How Can I Go Faster?
Discussion
Recently made the switch from a hardtail to a gravel bike, and it hasn't quite been the night-and-day transformation I was hoping for.
Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love the bike. It's lighter, sexy as hell, and the drop bars are fantastic. What it hasn't done is make a noticeable difference to my average speed or overall journey times.
I've ditched the factory gravel tyres and fitted Vittoria T10s, which gave a subtle improvement. On the flat I am cruising around 18-20mph, and I can see 25mph with a slight downhill or a helpful tailwind.
The bit that's surprised me is how quickly it all unravels. A modest headwind or a gentle incline can still knock me down to 8-10mph or even less on a very steep hill, and turn the ride into a proper slog. Add in traffic, junctions and red lights, and my cycling app tells me my overall average speed is... identical to that of my hardtail (around 10mph).
I've been cycling decent distances for around six years now (admittedly mostly during the warmer months), and I don't skip leg day at the gym, so I'm left wondering whether I'm doing something wrong or whether my expectations were simply unrealistic.
In hindsight I suppose it s a bit like owning a 911 and a Cayenne. The 911 is obviously the faster, but in real-world traffic, speed limits and congestion, the Cayenne will often get you to the same destination at pretty much the same time.
Gratuitous bike photo included
Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love the bike. It's lighter, sexy as hell, and the drop bars are fantastic. What it hasn't done is make a noticeable difference to my average speed or overall journey times.
I've ditched the factory gravel tyres and fitted Vittoria T10s, which gave a subtle improvement. On the flat I am cruising around 18-20mph, and I can see 25mph with a slight downhill or a helpful tailwind.
The bit that's surprised me is how quickly it all unravels. A modest headwind or a gentle incline can still knock me down to 8-10mph or even less on a very steep hill, and turn the ride into a proper slog. Add in traffic, junctions and red lights, and my cycling app tells me my overall average speed is... identical to that of my hardtail (around 10mph).
I've been cycling decent distances for around six years now (admittedly mostly during the warmer months), and I don't skip leg day at the gym, so I'm left wondering whether I'm doing something wrong or whether my expectations were simply unrealistic.
In hindsight I suppose it s a bit like owning a 911 and a Cayenne. The 911 is obviously the faster, but in real-world traffic, speed limits and congestion, the Cayenne will often get you to the same destination at pretty much the same time.
Gratuitous bike photo included
Edited by SkinnyPete on Wednesday 15th July 15:17
The setup looks a bit off. Bars rotated back too much will put you more upright and slow you down and put your wrists in a none neutral position. Your drop bar should be level with the ground or close to level. You may need a shorter stem if you feel too stretched out once you correct them.
I do road, gravel and MTB - the gravel bike for me is way faster than the MTB, the road bike is faster still (but the big gap it between the MTB and gravel bike). The main reason for higher speed on gravel bike is that I can enact a much more aero position than on the MTB (plus also MTB tyres slow things a lot).
Above around 15mph and above, the biggest force is pushing you through the air so aero is certainly a thing, even at these lower speeds. Aero is more of an issue if in a headwind too! So below 15mph, aero is an impact in headwind.
Even at 10mph, HALF your power is going into overcoming wind resistance.
https://www.bicycling.com/skills-tips/a71241852/de...
Some tips for aero position
https://youtu.be/4uUbItrU9f8?si=B1dn3xJoGN8AcgcV
Weight loss is great for climbing more than faster speeds but as above the majority of this weight is YOU rather than the bike so no need to buy aero/lighter bike components. You may already be at an OK weight anyway and your bike is a drop bar bike etc.
The good news (other than lycra), it can be very cheap (free) to resolve, that is getting into a much more aero position, check bike setup (tyre pressures, seat/handlebar position etc. - as mentioned above above, the set up of your bike seems to indicate quite an upright body position. Do not go extreme though, make single smallish changes at a time and then see the results.
Are you tall or short or average?
Check vids by BikeFit James on YouTube, lots of good advice there...
That said, as getting more aero body position requires some training (it may feel less stable/comfortable at first) to get your body used to a more "down" position - don't get too low though as you will struggle to maintain it.
Ultimately, don't worry about it too much apart from the basics of bike fit, it's more about enjoying the ride. Get the miles on, the speed will come in time, no substitute for miles!
Above around 15mph and above, the biggest force is pushing you through the air so aero is certainly a thing, even at these lower speeds. Aero is more of an issue if in a headwind too! So below 15mph, aero is an impact in headwind.
Even at 10mph, HALF your power is going into overcoming wind resistance.
https://www.bicycling.com/skills-tips/a71241852/de...
Some tips for aero position
https://youtu.be/4uUbItrU9f8?si=B1dn3xJoGN8AcgcV
Weight loss is great for climbing more than faster speeds but as above the majority of this weight is YOU rather than the bike so no need to buy aero/lighter bike components. You may already be at an OK weight anyway and your bike is a drop bar bike etc.
The good news (other than lycra), it can be very cheap (free) to resolve, that is getting into a much more aero position, check bike setup (tyre pressures, seat/handlebar position etc. - as mentioned above above, the set up of your bike seems to indicate quite an upright body position. Do not go extreme though, make single smallish changes at a time and then see the results.
Are you tall or short or average?
Check vids by BikeFit James on YouTube, lots of good advice there...
That said, as getting more aero body position requires some training (it may feel less stable/comfortable at first) to get your body used to a more "down" position - don't get too low though as you will struggle to maintain it.
Ultimately, don't worry about it too much apart from the basics of bike fit, it's more about enjoying the ride. Get the miles on, the speed will come in time, no substitute for miles!
Sustaining speed on a bike isn’t about not skipping leg day at the gym: it’s aerobic fitness that matters and not anaerobic so much. So endurance, VO2 max.
Treat traffic lights like interval training. Brake late and hard for the light, stop, and when the light goes green, bury yourself like you’re starting a kilo in a velodrome. Get up to max speed as fast as you can and hold it. If you’re not gasping for air with your legs burning, you’re not pushing yourself hard enough.
On longer unbroken rides set yourself a cadence (say 90+) and hold it in the highest gear you can.
It won’t be comfortable. But then holding a sustained pace with no one to draft off isn’t a comfortable activity. You only get faster by going faster, IYSWIM.
Treat traffic lights like interval training. Brake late and hard for the light, stop, and when the light goes green, bury yourself like you’re starting a kilo in a velodrome. Get up to max speed as fast as you can and hold it. If you’re not gasping for air with your legs burning, you’re not pushing yourself hard enough.
On longer unbroken rides set yourself a cadence (say 90+) and hold it in the highest gear you can.
It won’t be comfortable. But then holding a sustained pace with no one to draft off isn’t a comfortable activity. You only get faster by going faster, IYSWIM.
As mentioned, to me, the bike position looks wrong.
Get rid of the lay back seat post, and use one without. Then a longer stem.
This will then help your hips as you'll be more over the top of the bottom bracket, and your chest will be more open and less cramped allowing better breathing.
If not just take the old advice and pedal like f*ck!
Get rid of the lay back seat post, and use one without. Then a longer stem.
This will then help your hips as you'll be more over the top of the bottom bracket, and your chest will be more open and less cramped allowing better breathing.
If not just take the old advice and pedal like f*ck!
Interesting thread. I converted my hardtail so i could join group gravel rides - put 29 inch wheels on, 2.1" tyres, and a 2x chain ring up front. I deliberately kept the flat bars and the forks, which can lock out. I reduced the travel on the forks when they are unlocked to 130mm, and may drop further to 100mm travel. I did a 75km ride with some gravel riders and it nearly killed me. But i did it 
.
I've been contemplating getting a gravel bike, but i'm actually thinking i need to lose about 10kg weight to see any real benefit in any case.
. I've been contemplating getting a gravel bike, but i'm actually thinking i need to lose about 10kg weight to see any real benefit in any case.
Everyone quotes their average speed as moving time. So your average is more than 10. Mine was 11.2mph yesterday on my Hardtail.
You don't need to be doing 18mph on the flat. Cut down to 14mph and save your energy for when it gets hard. Push harder on steep sections of hills and when there's a headwind. Soft pedal when it's a downhill or tailwind.
You don't need to be doing 18mph on the flat. Cut down to 14mph and save your energy for when it gets hard. Push harder on steep sections of hills and when there's a headwind. Soft pedal when it's a downhill or tailwind.
I try to cycle approx 75km per week and every ride has a killer climb. I started out this time last year as the slowest in my group, I'm now 4 stone lighter, love hills and drop them all
Sorry for the boring answer, but training consistently and aiming for the difficult stuff made me faster.
Sorry for the boring answer, but training consistently and aiming for the difficult stuff made me faster.
SkinnyPete said:
so I'm left wondering whether I'm doing something wrong or whether my expectations were simply unrealistic.
I think a key part to overall average speed is the 10 seconds after a climb. A little extra effort at the start of a downhill gets your speed several mph faster for the entire downhill until you reach terminal velocity for your aero.Then really think about your aero position when rolling downhill. Get the cranks horizontal and your legs perfectly vertical. Hands forward on the hoods with forearms horizontal and elbows tucked in Get your body as low as you can. I don't often ride with others, but when I do I'm always faster rolling down hills.
I’ve ridden mountain bikes for 20 odds year and have recently purchased as gravel bike that I do use as my road bike. Riding with other background riders I do find that I’m not use to cadence (constant spinning riding) but I do push into climbs more than road riders. Also on the descents I am quicker because of being able to turn properly (lean the bike, pedals off set) which means I break less and pedal less to get back upto speed - technical skill is something that isn’t talked about on the road bikes.
I introduced the wife to mountain biking before she moved over to road riding, I taught her the importance of the basics that has be uses on the road. Having conferdence in what you are doing help to improve your speed without you chasing speed. Ride with better riders than yourself as well.
Comfort on a bike may all help you, get a bike fit if you don’t know what you are doing or experiment
I introduced the wife to mountain biking before she moved over to road riding, I taught her the importance of the basics that has be uses on the road. Having conferdence in what you are doing help to improve your speed without you chasing speed. Ride with better riders than yourself as well.
Comfort on a bike may all help you, get a bike fit if you don’t know what you are doing or experiment
How much do you actually ride?.
Commuting 12 hilly miles each way to work built a really good base for me.
It wasn't long before I was adding a long ride on the way to or from work + a long weekend ride or mountain bike trip + a mid week chain gang left me really fit (and thin).
(Until injury 🤕)
Commuting 12 hilly miles each way to work built a really good base for me.
It wasn't long before I was adding a long ride on the way to or from work + a long weekend ride or mountain bike trip + a mid week chain gang left me really fit (and thin).
(Until injury 🤕)
If slight inclines or headwinds make big differences, that translates directly to power.
How slight is this incline?
How many watts does it take to move your mass up that hill at 10mph?
When I was riding more, I spent some time on a turbo trainer most days, mimicking the hills that killed me.
I was neither fit nor serious, but concentrating on getting up 100m of elevation gain was key to enjoying the ride.
I have an MTB or two and a drop bar bike. My impression is that drop bars really only make a big difference on pretty flat routes like former railway lines, or if you are going to work pretty hard at going fast, or go mental fast down hill. The roads I ride, I don't care to do any terminal velocity BS, an MTB will go as fast down hill as I care to, sometimes I wouldn't be going much faster on 1000cc. If you ride open, smooth roads I expect it's different.
It's not like we're racing, nobody gives a toss if we get home a minute sooner.
The drop bar bike is IMHO noticeably easier to go further on.
I enjoy the drop bar bike because it's good for different, longer, flatter rides, not to do the same rides with less effort or more quickly.
Uphill, (me + bike), it's only a few % lighter.
Getting down on the drop bars into a headwind makes a difference, even if your road speed is low.
The other thing is, are your gear ratios right, are you in the best gear?
Some time on the turbo trainer might help that, experiment with cadence.
Averaging 10mph may not sound impressive, but it's still 3x walking speed.
How slight is this incline?
How many watts does it take to move your mass up that hill at 10mph?
When I was riding more, I spent some time on a turbo trainer most days, mimicking the hills that killed me.
I was neither fit nor serious, but concentrating on getting up 100m of elevation gain was key to enjoying the ride.
I have an MTB or two and a drop bar bike. My impression is that drop bars really only make a big difference on pretty flat routes like former railway lines, or if you are going to work pretty hard at going fast, or go mental fast down hill. The roads I ride, I don't care to do any terminal velocity BS, an MTB will go as fast down hill as I care to, sometimes I wouldn't be going much faster on 1000cc. If you ride open, smooth roads I expect it's different.
It's not like we're racing, nobody gives a toss if we get home a minute sooner.
The drop bar bike is IMHO noticeably easier to go further on.
I enjoy the drop bar bike because it's good for different, longer, flatter rides, not to do the same rides with less effort or more quickly.
Uphill, (me + bike), it's only a few % lighter.
Getting down on the drop bars into a headwind makes a difference, even if your road speed is low.
The other thing is, are your gear ratios right, are you in the best gear?
Some time on the turbo trainer might help that, experiment with cadence.
Averaging 10mph may not sound impressive, but it's still 3x walking speed.
Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff