good ones round Lowsonford.

 

[sheddy]

When going past side roads, don't ride in a straight line. Motorists will clock you better and are less likely to pull out.

 

[HLaB]

He's in Warwickshire and there's some good ones round Lowsonford.

gbb is in Peterborough though I think I did a charity sportif round there and there was good hills but nothing long enough to freewheel down for a good period

 

[Biff600]

Lol, find a big hill and cycle down it, not many of those though in Peterborough

Love's Hill in Ailsworth, steep, but not for long