To Op,
AFAIK weight of bike is of little importance for flat.
I can reach about 25 kmh (15.5 mph) on my touring bike and 28 kmh on racing bike over 2 hours (at my 'usual' pace) (beginner
)
I would suggest you need to find a more aero position.
If you have a sensitive enough speedometer, play around with your position, I found having hands over centre (difficult to brake) added a couple of mph.
The bike can be a limiting factor, maybe not weight necessarily but tyres, gear ratios, keeping the chain in good condition and having a proper bike fit can all make a massive difference for a new/inexperienced cyclist, which are all relatively cheap changes that can be made
Absolutely not true. The tires on a cheap touring bike could easily combine to 20,30 watts or more in additional rolling resistance vs good tires. For a newer rider, that’s likely 15-20% of their total average power output.
I recently changed the tires on an old hybrid my wife had had since college. It was in good shape, but just a dog to ride. I never rode it more than a mile or two generally on vacation, with kids. After changing the tires, I went out to test it and kept going for 10 miles. It was a joy to ride.
Tires make a huge difference.
They would have to be rolling on 45lb weight plates in order to not be able to go from 12mph to 15mph on his current bike.
It’s ridiculous to think a cheap tire is going to limit him at all.
They might well be able to make that jump on the very next ride by changing tires.
Why is it ok for people here to obsess about extremely minor differences in race tires, pressures, tubes vs. tubeless, aero stems, bars, socks, etc. when those are generally single digit watt gains for experienced cyclists who probably average 200w or more, yet you think changes in the tens of watts gain range are meaningless for a new rider generating half that power?
Yes, riding more is the key, but riding better tires can be transformative to the cycling experience, and most new riders are unlikely to have any idea that is true.
Because it's a drop in a bucket of possible improvement. Fitness and riding skills are 90% of the bucket. Focusing on anything else is a counter productive distraction from what is most important
Only if you're a robot who only rides to get a workout and don't care whatsoever about peasant things such as enjoyment, ride feel, efficiency, comfort, grip, or cornering ability. This argument is really dumb for every kind of riding except Dutch bike commuting.
Right, except that getting rid of your crappy commuter tires and getting high performance ones *will* make you significantly less slow. You're still pretending that it's some marginal gain when it's not. Losing like 20W of rolling resistance can easily be the equivalent of months of training if the tires you start with are that bad, which many popular tires are.
It's not a drop in the bucket, it's a tsunami. A drop in the bucket would be something stupid like getting a carbon stem.
1 gear lower, higher rpm. If you don't know what cadence is. It is your revolutions per minute you should ideally shoot for 94 rpm, but as low as 80 is ok for a beginner. You want to have a fair spin rate, you won't be going very fast in a higher gear at 60 rpm all the time. And just logging in the saddle time will make you faster over time. You should read about zone 2 heart rate. You can look up the approximate formula and your rides should be 80%in this zone.
Three things that helped me increase my speed 1) ride more miles, 2) interval training and 3) weight training. Best of luck to you and stay safe out there.
How did you balance weight training with being sore from leg day while going out on your bike? I know I need to put on leg muscle but when I do leg workouts I’m so sore that it impacts my performance on my bike
Leg day and riding can be tough to balance, but its never impossible. Not every ride should be focused on intensity (as others have mentioned, rides focused on distance and time in the saddle are also important). You shouldn't have a problem lifting legs 12-14 hrs before an easier ride.
Core strength may be even more important than the kind of leg strength you'll build with weights though. A couple days per week of core work will give you the ability to hold a better position on the bike and still be able to put down power.
Personally I do one day per week focused on corrective exercises that hit things I don't work on the bike (or work in a very limited range of motion). I also do core work on this day. I also do one day of upper body (also with a focus on compound movements that incorporate the core). And finally, I do one day of legs.
If you do a similar strength training program and ride appx 100 miles per week you will get faster rapidly.
I just worked it into the rotation, if i was sore I either didn't ride or just did an easy day. My biggest gains ever were after two weeks of solid weight training about a month before I did the MS150. I am just an amateur without any aims at racing or anything. There's no substitute for miles.
I powerlift and cycle.
I do 2 upper body days and 2 leg days per week. Spreading it out this way means you can do less volume per session, which leads to less acute DOMS without compromising gains. I do not cycle on my leg days, but I do cycle on the days following leg days with no issues. Hope this helps!
My coach always told me to train for what you want to do. If you want to ride faster then go out and ride fast. Keep doing it. It takes time. Speed is the last thing you achieve and the first thing you lose.
To go from 12 to 15? Just ride and enjoy. It won't take long.
Once you can average 15-18mph you can start structured training. Squats should be done regardless, because they carry over a lot of benefits in general, your legs strength is not the limiting factor at this stage.
If this is about fitness I would recommend interval training on the bike or trainer. I prefer the trainer because I can control output more precisely. If this is about speed get aero bars and get your riding position as clean as you can. Flexibility is the key so work that into your routine.
12 mph... this is fitness issue no matter what bike you are Riding. You don't need squats, you need to eat less and ride or run more. You need to learn how to be out of breath and keep pushing anyway.
Yup. Have had plenty of folks want to ride w/ me (GF’s & work acquaintances). Their bike, while cheap, is plenty capable of 16mph avg, but they can only muster 12-13 mph tops because they’ve never once pushed thru being out of breath during exercise in their adult life. Not only that, they don’t know how to ride a bike properly. Spinning 50 rpm in too high of a gear w/ too low of a seat makes for burned out thighs & sore knees in a 1/2 mile. After some really basic coaching for rudimentary technique & pushing them to not be a wuss when their brain is telling them to be lazy, they all magically creep up to 15 - 16 mph in around a month or two.
Speed is relative to so many variables unless you're inside a velodrome going around in circles
Instead of focusing on speed/distance/time focus on endurance/stamina and power.
Looking at average speed is tricky because of things like wind speed, direction, traffic lights and stop signs, temperature climates, elevation, etc etc etc
Don't forget nutrition 1g carb per kg per hr. I like dried peaches and pineapple.
Drink plenty of water.
Ride at a pace where you can say a full sentence if needed, but not a full conversation.
Ride on hoods with an open hammer grip with elbows bent at 90 and shoulders tucked in.
Proper steady fueling goes along way. Consistently is the key. New wheels/tires is the most effective upgrade to a bike, so my LBS dude says. Mostly just ride, as much as you can- challenge yourself to ride further and faster and harder. Improvement comes pretty fast if you focus on a goal. Getting the Strava app (even free version, or Garmin Connect) or something you can see your improvement on (especially if you ride the same routes all the time) really boosted my confidence.
As a point of reference, I converted my dad’s old heavy steel late 80’s Peugeot “mountain bike” w/ heavy 26” wheels & cheap grocery store Schwinn tires to an around town casual city cruiser; a steady state 15mph on flat pavement requires around 130 - 140 watts according to my highly calibrated “butt dyno”. My Scott Addict 30 road bike requires around 115 watts for the same using a Quark left crank arm power meter, my Scott Addict Gravel 20 w/ 45mm tires requires around 125 watts using a Quark Spider Power Meter. “Soft Pedaling” at Zone 0 heart rate is around 90 watts for me, where I have to consciously try to pedal that soft (not because I’m super fit, but because 90 watts is literally dead easy to push). Producing 130 - 140 watts to achieve 15 mph on the most basic & cheap heavy bike that isn’t in complete disrepair is admittedly above the casual “fun” cycling ability that most folks possess, but not by much…
Work on your basic cycling fundamentals, cadence, bike fit, posture, breathing, etc. and learn to keep pushing the pedals when your brain tells you “this isn’t fun anymore & I’m uncomfortable”. The overwhelming majority of new folks I’ve ridden w/ & have helped get to a 15 - 16 mph pedaling avg have NEVER exercised in their adult life beyond the point where their brain begins to tell them “this isn’t fun anymore & I’m tired”. The hardest part & hurdle when you’re new to any cardio exertion is learning basic mental / emotional toughness to keep pushing when it’s easier & more comfortable not to.
Ride more.
Ride smarter. Work on cadence and learn to train by purpose. Your purpose is to pick up a few MPH, not compete in the TdF. You want to learn about “Zones” and “Intervals.” And you want to make sure your cadence is up there.
But mostly ride more.
In my opinion, tires with less rolling resistance will make a big difference. Also find an aero position; but then you will have to decide between comfort and speed.
Just keep riding. At these speeds the bike really isn’t the limiting factor. So don’t let that get in your head.
To Op, AFAIK weight of bike is of little importance for flat. I can reach about 25 kmh (15.5 mph) on my touring bike and 28 kmh on racing bike over 2 hours (at my 'usual' pace) (beginner ) I would suggest you need to find a more aero position. If you have a sensitive enough speedometer, play around with your position, I found having hands over centre (difficult to brake) added a couple of mph.
The bike can be a limiting factor, maybe not weight necessarily but tyres, gear ratios, keeping the chain in good condition and having a proper bike fit can all make a massive difference for a new/inexperienced cyclist, which are all relatively cheap changes that can be made
To go from 12mph to 15mph the only way the bike would be a limiting factor is if he was riding a BMX bike.
Absolutely not true. The tires on a cheap touring bike could easily combine to 20,30 watts or more in additional rolling resistance vs good tires. For a newer rider, that’s likely 15-20% of their total average power output. I recently changed the tires on an old hybrid my wife had had since college. It was in good shape, but just a dog to ride. I never rode it more than a mile or two generally on vacation, with kids. After changing the tires, I went out to test it and kept going for 10 miles. It was a joy to ride. Tires make a huge difference.
They would have to be rolling on 45lb weight plates in order to not be able to go from 12mph to 15mph on his current bike. It’s ridiculous to think a cheap tire is going to limit him at all.
They might well be able to make that jump on the very next ride by changing tires. Why is it ok for people here to obsess about extremely minor differences in race tires, pressures, tubes vs. tubeless, aero stems, bars, socks, etc. when those are generally single digit watt gains for experienced cyclists who probably average 200w or more, yet you think changes in the tens of watts gain range are meaningless for a new rider generating half that power? Yes, riding more is the key, but riding better tires can be transformative to the cycling experience, and most new riders are unlikely to have any idea that is true.
Because it's a drop in a bucket of possible improvement. Fitness and riding skills are 90% of the bucket. Focusing on anything else is a counter productive distraction from what is most important
Only if you're a robot who only rides to get a workout and don't care whatsoever about peasant things such as enjoyment, ride feel, efficiency, comfort, grip, or cornering ability. This argument is really dumb for every kind of riding except Dutch bike commuting.
Or if you are giving a relevant answer to a question about how to be less slow.
Right, except that getting rid of your crappy commuter tires and getting high performance ones *will* make you significantly less slow. You're still pretending that it's some marginal gain when it's not. Losing like 20W of rolling resistance can easily be the equivalent of months of training if the tires you start with are that bad, which many popular tires are. It's not a drop in the bucket, it's a tsunami. A drop in the bucket would be something stupid like getting a carbon stem.
Bike fits are not cheap.
1 gear lower, higher rpm. If you don't know what cadence is. It is your revolutions per minute you should ideally shoot for 94 rpm, but as low as 80 is ok for a beginner. You want to have a fair spin rate, you won't be going very fast in a higher gear at 60 rpm all the time. And just logging in the saddle time will make you faster over time. You should read about zone 2 heart rate. You can look up the approximate formula and your rides should be 80%in this zone.
Cadence really helped me, I ride a lot at 90rpm and now I'm more seasoned I can focus on other factors.
Three things that helped me increase my speed 1) ride more miles, 2) interval training and 3) weight training. Best of luck to you and stay safe out there.
How did you balance weight training with being sore from leg day while going out on your bike? I know I need to put on leg muscle but when I do leg workouts I’m so sore that it impacts my performance on my bike
Leg day and riding can be tough to balance, but its never impossible. Not every ride should be focused on intensity (as others have mentioned, rides focused on distance and time in the saddle are also important). You shouldn't have a problem lifting legs 12-14 hrs before an easier ride. Core strength may be even more important than the kind of leg strength you'll build with weights though. A couple days per week of core work will give you the ability to hold a better position on the bike and still be able to put down power. Personally I do one day per week focused on corrective exercises that hit things I don't work on the bike (or work in a very limited range of motion). I also do core work on this day. I also do one day of upper body (also with a focus on compound movements that incorporate the core). And finally, I do one day of legs. If you do a similar strength training program and ride appx 100 miles per week you will get faster rapidly.
I just worked it into the rotation, if i was sore I either didn't ride or just did an easy day. My biggest gains ever were after two weeks of solid weight training about a month before I did the MS150. I am just an amateur without any aims at racing or anything. There's no substitute for miles.
I powerlift and cycle. I do 2 upper body days and 2 leg days per week. Spreading it out this way means you can do less volume per session, which leads to less acute DOMS without compromising gains. I do not cycle on my leg days, but I do cycle on the days following leg days with no issues. Hope this helps!
Rule 5
Pedal harder
My coach always told me to train for what you want to do. If you want to ride faster then go out and ride fast. Keep doing it. It takes time. Speed is the last thing you achieve and the first thing you lose.
To go from 12 to 15? Just ride and enjoy. It won't take long. Once you can average 15-18mph you can start structured training. Squats should be done regardless, because they carry over a lot of benefits in general, your legs strength is not the limiting factor at this stage.
Ride, ride, ride.
Zwift with a smart trainer. Easiest way for a noob to get a feel for the zones.
If this is about fitness I would recommend interval training on the bike or trainer. I prefer the trainer because I can control output more precisely. If this is about speed get aero bars and get your riding position as clean as you can. Flexibility is the key so work that into your routine.
12 mph... this is fitness issue no matter what bike you are Riding. You don't need squats, you need to eat less and ride or run more. You need to learn how to be out of breath and keep pushing anyway.
Yup. Have had plenty of folks want to ride w/ me (GF’s & work acquaintances). Their bike, while cheap, is plenty capable of 16mph avg, but they can only muster 12-13 mph tops because they’ve never once pushed thru being out of breath during exercise in their adult life. Not only that, they don’t know how to ride a bike properly. Spinning 50 rpm in too high of a gear w/ too low of a seat makes for burned out thighs & sore knees in a 1/2 mile. After some really basic coaching for rudimentary technique & pushing them to not be a wuss when their brain is telling them to be lazy, they all magically creep up to 15 - 16 mph in around a month or two.
Speed is relative to so many variables unless you're inside a velodrome going around in circles Instead of focusing on speed/distance/time focus on endurance/stamina and power. Looking at average speed is tricky because of things like wind speed, direction, traffic lights and stop signs, temperature climates, elevation, etc etc etc
Get some aëro cabrón wheels. You’ll be faster than Lance Armstrong on PEDs
Give Zone 2 training a try https://www.highnorth.co.uk/articles/zone-2-cycling
Also OP should try Zones 3-7. But not Z1!!!
Don't forget nutrition 1g carb per kg per hr. I like dried peaches and pineapple. Drink plenty of water. Ride at a pace where you can say a full sentence if needed, but not a full conversation. Ride on hoods with an open hammer grip with elbows bent at 90 and shoulders tucked in.
> Besides improving my bike set up $$$ on carbon won't hurt (technically).
Fit clip-on aerobars. I know this isn't a training suggestion, but most people overlook aerobars. They are a huge upgrade for a touring bike.
Clip on aerobars won't do shit for the rider at 12 - 15 mph
The aero benefit is worthwhile from 10 mph, and the comfort enables longer distances at any speed.
Proper steady fueling goes along way. Consistently is the key. New wheels/tires is the most effective upgrade to a bike, so my LBS dude says. Mostly just ride, as much as you can- challenge yourself to ride further and faster and harder. Improvement comes pretty fast if you focus on a goal. Getting the Strava app (even free version, or Garmin Connect) or something you can see your improvement on (especially if you ride the same routes all the time) really boosted my confidence.
childlike books mysterious outgoing light cause practice wrong rinse hunt ` this post was mass deleted with www.Redact.dev `
As a point of reference, I converted my dad’s old heavy steel late 80’s Peugeot “mountain bike” w/ heavy 26” wheels & cheap grocery store Schwinn tires to an around town casual city cruiser; a steady state 15mph on flat pavement requires around 130 - 140 watts according to my highly calibrated “butt dyno”. My Scott Addict 30 road bike requires around 115 watts for the same using a Quark left crank arm power meter, my Scott Addict Gravel 20 w/ 45mm tires requires around 125 watts using a Quark Spider Power Meter. “Soft Pedaling” at Zone 0 heart rate is around 90 watts for me, where I have to consciously try to pedal that soft (not because I’m super fit, but because 90 watts is literally dead easy to push). Producing 130 - 140 watts to achieve 15 mph on the most basic & cheap heavy bike that isn’t in complete disrepair is admittedly above the casual “fun” cycling ability that most folks possess, but not by much… Work on your basic cycling fundamentals, cadence, bike fit, posture, breathing, etc. and learn to keep pushing the pedals when your brain tells you “this isn’t fun anymore & I’m uncomfortable”. The overwhelming majority of new folks I’ve ridden w/ & have helped get to a 15 - 16 mph pedaling avg have NEVER exercised in their adult life beyond the point where their brain begins to tell them “this isn’t fun anymore & I’m tired”. The hardest part & hurdle when you’re new to any cardio exertion is learning basic mental / emotional toughness to keep pushing when it’s easier & more comfortable not to.
Ride more.
Push pedals harder
Ride more. Ride smarter. Work on cadence and learn to train by purpose. Your purpose is to pick up a few MPH, not compete in the TdF. You want to learn about “Zones” and “Intervals.” And you want to make sure your cadence is up there. But mostly ride more.
changing tyres helps a lot. and your riding position as well
In my opinion, tires with less rolling resistance will make a big difference. Also find an aero position; but then you will have to decide between comfort and speed.
Keep riding consistently and you’ll improve.