When you try standing-go a couple of gears higher and when you lift out of the saddle get your body further forward. If you do this on the road- the natural occurrence is that the bike sways from side to side. That cannot be done on a fixed trainer without joining Club Tombay so it does teach you to be smooth when you get out on the road.

On increasing speed- it does have to be worked at. I use a heart monitor and have a max of 160. when I start a ride I get HR up to 120 and then rest back to 100. Then go to 130 and rest back to around 105. Then 140 and rest back to 105 again. Then I go to 150 and completely recover. I then ride with the HR at 130 to 140 and on hills allow it to go to 150 or even higher.

In this way I build up HR gradually and I do find that I can ride all day between 130 and 140. Without this warm up- the first time I try for 140+ it will take a long time to get there and it would take a lot out of me. This warm up can be done on the trainer aswell but if you do not have a heart monitor- then it can be judged on your breathing. FOR ME--- 125 to 130 and I will be breathing hard and talking to someone next to me would be a bit laboured. 140 and talking will be possible but with a lot of intakes of breath. 150+ and talking--would--be very --laboured--and I-would--not be--coherent.

If you get the HR up gradually over the next few weeks- you will find that the body would adjust and sped would go up.