I'm re-thinking my attitude on why I have to go fast on my bikes. For instance, my local peleton always wants to go fast (relatively) on the flats (20-22 MPH on average) and then go slow as snails when they hit a hill. So I tend to lag (I like to enjoy the scenery) and then catch up to them on the hills and sometimes pass them; I do get some respect from the other riders because I use a gravel bike with smoother knobby tires. You would think that they would try to go faster up the hills and keep a decent cadence on the flats but I think human ego is involved here.

So, I'm thinking I'm going to enjoy myself and use my gravel bikes on the road and off w/knobby tires and not worry about going fast. Makes me happy.

Energetically speaking, if you want to maximize speed on a hilly course, you should put maximum effort into climbing (where your watts increase speed more) and recover on the downhill, where your watts don’t take you that much faster than terminal velocity. Of course, the race/group drafting and dynamics will have to be factored in as well.

Cycling: Uphill and Downhill

Otto

That link is VERY interesting, albeit slightly nerdy. Thx!

Most would say I’m slightly interesting and very nerdy. 😊

Otto

"You will never be truly happy until you give yourself over completely to doing what other people like doing," said Nobody, Ever.

20-22 MPH isn't that remarkable in the flats with half-decent pacelines. Perhaps if their uneven pace frustrates you (and it certainly frustrates me if I have to slow way down with a group for hills), you just need to find a stronger group to ride with. My club is mostly touring/party cyclists, so a couple of us just work our way to the front and break away if we get "the zoomies."

I'll bet your "peloton" would prefer that you adjust your speed to that of the group instead of doing the yo yo. Find another group if you can't get a comfortable fit.

The older I get.... slow is fast! 😆

Practice/rehearse so that your muscles 'know' what is expected of them. Bring your mind under control so that your muscles can react in the way that you've trained them.

Endeavor to become just fast enough to accomplish your intended purpose.

"slow is smooth, smooth is fast, and speed is the economy of motion." - Lehi Jujitsu

cj3209 , I started a thread in this forum,
Fun Fuji, stickers.
I built this bike just for the reason for your OP. I still like to keep up a good pace, and I have a couple of bikes that are for when I want to do a fast ride. However, in the last couple of years I have really started to appreciate slowing down, stopping more often, and just generally be a casual biker more often. I placed the stickers on the bike to reflect what bikes and bike riding have been for me for a long time. The pictures include some close ups so the stickers can be seen and read. I have had some other cyclists comment that they like what I did with bike.

Cycling for speed is a specific form of cycling. I've never understood the need for speed. Other outdoor activities don't emphasize speed. I hike, but hiking fast is not a goal in the hiking world. I ski both cross country and downhill, but for most skiers, speed is not the goal. I also take walks, but most walkers are not striving for speed. I kayak and canoe, but neither of these activities emphasize speed. But with cycling, there is a lot of talk about "improving" one's speed. There is nothing wrong with this, it that's what one wants to do. But some people simply like to pedal around, fast, slow, or whatever. So whatever speed you like is the right one.

Fast or slow, i often feel the need for bike.

Love the stickers! I've changed as a cyclist; I am not riding competitively so I see no need to boost my ego by trying to outpace everyone. I ride for fitness and fun, hence my foray into gravel cycling.

I prefer distance over speed on a bike any day. I'd much rather keep my own usual ~13 MPH average pace and go 40-50 miles or more than try to do 20 MPH the whole time and burn out after 10 miles. Part of the enjoyment of going places on a bike is the ability to slow down and actually enjoy the scenery, something that's hard to do with your head down trying to keep a 20 MPH pace in a peloton.

that.

So you sit in on the flats watching the scenery while everyone else works? But then on the hills your massive wattage bazookas cannot be contained and you blast off (scenery be damned apparently...even though the best scenery is in the mountains) and don't wait for your riding companions (you know the people that towed you to the climb)?

That sounds like....well....it's certainly an "ego thing"...but not for whom you imply it is in your post.

I agree you should just ride by yourself until the ******es in your peleton(sic) can learn to keep up. Maybe next time in addition to running your knobby tires and still dropping those losers you can drag your brakes...so as to prevent from launching yourself into the Stratoshpere with your king kong FTP.

but fast is fun, 'specially down a curvy descent.

A recent crash has tempered my pursuit of speed and snappy descents. Keeping the rubber side down a tad slower is more fun in the long run.

For all but cyclist in a race, speed is not the holy grail that some think it is. The far higher percentage just like to ride a bike or trike and enjoy the ride, and the scenery.

The faster you ride the sooner you get home, and then what?

Apparently our "then what" is that we post and reply on bikeforums. This includes fast and slow riders alike.

The faster you ride, the more scenery you see in a given time, not less.

20-22 isn't really going all out, but you go on a group ride and basically ride solo?

Yep, this is as much about social competence as cycling.

Not always. I enjoy riding to work, but there’s no scenery to admire. Same with some of my local tours. They are more about the destination than the journey.

But not with your head down staring at your front wheel.