Cycling faster

Dave1441

I a currently 13 years old and cycle averagely at 15mph on rides of about 40 miles+ I am starting racing next year and want to be able to comfortably cycle at 20mph. My bike is a Raleigh airlite and I can not afford to go and buy a new bike at the moment but I am thinking of saving for a canyon. I am looking for any advice or training plans I could use to cycle at 20mph, I am wanting to have completed this goal by June next year and any help will be appreciated

dw300

Awk bless ..

Dave1441

:roll:

16mm

Join, and ride with a club, especially one with younger members who race.

Herbsman

16mm wrote:

Join, and ride with a club, especially one with younger members who race.

This

kamil1891

10mph or you wanted to write 19? if the former then don't be disappointed if you fail to make your goal... but good luck anyway

Dave1441

I cycle at closer to 15mph than 10mph

Herbsman

Have you tried pedaling harder?

danowat

Making an arbitrary figure like 20mph your goal is futile, because speed depends on too many factors, i.e. wind, terrain etc etc.

SBezza

Ride with a strong wind behind you. Speed isn't the be all and end all of cycling, there are a few ways to go fast with very little effort, on the other hand generally trying to travel at an average of 20 mph on your own on a road bike whilst training is never going to be that easy, especially over 50 miles.

Riding/racing in a bunch it is alot easier as you can save alot of energy drafting, and riding on something like a TT bike 20mph can be fairly easy as well (enviromental conditions not withstanding).

As a young rider you will get better each year, but don't expect massive changes in speed in a relatively short period of time, I would do as 16nm has suggested and join a cycling club that has a few juniors around your age and ride with them and use the club's more experienced riders to gain knowledge of what training is required to improve. There isn't any real generic plans that will get you from 15mph averages to 20mph averages, you just need to get fitter and more powerful as a rider, and that will come with age and experience.

BowtomePhil

Plus your muscles are only really starting to develop, just ride loads, as you get older, you will get faster.

Dave1441

Thanks for all the advice

Kingy 123

I wish i had been more focused and committed at that age instead of finding out how good beer is.

Dam what a missed opportunity i could of actually been good at it

Zingaro134

if u go low gears and spin as fast as you can, and eventualy build it up, go into harder gearing, or the other way around go high gearing and build muscles, , Go as unefficiantly as possible to become more efficiant

cyco2

In my area the Reading track is used for bringing on youngsters, and is very successful. Do you have access to a track? If not you need some friends to do a chaingang or bit and bit on quiet circuit. Hanging on to the back of faster riders is a good way to increase your speed. When on your own increase your effort for short lengths of distance, rest ride to recover and then go again. Aim over a 10 mile training ride to do a warm up then 1mile hard effort, 1mile recovery. Use effort as a guide because speed may not be possible on inclines and headwinds. Although I have given distances to aim for, adapt you effort/recovery for the roads your on.
Even for an adult riding at a comfortable 20mph average takes some real effort so good luck to you.

bigdaveskinnytyre

I wouldn't worry about a 20mph target for solo riding, as you improve and get fitter you'll get quicker, not that many people can do 20mph average when training solo for more than a few miles. When I was doing some reasonable time trials (25-27mph average) and comfortably hanging in road races my solo training rides were rarely faster than 18-19mph average (for 40-60 miles) but I did do a lot of turbo training for speedwork.

Bizarrely I'm quicker now that I'm not racing regularly, but that's another story.

Edited to add: Don't worry about your Airlite, it's good enough to start with, I started racing in 1991 at 15 years old on a Raleigh Record Sprint.

jgsi

Just getting through 'Eddy Merckx' by Daniel Friebe.... this insight caught my eye referring to the young Eddy..
'didnt like going slow as it hurt his legs more than going quick....'

cyco2

By the way Dave, before you go big ringing it off this planet, google 'school boy gearing'

Mr cyclist

Plenty of training on the hills, at your age because you are still smaller and lighter than most adults hills can become your friend not your enemy. I am 15 and can comfortably beat adults in hill climbs who can put quite a bit of time into me in longer TTs.

smidsy

cyco2 wrote:

By the way Dave, before you go big ringing it off this planet, google 'school boy gearing'

This.

When racing there are set limits for age groups until your 16. This is regulated and checked at each event. No big ring allowed either (it is there but they are not allowed to use it).

You need to resist doing too much until your body is more developed.

Patience is the key here.

Mr cyclist

For under 16's the gearing max is 52x16 or a 39x12 to save you buying a new front ring. Just stick at it and you will improve

Vino2007

Don't bother with a new bike just yet. If it's road worthy then that's all you need. As said, you'll improve so much faster with a club and they'll give better one on one advice than people on a forum. Just enjoy it