Struggling to improve

king_jeffers

I've been cycling to work now for a couple of months, on average twice a week 6.2 miles in and about 7 back (go slightly different way when going home). I'm really finding it hard to improve my times, its taking a total of about 38-40 mins to work and about 35 home if I push hard. I'm riding a mountain bike with knobblies (front suspension only which I have locked out), carry a heavy pack with lock, food and work clothes - this morning I was over taken by a creature resembling something from Where The Wild Things Are and I just couldn't gain on him, to make matters worse he had a similar bike and just breezed by (good points for him!). Anyway I was wondering if anyone had any tips to improve times/stamina?

I can go a slightly longer route into work that is more hilly which is about 7.5 miles, is it worth going the extra distance to improve and build up? As for the pack I would love to ditch it but I've got nowhere to leave my stuff at work and things tend to go missing if you do. I'm trying to build up how many times I cycle in per week to three times and hoping to increase to four.

My general fitness is poor, I've started doing circuit training at the gym and really improved my diet - hoping that will help.

I have got to beat the big guy.

Sharkyssurfers

depends if you are going off road on your bike or not, if not i would recommend changing your knobblies for slicks, your time and speed will improve no end.

ThatBikeGuy

Does your bike have compatibility for panniers? Maybe that could help aerodynamically atleast. Also echoing what sharky has said switching out your knobbly tires for slicks would help a lot in both weight and rolling resistance.

Perhaps try going out after work or making your route home slightly longer to do some hill training (if there are any). Sounds like you're doing the right stuff it may just take a little time but keep working at it and i am sure you will start noticing the difference.

seadog12

+1 for above. Slicks will make a huge difference, maybe 2-3 minutes....

Also, it's worth buying a cheap heart rate monitor and work to zones - smarter way to build fitness then just pedalling away

http://www.bikeradar.com/road/fitness/a ... sics-28838

purpledobra

Same as the replies above. When I first started I had an old MTB (no suspension but the weight of it was probably the same as a new MTB with shocks) and as soon as I switched to semi slicks I felt the difference. Also inflated to as high as possible on the tyres as possible which helped no end.

dbmnk

You don't have to buy stuff to get quicker!
You'd better just ride more - ride everyday, and ride longer.
Do several hours of riding in weekends - don't necessarily have to be fast, just long.
Go as fast as you can some days to/from work.

seadog12

dbmnk wrote:

You don't have to buy stuff to get quicker!.

No, but it can make a hell of a difference

Taken from http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopi ... e7ad2c26fc

TailWindHome wrote:

Lazarus style return of thread

WheezyMcChubby wrote:

Put slick tyres on it

The difference is astounding, 5 mins off my best time for 9 miles

Not bad for a total spend of £23.38 (City Jets from the Wiggle Fairy)

Will be going clipless when a bigger size arrives in the DHB M1 shoe, might pick up a couple of minutes there as well

Rode the same circuit on Monday night on the road bike, one lap warm up then balls out effort and the results amazed me

MTB with knobblies c45mins
MTB with slicks c40mins
Road bike 30min33secs


Now I'm not that much fitter and certainly no thinner.

Reckon most of the time was made up on the steep (for me) climb and a 3 mile section into the wind.


Does anyone have the profile of Richmond Park, I would be interested to find a similar circuit here and do a virtual 3 lap challenge :?:

The Rookie

Not sure why your taking that long, my commute is 6.6 miles, some hills, and when I started on a hardtail MTB on knobblies it took about 28 mins, now I have progressed to a dedicated commuter on slicks (and 3 years of fitness improving) it's about 5 minutes faster.

Knobblies will drag, even more so if run at low pressures (what pressures are you running - locally I see a lot of MTB's running at about 10psi and that will drag like an anchor), slicks will roll faster (especially downhill), but getting the pressures up to close to the max permitted (usually 45ish Psi) will make a bigger difference and is free!

I carry a reasonable amount of kit, laptop and packed lunch etc, its no faster with it in panniers than on my back but it is a lot less sweaty!

Simon

phillipjohnson

I wouldn't worry about it.

It's not like your commute is that long anyway at 35 to 40 minutes and the exercise you are getting will be well worth it.

I would just carry on as you are and worry less. Over time it will naturally improve.

I would also +1 to slicks though if you haven't got them... a bit less effort.

king_jeffers

Thanks for all the replies really appreciated

No room for panniers I'm afraid, but slicks seems like a great idea its not that expensive and if it helps well its worth a shot. Will give it a blast.

The Beginner wrote:

Not sure why your taking that long, my commute is 6.6 miles, some hills, and when I started on a hardtail MTB on knobblies it took about 28 mins, now I have progressed to a dedicated commuter on slicks (and 3 years of fitness improving) it's about 5 minutes faster.

Knobblies will drag, even more so if run at low pressures (what pressures are you running - locally I see a lot of MTB's running at about 10psi and that will drag like an anchor), slicks will roll faster (especially downhill), but getting the pressures up to close to the max permitted (usually 45ish Psi) will make a bigger difference and is free!

I carry a reasonable amount of kit, laptop and packed lunch etc, its no faster with it in panniers than on my back but it is a lot less sweaty!

Simon

I defo need to push myself harder - 28 mins seems like a great time. Think I'll check out my tyre pressure as well possibly a bit low. But from reading this I think the best thing I can do is start cycling more, really enjoy it so not a prob just need to find some more hills!

jeremyrundle

Get those knobbly tyres off and ger Continental tourers or similar, 6 miles is nothing, I am overweight, unfit and 50+, I could ride NO distance at all with XC tyres, but average 18mph and love it on good ROAD tyres, and the correct pressure.

http://sirpatrickmooresales.co.uk/Ourpage.aspx

bakerstreet

Loose some of the weight in the backpack.

I went from carrying clothes in a backpack to leaving them at work along witha pair of smart shoes.

This meant that I could use a smaller rucksack (25L) and just carry my lunch and maybe some leggings for the cycle home if it was a bit colder.

What are you cycling in? If you are cycling in track suit bottoms, that wll slow you down. Its warm enough now to be wearing shorts. You can get some cheap ones for £10 from Sports Direct. It will keep you cooler too

Hope that all makes sense

walkingbootweather

Your age, weight, fitness, equipment and attitude will all play a part.

As others have said, road tyres at the right pressure will make a big difference.

Next, dress for success - bike specific gear is great, but to start with just make sure you don't wear clothing that is too restrictive, makes you too hot or sweaty, or flaps about too much. Be comfortable.

Don't cycle after a big meal but carry some water. Drink it early and often (before you get thirsty).

Make sure your bike is properly maintained and adjusted. If the bike doesn't fit you properly you can never be efficient on it.

Think about you technique, watch yourself in shop windows or even get someone to video you. Compare with other cyclists. I see many bow-legged, rocking or hunched riders, often grinding away on too big a gear. You should aim to be spinning the pedals at at least 60rpm - if you can't manage that then you need to change down a gear.

Ridden properly a bike is an extremely efficient machine that can take you good distances with relatively little effort at a fair pace.

Enjoy it.

meanredspider

I'm in two minds about this - and it depends a lot on what you want.

When I started commuting (both since I've been in the Highlands and about 10 years ago when I lived in Cambridge) I had entirely unsuitable commuting bikes. In Cambridge, for instance, I had a BSO MTB that was soooo heavy we called it the "concrete bike". I was commuting with my bro who was riding a carbon-framed, 2-grand, MTB. I did this a few months before I bought my Kona Cinder Cone. The day I rode it home for the first time, I absolutely blitzed the guy from the bike shop.

Again, in the Highlands, I started my 30 mile RT hilly commute on that self-same Kona (then 8 years old) with knobbly (and heavy) Ice Spiker ice tyres. By the time I eventually switch to an aluminium road bike, I was flying.

If the time isn't too important, I'd stick with the knobblies for a while - you'll be burning more calories and getting fitter.

cloggsy

Riding the right bike for the job will make a hell of a difference!

I wouldn't ride a mountain bike for commuting. Road bike or Hybrid yes, not a mountain bike!

I've been commuting for 6 weeks and this was my time on this mornings 12.8 mile commute:

Distance: 12.87 miles
Average: 18.64 miles/h
Fastest Speed: 27.01 miles/h

Mile 01 - Average 16.84 miles/h
Mile 02 - Average 21.36 miles/h
Mile 03 - Average 17.07 miles/h
Mile 04 - Average 21.51 miles/h
Mile 05 - Average 17.62 miles/h
Mile 06 - Average 17.42 miles/h
Mile 07 - Average 17.82 miles/h
Mile 08 - Average 17.97 miles/h
Mile 09 - Average 22.90 miles/h
Mile 10 - Average 16.10 miles/h
Mile 11 - Average 20.95 miles/h
Mile 12 - Average 19.28 miles/h

Data courtesy of my 'Cyclemeter' app (on my iPhone)

king_jeffers

cloggsy wrote:

Riding the right bike for the job will make a hell of a difference! I wouldn't ride a mountain bike for commuting. Road bike or Hybrid yes, not a mountain bike!

Yeah I originally thought I'd be using it far more on a weekend than I am at the moment, we have quite a few fields I used to cut over but now tend to stick mostly to tarmac and have about a mile of dirt track when I approach work. Come later this year think I will swap out for something more apt.

Also just to say thanks to everyone for advice, after a quick bike inspection (I don't know why I didn't do this sooner) I found the pressure on my tyres to be extremely low. I've inflated to the correct amount and I think its helping, I've also ditched my lock and started leaving it at work rather than carrying it in my pack (trying to lighten the load). So far I've managed the cycle to work in 33 mins which is a massive improvement (for me!) and I clocked 28 mins back last night, was really pleased.

I also got a new app for my phone to track journey times, previously I was using Google's My Tracks but I've since switch to Endomondo. It has a great function to try and beat previous times, I've even identified where I'm slacking on the journey and will try hit those areas next.

Tyre wise still rocking the knobblies but getting slicks on at the end of the month, I'm hoping that will help and improve my times.

Thanks again guys

kurako

Could be your bike set up is not that efficient. I see a lot of people struggling with their saddle too low or feet in the wrong position. Improving your efficiency will help in terms of speed and fatigue. Bike fitting can be expensive but maybe if you have a friendly bike shop you could ask for pointers next time you get a service.

Barteos

To improve your times, put the slicks on or get a road bike.
To improve yourself, leave the knoblies on.

Initialised

Don't worry mate, I was there ~2 years ago. My commute is 6.67miles and has dropped from ~45 minutes to (a new best of) 25 minutes. I'm still not as fast as I'd like to be. I use an rigid frame aluminium Giant circa 1998, a roadie would call it an MTB, MTBers would call it a hybrid.

First year back in the saddle I slacked off a fair bit, didn't lose much weight or get much faster, got lifts when it rained etc... Second year I'd given up smoking and carried on right through to now with very few days off.

In that time I've lost three stone and almost cut my time in half.

What really helped:

Doing it whatever the weather (Aldi/Lidl winter/wet gear is fine and cheap).
Quitting the fags and late night gaming sessions.
Sorting out the bike (new wheels, bottom bracket, decent brakes, gears and chain) (pedals and SPDs and maybe a saddle are next).
Setting up the bike (legs at 85-95% extended at full stretch).
Switching to semi-slick tyres. (really felt it after switching back after the ice melted)
Keeping tyres at high pressure

I'm now (2 years in) at the stage of thinking I can't get much faster without a better bike or putting down more miles, so I'll be selling my car and treating myself to a faster bike soon, probably go for a CX and taking the longer route back more often.

king_jeffers

Initialised wrote:

Don't worry mate, I was there ~2 years ago. My commute is 6.67miles and has dropped from ~45 minutes to (a new best of) 25 minutes. I'm still not as fast as I'd like to be. I use an rigid frame aluminium Giant circa 1998, a roadie would call it an MTB, MTBers would call it a hybrid.

First year back in the saddle I slacked off a fair bit, didn't lose much weight or get much faster, got lifts when it rained etc... Second year I'd given up smoking and carried on right through to now with very few days off.

In that time I've lost three stone and almost cut my time in half.

What really helped:

Doing it whatever the weather (Aldi/Lidl winter/wet gear is fine and cheap).
Quitting the fags and late night gaming sessions.
Sorting out the bike (new wheels, bottom bracket, decent brakes, gears and chain) (pedals and SPDs and maybe a saddle are next).
Setting up the bike (legs at 85-95% extended at full stretch).
Switching to semi-slick tyres. (really felt it after switching back after the ice melted)
Keeping tyres at high pressure

I'm now (2 years in) at the stage of thinking I can't get much faster without a better bike or putting down more miles, so I'll be selling my car and treating myself to a faster bike soon, probably go for a CX and taking the longer route back more often.

25 minutes is storming I will hit it eventually! I noticed increasing the tyre pressure helped noticeably but its been hard to time, was getting battered by wind today which I'm hoping will ease off tomorrow. I had a look at the saddle height as well, set this to just over hip height (when standing) resulting in a slight bend in knee, again found this has helped.

I don't smoke but I love food and gaming (what a combo!), trying to ease up on both late night activities :-) The slicks are next, coming at the end of the month can't wait. Also trying the longer route back rather than taking short cuts.

Great advice thanks for feedback.

bikeboon

King Jeffers wrote:

I'm really finding it hard to improve my times, its taking a total of about 38-40 mins to work and about 35 home if I push hard.

Try switching to a gear leading to a higher (pedalling) cadence? Hate to see many fellow commuters switching to their lowest gear (highest ratio) and panting while not knowingly ruining their knees. I can bet money you can shave off a minute of two by keeping your cadence between 70 and 90.

Good luck!

samoht

I started commuting on my MTB a few years ago, and reached a similar situation of feeling that my fitness improvements were plateauing - I stopped seeing the fitness improvements that I had been.

These things helped me:
* Pump up tyres
* Get freer-rolling tyres
* Get panniers instead of a rucksack - you can sustain a better rate of exercise with fresh air at your back, rather than a heavy pack making you sweaty.
* Get SPDs - then you can pedal more efficiently, and feel more connected to the bike. These help off-road too. BUT make sure you get the cleat angle set correctly on the shoe - get a bike shop to do a cleat alignment if necessary.
* Get a road bike

Barteos wrote:

To improve your times, put the slicks on or get a road bike.
To improve yourself, leave the knoblies on.

I'm not convinced about this. I feel like, certainly for me, riding a road bike that rewards my efforts more, encourages me to push harder than sat on an MTB. Or maybe it's the riding position. Anyway, I think a road bike gets me working harder than an MTB, on road.

If you don't want to go out and buy a road bike, the MTB should be fine with slick tyres pumped up. You might be able to find a rigid front fork cheaply, if you aren't planning on going offroad ? (only in as far as it saves a little weight)


Perhaps try and pick stages of the return commute to 'push' on, in order to build fitness? Find places where you can hold a bit of speed, or long hills, and challenge yourself to push harder on those specific bits, and then ease off for a bit to recover. This may help you push your fitness up a level, rather than settling into a steady pace that is efficient, but not so fitness-improving.

shdaxner

Hi bud, first of all I am also a relatively unfit commuter who started cycling around Christmas time on a carrera MTB and at first I was the same as you, I struggled, so I started reading this forum and got a few hints and tips, first off I would say changing the tyres would be a massive difference in speed and being able to maintain speed, I have schwalbe city jets on mine and they have never let me down, secondly I would say learn to spin, when I first started I used to grind it out and not change down til it was too late, now I spin I try maintain a cadence of around 90rpm and pre-empt hills and change on the approach rather than the climb, I find spinning increases fitness and speed. By the way I do around 4.2 miles in 14 - 15 mins

DuFFs1989

i still commute on knobblies =]