Originally Posted by
newtwowheels
I'd be thrilled if I could average over 20mph, currently I go 14-15 mph and figure I can eventually strengthen my legs to go 18mph on my schwinn. Would a nicer bike give me a 3, 4, or 5 mph premium; would I ride at a higher gear ratio, or would I just spend money to spend it (I'm fairly satisfied with the schwinn)?
What's your stem angle like? After reading "flip it" about a million times in various BF threads, I finally did a while back and my average speed on standard routes instantly went up a little more than 1 MPH.
Also, how are you riding? Keeping a steady pace for the entire ride, or do you have stretches where you try to ride faster than your 15mph average?
Doing intervals -- riding at speeds you can only hold for, say, a minute at a time before you're gasping for air and coasting -- is the fastest way to improve your overall speed.