How do you increase speed?

Scott'sTrek1000 said:

I usually ride about 17-18 by myself. I rode with a couple guys yesterday and had to keep at about 20-21 to keep up. I did it, but it SUCKED. How can I increase my speed so I can keep up easier?

Thanks

Train using a heart rate monitor and/or power meter, and follow advice on these forums regarding the proper use of each. Keep riding, keep reading, and the speed will follow. I'm also trying to raise my horsepower, and there are many elements to consider. You have to focus on the bottleneck, and once you've figured out what that is and improve, you'll have a new bottleneck to improve. Diet, rest, training intensity and duration, distance you ride, body weight, mental attitude all are factors. Diet is particulary complex. There's always something new to learn.

If you want to learn all about training for cycling and how to improve every aspect of your riding, I would suggest:

The Cyclist's Training Bible by Joe Friel

It costs about $23US and is available in book store and Amazon. If you are serious about cycling, it may be the best money you ever spend.

Get on your bike and ride, ride, ride, ride, ride...

TrekDedicated said:

Get on your bike and ride, ride, ride, ride, ride...

^
That's it.

🙂

I'd love to meet some of these guys who ride an average? 20-21 mph and take them up and down a few small lanes on Dartmoor 😄 and watch them grind it out up 10%+ before trying to tear down leaf and debris covered broken tarmac round blind bends :eek: then check their averages. It ain't so hard keeping a good speed on wide, flat roads with a bit of a tail wind 😉

Sean

vitiris said:

I'd love to meet some of these guys who ride an average? 20-21 mph and take them up and down a few small lanes on Dartmoor 😄 and watch them grind it out up 10%+ before trying to tear down leaf and debris covered broken tarmac round blind bends :eek: then check their averages. It ain't so hard keeping a good speed on wide, flat roads with a bit of a tail wind 😉

Sean

well i just got back from my ride and kept a 21.8mph average over 36 miles..oh wait but i'm in western Kansas where it's flat as flat can be...
but earlier in the summer in KC i would do a ride which included 4 climbs of 7% or greater, each for half a mile or more....total ride distance would be 27 miles and my average speed was normally right at 21mph

when you ride with a group drafting plays a huge role, anyone can ride 2-3mph faster with a group than by themselves over the same course...but to answer the original question, spend more and more time on the bike, 100 miles/week or more...the speed will come

Scott'sTrek1000 said:

I usually ride about 17-18 by myself. I rode with a couple guys yesterday and had to keep at about 20-21 to keep up. I did it, but it SUCKED. How can I increase my speed so I can keep up easier?

Thanks

Keep riding with them once a week, and just do some easy recovery or endurance miles in between. You need time to recover from a hard ride.

And always practice the fine art of wheelsucking. Take your turn to pull when they want you to, but just slow down to a speed you can handle.

After about 8-10 weeks/rides, bet you'll be keeping up without too much pain.