Going faster - how?

iamisotope

I am relatively new to road cycling.

I have a pretty good aerobic fitness from both swimming and cycling, and as a result, I find that I never really get to my limit, breath wise, when cycling.

However, I do find that I am much slower than I expected I would be when cycling.

What should I be looking at in terms of a training regime?

Would it be weights, or just lots more of on-bike training?

I don't intend to do rides of more than 40k.

danowat

iamisotope wrote:

I am relatively new to road cycling.

I have a pretty good aerobic fitness from both swimming and cycling, and as a result, I find that I never really get to my limit, breath wise, when cycling.

However, I do find that I am much slower than I expected I would be when cycling.

What should I be looking at in terms of a training regime?

Would it be weights, or just lots more of on-bike training?

I don't intend to do rides of more than 40k.

Push harder then.

Pokerface

+1. Skip the weights and pedal harder. If you're not breathing hard then you aren't trying hard enough.

JamieRa

Pokerface wrote:

If you're not breathing hard then you aren't trying hard enough.

+1

StillGoing

As everyone else has said; if you're not struggling for breath then you obviously have a lot more effort to give. If you can go at an average 25mph plus without getting out of breath then maybe you should be considering a career in racing? Unfortunately for me I'm blowing out my arse trying to maintain an average 17mph.

Zoomer37

Try the big ring

freehub

Pokerface wrote:

+1. Skip the weights and pedal harder. If you're not breathing hard then you aren't trying hard enough.

I dunno about that, when I'm thrashing myself on the flat I still breath slow.

Matt the Tester

freehub wrote:

Pokerface wrote:

+1. Skip the weights and pedal harder. If you're not breathing hard then you aren't trying hard enough.

I dunno about that, when I'm thrashing myself on the flat I still breath slow.

thats pretty weird lol, never heard of that before!! are you just giving it a little kick or are you REALLY pushing yourself?

freehub

I am pushing myself yes.

Perhaps it is due to low cadence? If I spin I go slower but I am proper breathing hard.

When going up hills I'm usually breathing like no tomorrow also, maybe that might explain why I'm doing better compared to people on hilly TT's rather than flat TT's hmmmmm.

StillGoing

If you aren't breathing heavy you can't be pushing yourself. Even turning a big gear if you're doing it slowly without having to breathe hard, then you could be going a hell of a lot faster.

styxd

Its your positioning on the bike/bike fit I reckon.

On my last bike I would barely get out of breathe on the flat even pushing as hard as I could, I used to find my legs would start burning up well before I'd get anywhere near being out of breath. I used an inline post on my last bike.

On my new bike, I seem to be able to push myself much harder without my legs starting to feel like they're on fire. It has a 25mm set back on the seat post. Im assuming its down to this.

So, make sure your bikes setup properly!

Slack

Increase your cadence.

markos1963

iamisotope wrote:

I am relatively new to road cycling.

I have a pretty good aerobic fitness from both swimming and cycling, and as a result, I find that I never really get to my limit, breath wise, when cycling.

However, I do find that I am much slower than I expected I would be when cycling.

What should I be looking at in terms of a training regime?

Would it be weights, or just lots more of on-bike training?

I don't intend to do rides of more than 40k.

One word that I discovered that has helped me with my speed is 'intervals'

lef

for those that arent getting out of breath, sounds like you're 'hammering' it at around threshold or below. Go absolute all out for a minute or two then if you're still not breathing hard then you are clearly exceptional athletes.

+1 on intervals. look at adding short all out efforts of 30 secs - 1 min with 2min recovery. repeat a few times. or look into 2x20s. doing intervals such as 30 sec, 1min, 5 min, 10 mins, 20 mins will mean you're working at different inensities. Thats a start but theres loads online. I recommend you do some research on google, you should find some good programmes and see what the different training zones mean and how to train them.

freehub

The main things I am going to use to try and get faster is 2x 20 min training and sometimes do 1x 20 mile @ TT pace.

But I can't work out if I'd get a proper 2x 20min workout on the road, I'd prefer to do it there as it's more "fun" than on the turbo.

I'm not too optimistic though I sort of can't see how 2x 20 would speed someone up?

markos1963

freehub wrote:

The main things I am going to use to try and get faster is 2x 20 min training and sometimes do 1x 20 mile @ TT pace.

But I can't work out if I'd get a proper 2x 20min workout on the road, I'd prefer to do it there as it's more "fun" than on the turbo.

I'm not too optimistic though I sort of can't see how 2x 20 would speed someone up?

I'm not clever enough to explain why it makes me faster but I know it does. Although when I started doing them I wasn't strong enough to hold the pace for both intervals and had to do 2 x 15mins until I could complete it fully. I also do 5x 5mins intervals now at just above TT pace to build in some margin for 10TTs

freehub

Does it matter about holding the pace? Surely it's just 20 mins, take it easy for 10, then push hard for another 20?

P_Tucker

freehub wrote:

The main things I am going to use to try and get faster is 2x 20 min training and sometimes do 1x 20 mile @ TT pace.

But I can't work out if I'd get a proper 2x 20min workout on the road, I'd prefer to do it there as it's more "fun" than on the turbo.

I'm not too optimistic though I sort of can't see how 2x 20 would speed someone up?

Try reading a few training books then

StageWinner

freehub wrote:

The main things I am going to use to try and get faster is 2x 20 min training and sometimes do 1x 20 mile @ TT pace.

You sometimes do 1x20 mile at TT pace? What length TT pace? Because you wouldn't be able to do a 10 mile TT pace for 20 miles.

P_Tucker

StageWinner wrote:

freehub wrote:

The main things I am going to use to try and get faster is 2x 20 min training and sometimes do 1x 20 mile @ TT pace.

You sometimes do 1x20 mile at TT pace? What length TT pace? Because you wouldn't be able to do a 10 mile TT pace for 20 miles.

I can, which is probably why my best 10 time is rubbish.

sub55

P_Tucker wrote:

StageWinner wrote:

freehub wrote:

The main things I am going to use to try and get faster is 2x 20 min training and sometimes do 1x 20 mile @ TT pace.

You sometimes do 1x20 mile at TT pace? What length TT pace? Because you wouldn't be able to do a 10 mile TT pace for 20 miles.

I can, which is probably why my best 10 time is rubbish.

and me my 25 pb is quiker than 10 pro rater

freehub

I find between doing 20 mile @ TT pace the effort is only slightly lower than 10 pace.

My best 10 is 23:41 so not great and I did even worse at 24:24 the other day. My best performance for a 25 mile unofficial is 1 hour 4 28 seconds which I did on Thursday (since I've never actually done a 25 mile TT), It was on one of those 1x 20 mile efforts but I thought screw it I'll go for 25 miles. I really need a course where I don't need to stop as that screws me up and one where I don't need to give way at roundabouts coming into the center of a town.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/99106009

I had a bad patch in the middle lap (lap 2) where I had to slow down, just felt crap and got pins and needles in my right leg.

Herbsman

the best way to go faster is to sleep better.

markos1963

freehub wrote:

Does it matter about holding the pace? Surely it's just 20 mins, take it easy for 10, then push hard for another 20?

Yes it does matter. Quality over quantity. For instance doing 5x 5mins intervals, I was told by my coach that if I can't do no. 4 & 5 at the target pace then I was to stop the session and ride back at level 1/2. Training to ride fast means to ride at the target speed, no point in riding just below as you will only achieve the lower figure.
It's the same with the 2 x 20 min, if you can't match the pace of the first interval then you need to cut down the time but keep the intensisty the same until you are strong enough. So a beginner might only do 2 x 10 mins.

freehub

I'll try 2x15mins tomorrow then and see what it does.

P_Tucker

freehub wrote:

I'll try 2x15mins tomorrow then and see what it does.

Good thinking. These workouts do indeed have an instant effect and one workout is plenty to evaluate its effectiveness.

danowat

My current "in mid season" interval sessions are 2 x 15.

freehub

Well I tried 2*15

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/100518650

I was slower than I could have being, not by much something like 0.5-1mph at a guess, but my effort was not lower because I was spinning faster than I normally would. Hopefully if I do these regular as well as the weekly TT's and maybe do 5x5 perhaps I'll go faster.

God knows why it thought I had power/cadence but I'd be going a hell of a lot faster than 27mph max if I was putting out over 16,000 Watts

mbhuw

I wrote a post about Interval training for begginers if that helps?
http://www.cyclechain.co.uk/?p=22

P_Tucker

mbhuw wrote:

I wrote a post about Interval training for begginers if that helps?
http://www.cyclechain.co.uk/?p=22

What are your qualifications?

sloppyschleckonds

P_Tucker wrote:

mbhuw wrote:

I wrote a post about Interval training for begginers if that helps?
http://www.cyclechain.co.uk/?p=22

What are your qualifications?

He can type.