Best way to get quicker

Anonymous

Hi guys, I have just taken up cycling on the back of TDF/ olympic fever. Been riding for 3 weeks now and am pretty hooked!
Anyway I wanted advice on the best way for a newbie to get faster/ climb better.

I'm in pretty good shape, I have a few Strava KOMs (and no I didn't create the segment lol) and was fairly comfortable in a 4 large group covering 45m at the weekend at 18mph average. Weigh about 75kg currently at 5 foot 8 at 25yo and would like a few lbs off.

I commute 9m to work and back daily unless it's miserable outside so far. Go at a reasonable pace, it's flattish and takes me about 34mins give or take traffic lights. Then at least every other day go out for a cycle in the evenings.

Now I'm a stravaddict this invariably involves me concocting a route around 5-10m long with a couple of segments I think I could havea go at. Problem is the distance/ ease at which I can do these is shortening. My legs never really feel 100%, even if I commute via car, in the evening I'm not at full power.

I'm all too aware that overtraining is possible, could that be what I'm doing or do I just need to man up and put more miles on?
I quite fancy doing 10m TT when I'm a bit faster.
Any advice on training frequency and content would be gratefully received.

styxd

Practice and ride harder.

t.m.h.n.e.t

Allo!

Keep riding and keep increasing the miles gradually. Your heart and lungs will catch up!

Barteos

Commuting every day all year round regardless of the weather and steadily extending the length of the return trip would be a good first step.
As you've just recently started, focus on distance/endurance first. High intensity efforts without a solid base won't get you far.

Anonymous

Thanks for the advice. At the minute, it feels like my heart and lungs are miles ahead of my legs and having come from long distance running this may well be the case. I think that more distance rather than repeated interval training (strava segment chasing) would be more beneficial. Just need to develop to willpower to aim for that rather than the ego boost of bagging a couple of easy segments!

t.m.h.n.e.t

hutchy_belfast wrote:

Thanks for the advice. At the minute, it feels like my heart and lungs are miles ahead of my legs and having come from long distance running this may well be the case. I think that more distance rather than repeated interval training (strava segment chasing) would be more beneficial. Just need to develop to willpower to aim for that rather than the ego boost of bagging a couple of easy segments!

You'll find it easier to up the distance - then gradually up the speed relative to distance.

ShutUpLegs

Has anyone suggested pedalling harder :?:

RoadMeridaBen

Cant go wrong with just riding the bike, I used to do the same 7 mile route everyday as fast as I could, its 2 big hills (I wouldnt recommend doing it flat out like I was everyday) but just the consistency of riding the bike helped me no end. Now its rare I average under 19, except for yesterday where a car hit me at a RAB lol

mtbboy101

Squats, squats, then some more squats

http://www.training4cyclists.com/squat- ... t-lifting/

tricket

Just my ten penneth, but I started riding in May and just kept building the distance, riding regularly. I recently completed my longest sportive at 50 miles (which included a 20%+ climb amongst others) and this was helped by squeezing 15 - 20 mile rides in (nearly) ever other night.

My average speed has risen by about 2mph to about 19mph over that time and try to ride hills harder and in a higher gear each time I go out. Being in Surrey, the hills aren't what you'd call long or massively challenging, but I try to make the most of them.

I also have a selection of routes so that I don't get bored or get to comfortable on any particular route, but they are as varied as I can make them.

All the above seems to be working as I can cope easier with longer distances and attack climbs better.

Stick with it and you'll soon start to see the differences.

Wrath Rob

Short answer: More miles, harder.

Longer answer: Spend more time in the saddle riding further, then ride the same distance harder.

iPete

Move further from work.

Anonymous

Moving work in February to 40miles away from work , I'm not sure anyone on here is hardcore enough for an 80m commute?

NITR8s

hutchy_belfast wrote:

Moving work in February to 40miles away from work , I'm not sure anyone on here is hardcore enough for an 80m commute?

I would, why not you get a break while you are work.

snoopsmydogg

surprised no one has mentioned it yet but the easiest way to go quicker is.............



go out in a tailwind

karlth

NITR8s wrote:

hutchy_belfast wrote:

Moving work in February to 40miles away from work , I'm not sure anyone on here is hardcore enough for an 80m commute?

I would, why not you get a break while you are work.

If you're single you'd get away with this. A married person has very little chance of persuading the other half that this is a good use of their time.

Ron Stuart

Shift 4 kilos and keep them pedals turning.

snoopsmydogg

karlth wrote:

NITR8s wrote:

hutchy_belfast wrote:

Moving work in February to 40miles away from work , I'm not sure anyone on here is hardcore enough for an 80m commute?

I would, why not you get a break while you are work.

If you're single you'd get away with this. A married person has very little chance of persuading the other half that this is a good use of their time.

work is always a good time for a break otherwise BR would be very quiet between 9-5

daxplusplus

hutchy_belfast wrote:

Moving work in February to 40miles away from work , I'm not sure anyone on here is hardcore enough for an 80m commute?

It would depend on the route - through countryside and having the option of flatish profile then why not? Maybe not everyday for sure but a few times a week - yep I'd give it a go.

It helps if you have a sedentary job and enough time to get back without causing issues at home (can try getting up early in thr morning and leave work a little early on those days that you commute)

peejay78

strava segment chasing won't do you much good in the long run. and it will probably become a source of frustration rather than enjoyment in a fairly short space of time.

RoadMeridaBen

80 miles commuting a day is a bit over the top, looking at just over 4 hours riding and on top of work it really doesnt leave much time in the day for anything else

Your just starting out, enjoy riding the bike for now

Stick to training after work like me , im a plumber so im quite active in work anyway though

simon_masterson

20

karlth wrote:

NITR8s wrote:

hutchy_belfast wrote:

Moving work in February to 40miles away from work , I'm not sure anyone on here is hardcore enough for an 80m commute?

I would, why not you get a break while you are work.

If you're single you'd get away with this. A married person has very little chance of persuading the other half that this is a good use of their time.

This!

The other issue is that it is a liability. If something goes catastrophically wrong and you still have 30 miles to go, that's going to cost you in whatever public transport you use. It's also highly recommended if not essential to have a second bike ready to go. Many around here seem to be too new to cycling or are lucky enough to have avoided anything major failing on their bike, but I'm afraid it does happen. Kill a freewheel or a bottom bracket, snap a crank, or anything worse, and your bike will be out of action unless you are a dab hand mechanic very replete with spares.

Other than that, when you start there will be a period in which most cycling you do will be very beneficial, and therefore long rides will help you. You need to build fitness, stamina and strength, and that will take time.

So forget Strava. It's a fairly stupid contest anyway. Forget average speeds too. If you can get out on your bike and cycle at 16-20 mph for even just a couple of hours, that should be sufficient to start with. There will come a point at which just doing long rides won't be enough if you really want to go fast, but you will know when you reach that plateau. Ultimately if you want to climb hills you have to climb hills, if you want to cycle for long distances you must cycle long distances, and if you want to cycle fast that is what you must do.

Ron Stuart

Simon Masterson wrote:

20

karlth wrote:

NITR8s wrote:

hutchy_belfast wrote:

Moving work in February to 40miles away from work , I'm not sure anyone on here is hardcore enough for an 80m commute?

I would, why not you get a break while you are work.

If you're single you'd get away with this. A married person has very little chance of persuading the other half that this is a good use of their time.

This!

The other issue is that it is a liability. If something goes catastrophically wrong and you still have 30 miles to go, that's going to cost you in whatever public transport you use. It's also highly recommended if not essential to have a second bike ready to go. Many around here seem to be too new to cycling or are lucky enough to avoided anything major failing on their bike, but I'm afraid it does happen. Kill a freewheel or a bottom bracket, snap a crank, or anything worse, and your bike will be out of action unless you are a dab hand mechanic very replete with spares.

Other than that, when you start there will be a period in which most cycling you do will be very beneficial, and therefore long rides will help you. You need to build fitness, stamina and strength, and that will take time.

So forget Strava. It's a fairly stupid contest anyway. Forget average speeds too. If you can get out on your bike and cycle at 16-20 mph for even just a couple of hours, that should be sufficient to start with. There will come a point at which just doing long rides won't be enough if you really want to go fast, but you will know when you reach that plateau. Ultimately if you want to climb hills you have to climb hills, if you want to cycle for long distances you must cycle long distances, and if you want to cycle fast that is what you must do.

This man's a regular ray of sunshine :shock:

simon_masterson

I'd be interested to know what's so negative about that post... A few things that are a bit 'realistic', but that's it.

Anonymous

Thanks for the advice guys, not seriously commuting to the new place of work, it would be 40 pretty horrible miles and like you say, 15miles in anything breaks, I'm screwed.
Any particular heart rate/ power output most beneficial? Or is it just a case of max distance grinding?

karlth

Side issue - has anyone noticed that the Road Beginners posts about getting faster are from people with average speeds that would look pretty respectable for many an experienced hand? Don't know what they'd think if they were like some of us, hovering around 15-16mph after a couple of years.

RoadMeridaBen

karlth wrote:

Side issue - has anyone noticed that the Road Beginners posts about getting faster are from people with average speeds that would look pretty respectable for many an experienced hand? Don't know what they'd think if they were like some of us, hovering around 15-16mph after a couple of years.

I was fortunate to be averaging 18's within 2 months obviously with some
Effort, these days 18 average is effortless... it does get easier!

fatdaz

RoadMeridaBen wrote:

80 miles commuting a day is a bit over the top, looking at just over 4 hours riding and on top of work it really doesnt leave much time in the day for anything else

Your just starting out, enjoy riding the bike for now

Stick to training after work like me , im a plumber so im quite active in work anyway though

Blimey - an active plumber, where can I find you ;-)

karlth

RoadMeridaBen wrote:

karlth wrote:

Side issue - has anyone noticed that the Road Beginners posts about getting faster are from people with average speeds that would look pretty respectable for many an experienced hand? Don't know what they'd think if they were like some of us, hovering around 15-16mph after a couple of years.

I was fortunate to be averaging 18's within 2 months obviously with some
Effort, these days 18 average is effortless... it does get easier!

TBH, I think we're too hung up on averages out of the context of the terrain. Put me in the Fens and I'd have a 20mph+ average. Put me where I actually am, and 15-16 is more realistic.

tricket

karlth wrote:

RoadMeridaBen wrote:

karlth wrote:

Side issue - has anyone noticed that the Road Beginners posts about getting faster are from people with average speeds that would look pretty respectable for many an experienced hand? Don't know what they'd think if they were like some of us, hovering around 15-16mph after a couple of years.

I was fortunate to be averaging 18's within 2 months obviously with some
Effort, these days 18 average is effortless... it does get easier!

TBH, I think we're too hung up on averages out of the context of the terrain. Put me in the Fens and I'd have a 20mph+ average. Put me where I actually am, and 15-16 is more realistic.

I would agree with that. I should have qualified in my post that my current average speeds are from my training rides which only involve one or two small-ish hills (which I'm still pleased with given the limited amount of time i've been riding). The sportives I have done tend to be more like 15mph average as they tend to have stepper, longer and more plentiful hills that near enough wipe me out

skooter

Only been riding just over a week and I have doubled my speed and distance.. I think :shock: .. mind you I am 60 and live on a mountain thats 1700 mts high and its just about 43c right now at 7 oclock in the evening..
But I do agree with the more experiance here that you have too push your self..