increasing speed

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Comments

  • sancho1983
    sancho1983 Posts: 76
    jonomc4 wrote:
    Anther tip - though totally useless.

    I just upgraded my commuter hybrid - to a full out race De Rosa R383 racer with Sram Red. My average speed on the flat has gone up immediately about 4mph with no extra effort (less wind resistance and lighter bike) - up minor hills that I used to go 11mph on I am now doing 20mph. Strangely enough (and I was surprised at this) my cadence has gone from an 85 average to 91! Guess it must just be my better positioning on the bike (I also blew £100 on a full bit fit).

    Expensive option but it seems to have helped a lot! It is a bit like driving a fast sports car - you get a shock when you look at the speedo - I think I am doing 15mph and look down and see it is closer to 25mph - oh the joy I am feeling right now :)

    I've noticed similar, although not to your extent. I was averaging 10-11 on my mtb, now touching 14 (although I have no hills near me)

    Saturday I went out and on a long flat didn't look at my computer for a while thinking I was doing 15 or so, looked down and it was 18. Not incredible I know, but gives me motivation!
  • jonomc4
    jonomc4 Posts: 891
    thescouselander wrote:
    jonomc4 wrote:
    Anther tip - though totally useless.

    I just upgraded my commuter hybrid - to a full out race De Rosa R383 racer with Sram Red. My average speed on the flat has gone up immediately about 4mph with no extra effort (less wind resistance and lighter bike) - up minor hills that I used to go 11mph on I am now doing 20mph. Strangely enough (and I was surprised at this) my cadence has gone from an 85 average to 91! Guess it must just be my better positioning on the bike (I also blew £100 on a full bit fit).

    Expensive option but it seems to have helped a lot! It is a bit like driving a fast sports car - you get a shock when you look at the speedo - I think I am doing 15mph and look down and see it is closer to 25mph - oh the joy I am feeling right now :)

    Surely some exaggeration - did your old bike have square wheels or something?

    Gentlemen I sh*t you not - an average speed increase of 4mph is not so unrealistic when you consider the drop in wind resistance (80% of your effort goes here) and the previous bike was a sit up and beg. The hill I admit was weird - but I did say it was a minor hill, so it's more of a speed factor (increased due to weight loss and better position) not an endurance thing. Today I did a bigger hill and the speed increase I would estimate at about 4 mph - you also have to factor in the fact I am rubbish on hills, so for a pro 4mph would be major, for me - it still consigns me the the rubbish climber category - just less so.

    OK there maybe a new bike factor here, in that sub-consciously I am powering harder as it is totally new (5 days in use) - but regardless it is a definite improvement.
  • DavidJB
    DavidJB Posts: 2,019
    jonomc4 wrote:
    Anther tip - though totally useless.

    I just upgraded my commuter hybrid - to a full out race De Rosa R383 racer with Sram Red. My average speed on the flat has gone up immediately about 4mph with no extra effort (less wind resistance and lighter bike) - up minor hills that I used to go 11mph on I am now doing 20mph. Strangely enough (and I was surprised at this) my cadence has gone from an 85 average to 91! Guess it must just be my better positioning on the bike (I also blew £100 on a full bit fit).

    Expensive option but it seems to have helped a lot! It is a bit like driving a fast sports car - you get a shock when you look at the speedo - I think I am doing 15mph and look down and see it is closer to 25mph - oh the joy I am feeling right now :)

    Wow average speed of a 3/4 cat race and it only feels like you're doing 15mph ;)
  • jonomc4
    jonomc4 Posts: 891
    hmmm I don't think I mentioned my average speed in the post - just the increase - hmm let me read again - nope I didn't.

    But thanks for the input - just so you are aware my average speed on my 12 mile commute has gone from 17mph to 21 - now that unless I am mistaken is not Cat 3 or 4 average speed and on a short distance (but it is the 4mph increase I talked about)! But when I was younger I was schoolboy sprint champion - guess that would make me Cat 1 for that age?

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