How to get faster?

[Ares]

okgo said:

Just wait for a good wind, or go out earlier.

The easiest way to boost the totally meaningless metric that is average speed.

That is a little unfair. I use power a lot, but power itself is not an easy comparison.

Both my ave power and NP can fluctuate way more than average speed over the same route profile, plenty of factors including road surface/wind, severity of climbs etc.

Averaging either over weeks (or 1000km averages) will give a comparative result.


...and that's before you factor in that any power meter that offers even vague accuracy is a hefty financial outlay.

[Ares]

272BHP said:

I do have clipless pedals fitted now but I am still researching what shoes to buy so can't clip in yet.

You can pretty much use any cycling shoes, it is the cleats that need to fit the pedals. My preference for road shoes are BOA fastening, infinite fit ability.

[mikeiow]

Slaav said:

I’m dumb and confused.... is thread talking about 20 mph average on a hybrid or 20 kph?

I was delighted to get my average up to 16.5 mph recently on a decent ish ride on my road bike! Have been struggling to get quicker than that and improvements are slowing now so I’m arguably in a similar position to the OP?

18.5mph average on a decent ride is actually beyond even my wildest lockdown dreams right now..... (and have started to use the drops more for aero but I’m huge and ‘chunky’ at 18st so not the most comfortable)

Indeed! OP, you sounds pretty quick to me!

I feel desperately slow on my hybrid - I'd be chuffed to be at 20km/h, & I'm toying with the idea of a leisurely LEJoG next year
I use toe-clips (have since a kid) - I'm sure I'd fall off with SPDs etc....
At my age (mid-50s) I'm more thinking about touring butterfly bars than moving to drops....it's definitely the journey, not the speed. But then, at my pace, I would say that, eh