increase biking speed

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katy_trail
katy_trail Posts: 1,992 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
This is likely very obvious but I'll ask anyway. Im new to outdoor cycling. Is there another exercise I can do to get faster? Already doing estrength training. All pro beginner

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  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    It's a lot like improving running speed. Bike more........do some intervals, sprints, find some hills to ride, one legged drills and., like running, mix up your workouts (hard one day, easier the next)

    There are some mechanical things you can do (if you haven't already....)

    Bike shoes & clipless pedals......puts your foot in the correct position for optimal pedal stroke and allows to pull on the upstroke. Better contact with the pedal..

    Fit...... a proper fit is imperative for both comfort, speed and mechanical efficiency. I had mine done by a physiotherapist who specializes in bike fits (video, measuring joint angles...the whole 9 yards) - worth every penny (especially seeing as some insurance plans will cover it as PT treatment)

    Wheels & tires......a lighter wheel with tires that have lower rolling resistance can make a noticeable change. I had a pair of sturdy tires (Schwalbe ultra-marathons) on my road bike for commuting (I was paranoid about flats) and switched over to a lighter tire (Continental Ultra Gator Skin) and knocked almost 10% off my commuting time with no noticeable increase in effort (i know....the plural of anecdote is not data)
  • zummerzet_lou
    zummerzet_lou Posts: 159 Member
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    If you're new to cycling, the first target is to build up your base mileage. Forget about speed, but work on getting time in the saddle. You want to be able to cycle 1-2hrs comfortably at least.

    Then, there are a couple of ways to build speed.
    1) Cycle with faster people. Nothing like pride to make you spin harder, and the added bonus is that you get company on your rides too.

    2) Interval training. Short bursts of hard effort, followed by medium burst of recovery repeated 5-10 times.
  • SniffTheSweat
    SniffTheSweat Posts: 23
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    Cycle further. Unless your bread and butter ride is 60 miles, your speed is super irrelevant =)
  • GetSoda
    GetSoda Posts: 1,267 Member
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    Learn your gears.

    Aside from that, power cleans/barbell squats added a good 2mph to my cycling speed.
  • rides4sanity
    rides4sanity Posts: 1,269 Member
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    1) Cycle with faster people. Nothing like pride to make you spin harder, and the added bonus is that you get company on your rides too.

    Until you can best the folks you're riding with, this is great. Then find faster folks, but still do the occassional slower ride to mentor other newbies.

    Other than that I find using apps like Strava to set-up & track segment times are a great way to guage improvement and compete against yourself (or others if you choose).

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