Why am I so slow on flat terrain

[User16625]

Dunno. What are you riding? It sounds like you might be "mashing" too high a gear on the flat or might have some aerodynamic or tyre problem.

This guy goes fast: https://fitrecovery.wordpress.com/the-noobs-guide-to-cycling/ - I don't think it's worth it or much fun, but he seems pretty accurate on the few bits I've tested.

Im trying to figure this one out:

20+ mph is where “aero” makes a decent difference and 25 mph is where it’s a huge advantage… How much? If you went whole hog with aero, bike, 50 mm deep rims, aero helmet, tight fitting clothing… At 25 mph, over one hour you’d save three minutes (that’s more than a mile folks, it’s significant)

So at 25 mph, you will cover 25 miles in an hour on a normal bike, but you will do it in 57 minutes on a TT bike (Which I assume is either made of carbon fibre, or dark matter).

 

[mrbikerboy73]

It may have something to do with your riding style. This isn't necessarily a conscious decision you've made, just the way you are. Some people are good at hills, others fly along on the flat. I'm more a hill climber than a fast rider myself. Not my choice, just the way I've turned out to be!

 

[howard2107]

I am no expert. but reading through the posts, i can fully understand where the seat height fits in to things. It is simple physics. If you raise the saddle height, your increase the distance of the stoke of your legs, so your legs become straighter and put more force into the stroke, so on the flat you will go faster with less effort. This will have a negative effect on hills as it will be more difficult to pedal, but you should be able to overcome this by better use of your gears. So it may be the people who pass you on the flat are better set up then you.

Thats my theory anyway!

Cheers.............Howard

 

[User16625]

I am no expert. but reading through the posts, i can fully understand where the seat height fits in to things. It is simple physics. If you raise the saddle height, your increase the distance of the stoke of your legs, so your legs become straighter and put more force into the stroke, so on the flat you will go faster with less effort. This will have a negative effect on hills as it will be more difficult to pedal, but you should be able to overcome this by better use of your gears. So it may be the people who pass you on the flat are better set up then you.

Thats my theory anyway!

Cheers.............Howard

Eh!?
How does using a position that allows you to exert greater force on the pedals make hills harder?

 

[screenman]

Enter a proper race and put a number on your back, that is worth at least 1mph or even more.

 

[Cyclist33]

Typically, someone with those symptoms would be relatively light in weight, but relatively unfit aerobically. In other words, on hills, where weight really matters, you find yourself out-pacing others. While on the flat, where fitness really matters, you find yourself struggling.

If that sounds like you, then work on your aerobic fitness.

That sounds like me... Although I feel fast on the flat I am a clear stop down from most trundlers but I normally catch the same riders up going uphill. That's not to say I'm any good at either!

 

[Citius]

Thats my theory anyway!

It's a pretty terrible theory, to be fair.

 

[bigpapamack]

My longest ride is 81miles at just over 13mph, that was the Etape Caledonia, ride twice a week, due to working away, so out sat and Sunday, always on my own
Normally a big ride of 40-60, then a shorter one of about 20-30
Going to check if the seat is too low
Also think I need to adopt a more rigid training plan when out riding, at the moment I am just cycling distance and not trying to teach a goal
Thanks for all the replys

 

[Rob3rt]

The reason you are so slow is because you aren't kicking the pedals from the top to the bottom hard enough!

You don't need a more rigid training plan, especially if you do not have a specific goal, you simply need to ride more regularly.

Oh and Howard, your theory is a crock of sh*t. Here's a spanner in the works for you, a lower saddle can make you way more aerodynamic, to the point that putting out an extra 10W from pushing the saddle up is pissed away by loosing 20-30W from increased drag!

Re. upgrading a CAAD frameset, a CAAD frameset is a very good frameset and investing in upgrades rather than buying a new bike is definitely worth it, but probably not for the OP who's problem is fitness.

 

[Sittingduck]

Good tip for impoving avg speed on rides is to have the current avg displayed on your Garmin or computer and not just look at it after the ride. Keep a close eye on it, pick a realistic but challenging target after your ride has begun and try to better it. I think this is the reading I look at most of all on my Garmin, during the ride. It encourages you to put effort in and it's rewarding to see the avg creeping up as the ride progresses.

 

[vickster]

Good tip for impoving avg speed on rides is to have the current avg displayed on your Garmin or computer and not just look at it after the ride. Keep a close eye on it, pick a realistic but challenging target after your ride has begun and try to better it. I think this is the reading I look at most of all on my Garmin, during the ride. It encourages you to put effort in and it's rewarding to see the avg creeping up as the ride progresses.

Taking care not to over-concentrate on the Garmin so you ride into parked or slow moving cars or pedestrians...

 

[Sittingduck]

Taking care not to over-concentrate on the Garmin so you ride into parked or slow moving cars or pedestrians...

I'm obviously not saying to stare continually at the screen but having that reading on there may help. An occasional glance won't hurt though, or else bicycle computers wouldn't be in such common use

 

[mjr]

I wish there were more phone apps that would read out your recent and trip average speed every minute or so.

 

[vickster]

I know Just seems to be a plethora of cyclists posting about driving into parked cars, three in a bout the last fortnight!

 

[DWiggy]

Ride down in the drops with elbows tucked in and use a high cadence that feels comfortable around 80-100rpm, on the flat I'm around 95ish and I'm usually big ring up front and mid cassette at the rear, you shouldn't feel like your pushing very hard at all just maintaining the fast cadence, also don't be afraid to flick up or down a cog ...this work okay for me

The seat height advice is worth looking into as well, you need it so your legs has a slight bend (not straight) when at the bottom of the stroke if it's too low then you will struggle.

Hope this helps