Hi guys,

Have been commuting 10 miles each way for about 2 and a half months now, my problem is I am still finding it pretty hard work.

I would consider myself of average fitness, and can do the 10 miles in 1 hour max, usually a bit under (55mins).

It is a fairly hilly ride, and I spend most of my time in 3rd and 4th gear, and average around 11mph.

How can I build up my speed, without killing myself for the rest of the week?

Thanks

Daven

Speed drills

Get enough rest and pace yourself when riding. Every other day or when you feel like it, ride harder. Allow yourself enough sleep and good nutrition so your body gets stronger not weaker. If you keep riding consistently you will eventually get faster, especially if you have some fat to loose. There is a direct gain in speed when your power to weight ratio improves. Of course you can weight train in the off season also.

some 2x20 intervals 2~3 times a week.

some narrower and higher pressure tyres also help.

i have no fat on me at all so the only weight will be that of the bike, which is not the heaviest or lightest of bikes.

was thinking of thinner tyres, but the cost is quite a bit for them, and i have only just recently got this new bike.

by intervals do you mean go at high speed for 20 mins? i will start to incorporate this into my ride i think, I have a cycle computer so i can try and keep a decent speed for a while before dropping down to normal.

thanks

daven

If you're riding knobby tires, switching to slicks will help a lot. Otherwise, I wouldn't put much hope in tires.

I would recommend just picking one or two days a week and ride up the hills as fast as you can stand. Then don't ride the next day. Rest is as important for building stamina as riding is.

Above all, hang in there. It will come.

You don't do 20 minute intervals. Intervals are a period of anaerobic, maximum effort -- it's not possible to do that for anything like 20 minutes. Intervals are also a real good way to get hurt if you don't know what you're doing.

People use interval training for a number of reasons, but on the performance side, they're generally used to increase your ability to perform at maximum effort, i.e., for sprinting type activities. Interval training improves your peak performance, it doesn't so much build stamina. If I were you, I'd look at the stuff that Charles suggested first (are you getting proper nutrition and adequate sleep).

+1

Also, you have only been riding a short time, so you will continue to improve. There is a reason why people who have been riding for years are faster.

Daven, when you say you spend most of your time in 3d or 4th gear, that really doesn't tell us much unless we know exactly what your gear set-up is. But I'm going to guess that you're pushing too big of a gear (just because most newish riders generally do that). You might consider spinning a smaller gear at a higher cadence.

if i go any lower on the gears then there is too little resistance. i maintain a fairly high cadence already.

i try and rest 3 days of the week, and also to eat and sleep well.

I think i'll take it easy and let it come with time! although on the last day of the week i think i'll try and push it a bit

thanks for the advice.

daven

I would certainly get the narrow tires and some slicks. Then jack that pressure up to around 60 psi.

When I first started commuting, I was using the original 2" tires with an all season tread and low tire pressure. I could not believe how tired I was. So, I placed an order at Performance and got tires, tubes and a few luxury clearance items for a real good price. Wow! Such a tremendous change!!!!

My bike is only a 21 gear bike, but I find that I am 95% in the highest gear, whereas when I first started out, I was in the middle. It takes time, but with a few minor changes, you should get there. Granted, hills can be tough!

the tyres i have at the moment are 35mm and not knobbly.

Well you're talking about "good" cadence, what is it? 80? 90?

I have a 10.5 mile commute that used to take around 50-55mins but is now down to 35-45mins. It depends on a whole lot of factors, for instance the difference between the 45 and 35mins is that one way is uphill and the other is downhill. There's also the wind factor, backwind going downhill makes me soar. What also slows your commute are red lights and is the main reason why my commute won't go much faster (other then the fact that I'm moving further from work.. )

Anyway I did shave at least 15 mins since last year and this is due to training and nutrition. I have 32C tires on a cyclocross; do you have drop bars? They will help go faster especially in windy situation.

In terms of nutrition you need to eat correctly, I now always take a recovery drink after my morning commute and eat a banana before. The drink becomes my breakfast, high in carbohydrates and proteins. I also stretch my legs after every ride, stretching greatly reduces leg soreness.

Other then that keep at it, it's not a magic process and it takes time. At the end of the summer you should be much faster. You don't say where you live but if you commute during the winter in snow you'll gain a lot of strength too.

Yes do that. Spin the lowest gear you can stand. Over time this will speed you up a lot.

Don't have drop bars. Red lights do slow me down quite a bit! Im in London, UK. Cadence is about 80-90 i guess.

I figured it would take time, but I had hoped to see some improvement after 2 months!

I just started commuting about a month ago. When I started I was doing about 55 minutes per 10 miles, now I've got it down to about 38 minutes. I hope that I'm not doing anything wrong, but I just make sure that I'm always peddling and I try to never get off my seat. I also have a few strait aways that are at a slight upgrade that I really push myself to be faster at. In a month I can see a major difference, especially when I'm riding with someone else and I'm able to rocket up an incline leaving my partner in the dust... Also, something noticeable is when I eat a Luna bar about 30 minutes before I start my ride. That seems to help a bunch!

I think the problem with commuting as exercise is that it is too routine. Clearly, it is better than no exercise at all, but the returns in fitness start to decline with the exact same level of exertion each day. You will eventually reach a plateau and just stay there. If you change your exertion level each day, I think you will find improvement, just as a farmer does when they rotate the planting of their crops. One day a week try to ride double the distance and another to ride hills, speed intervals or head winds to get your heart rate up.

You didn't mention how many days a week you ride. I found it takes a good base, 500 to 700 miles before start seeing any change in speeds. It's kinda like long distance running, you don't see fantastic changes the first months, but by the end of the season, you can see improvements.

Seriously, it took me 6 months before my 12km round trip became "easy", 1 year to wish it was a bit longer.... Learning to spin those gears helps a lot, and make sure you maintain high tire pressure. Good luck.

Been doing my 10 mile one way commute for a little over a year. It's doesn't really seem easier but I'm alot faster than I was last year. If I deliberately try to take it easy I can get to work and home without feeling I did any work so I guess it did become easier.

I didn't do anything fancy. A few times a week I would try and "attack" every hill on my route. I'd try and go up the hill as fast as possible then kinda coast till I caught my breath and repeat that. Built in intervals I guess. Seemed to work good for me. I've been taking whey protein to supplement my harder ride days. It seems to help quite a bit with recovery.

First of all, it did get easier, back after about 2 weeks of commuting. Remember it now?

From here on out, it doesn't get easier, you just get faster.

You will simply have to "train" for it if you really want to go faster. Simply pedal harder. you will get there faster. It's all mental. Try not to blow out your knees and stuff for the sake of a fast commute, OK?

If you are not a natural-born athlete, beware of following the advice of cycling athletes. Athletics is natures way of selecting those who can survive hard training. If I followed any athletic training regime I would probably break.
2x 10miles is quite a distance for a beginner to ride every day and you are getting far more than the recomended dose of excercise. I reckon it takes about 3 months to become properly conditioned as a cyclist, ie capable of absorbing the stresses as a matter of routine. Pushing too hard, too soon can result in injury and overtraining. Concentrating on speed can be dangerous if you dont have the skills or experience in heavy traffic.

The best way to improve your journey time is to improve your slowest section, not your fastest. Dont run red lights but do arrive as they turn green to maintain momentum.

You may want to consider some training to become a better cyclist rather than just a fitter one. Check your riding position, your pedalling action and cadence and your bike handling skills. I always like to test myself by taking exactly the right line around a bend, bunny hopping that pothole or curb, stopping right at the exact point I select. It adds a bit of fun to to a ride that can become stale after a year or 2. In London you have plenty of alternate routes to explore.