Speed - Why am I so slow compared to others I see
03-29-05, 04:45 PM
#26
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Originally Posted by pj7
Yesterday, between getting off my first job and going on to my second I had a few hours and decided to go on a bike ride down the cycle path close to my house. I was able to maintain a speed between 9 and 11 mph with bursts up to 16 or 17 mph after taking a breather and cruising at around 7 or 8 mph for a minute or two.
But the whole time I was getting blown away by these guys on road bikes, they must have been going 20+mph, easy, maybe even 30 at some point. I met up with a few of them at an intersection and they seemed to take off like bats out of hell with ease. My estimate is that it only took them 8-10 seconds to reach 20mph without even breaking a sweat, seated the whole time.
Is their conditioning that much greater than mine?
These guys were thin fellas, probably no more than 160lbs and were riding some decent road bikes. I'm at 315lbs now, down from 330lbs (woohoo) and I ride a Hybrid, a Trek 7100. As my conditioning improves is it plausible that I might start seeing speeds like this on my current rig? And what if I were to get a road bike tonight, (not saying I can, but what if) would I see a signifigant improvement on my speed? Is there anything I can do right now to start gaining more average speed?
The reason I'm asking is that I'll be commuting soon, 11 miles each way if I take the bad routes and about 14-15 miles each way if I take a safer route and am wanting every edge I can get.
But the whole time I was getting blown away by these guys on road bikes, they must have been going 20+mph, easy, maybe even 30 at some point. I met up with a few of them at an intersection and they seemed to take off like bats out of hell with ease. My estimate is that it only took them 8-10 seconds to reach 20mph without even breaking a sweat, seated the whole time.
Is their conditioning that much greater than mine?
These guys were thin fellas, probably no more than 160lbs and were riding some decent road bikes. I'm at 315lbs now, down from 330lbs (woohoo) and I ride a Hybrid, a Trek 7100. As my conditioning improves is it plausible that I might start seeing speeds like this on my current rig? And what if I were to get a road bike tonight, (not saying I can, but what if) would I see a signifigant improvement on my speed? Is there anything I can do right now to start gaining more average speed?
The reason I'm asking is that I'll be commuting soon, 11 miles each way if I take the bad routes and about 14-15 miles each way if I take a safer route and am wanting every edge I can get.
Now that might be worth its own thread
03-29-05, 05:19 PM
#28
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Originally Posted by recursive
Hot girls on road bikes. We need some more of them around here.
/derail
/derail
/derailMore
03-29-05, 06:57 PM
#29
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Speed comes with time, when it's not windy I go around 16 mph, and then I can sprint to around 25 mph for 2 or 3 blocks (this is with studded tires and 10 pounds of gear). This is in the city on and off the bike path. Don't worrie about speed it's fun to go fast once and awhile, but you show injoy being out too. So just fun.
Good Luck, My the Geek be with you.
Well we have hot girls on road bikes in spandex. That's not so bad but when they ask you for direction, and you have to speak, thats bad. I just look at my feet and give direction. Man, I hate being a geek somethings.
GEEK
Good Luck, My the Geek be with you.
Originally Posted by recursive
Hot girls on road bikes.
GEEK
03-29-05, 08:17 PM
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Originally Posted by pj7
Is there anything I can do right now to start gaining more average speed?
.
.
Al
03-30-05, 01:51 AM
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Originally Posted by Al1943
Be sure to pump your tires up to their maximum recommended pressure before each and every ride. Check the sidewalls for that pressure.
Al
Al
Congrats and keep at it, it becomes addictive in a surprisingly short time
03-30-05, 05:54 AM
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Wow, thanks for all the info.
I'm not really getting into the "speed trap" thing, I was just wondering if I was doing something wrong. I come to find out I was. Yesterday I took some of the information in this thread, in another thread regarding seat posts, and on Sheldon Browns site and did some trial and error. Aparently my saddle post was about 3 inches too low! Guess the guys at the bike shop forgot to tell me about that one, or else I was too psyched about getting my new bike and didn't listen, but wow! I can maintain about 16-17mph for 1/4 mile now before my hands start shaking, and my knees feel so much better, it's great!!
Sunday I did 14 miles and my knees hurt until I went to bed, today I'll do the same run and see what happens. What a differance raising the saddle makes. This bike thing gets addictive, do they have rehab for this?
I'm not really getting into the "speed trap" thing, I was just wondering if I was doing something wrong. I come to find out I was. Yesterday I took some of the information in this thread, in another thread regarding seat posts, and on Sheldon Browns site and did some trial and error. Aparently my saddle post was about 3 inches too low! Guess the guys at the bike shop forgot to tell me about that one, or else I was too psyched about getting my new bike and didn't listen, but wow! I can maintain about 16-17mph for 1/4 mile now before my hands start shaking, and my knees feel so much better, it's great!!
Sunday I did 14 miles and my knees hurt until I went to bed, today I'll do the same run and see what happens. What a differance raising the saddle makes. This bike thing gets addictive, do they have rehab for this?
03-30-05, 05:55 AM
#33
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Originally Posted by Blackberry
It ain't just about speed but enjoying the ride--or so my wife tells me.
03-30-05, 05:57 AM
#34
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Originally Posted by pj7
This bike thing gets addictive, do they have rehab for this?
03-30-05, 12:44 PM
#36
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Just a note...I'm 450# and have noticed my speed improving greatly...the reason those guys sprint out of the hole like bats out of hell is 1. they don't way jack crap and 2. they will set themselves in a low gear and spin to 110 rpm before changing a gear. As far as your average...it will increase I've gone from like a 5mph average to 10.3 last night. I can now maintain 14 or 15mph consistently, it's just the hills that completely **** me silly. You will improve...slowly but surely, you will. Don't worry about other riders, they're riding a bike that weighs 1/2 what yours weighs and they weigh 1/2 what you way, of course they're going to be faster, but if you catch them on the hills you'll dust them
03-30-05, 01:36 PM
#37
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heya,
one quickie fix to increase your speed is to max your tire pressure (or over fill by ~10-15 psi). That usually adds a few mph....
...keep riding!
one quickie fix to increase your speed is to max your tire pressure (or over fill by ~10-15 psi). That usually adds a few mph....
...keep riding!
03-31-05, 12:17 AM
#38
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Originally Posted by jeff-o
The only rehab for a cycling addiction is to ride more.
03-31-05, 12:32 AM
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Your speed is somewhat a function of what your goals are. If your goal is to get from "A to B" and feel good while doing so, and to feel good after arriving, a comfortable speed is fine. I know some guys who ONLY ride at maximum speed...all they ever talk about is "suffering" and "tolerating pain" and the possibility of knee surgery.
There is also a "tortise and hare" thing going on. I will sometimes be doing slow laps around the "sorta" track at Rice University. I've been doing laps for thirty minutes. A young guy drives up with a bike on top of his car. He riaces around the track for fifteen minutes at amazing speeds. He gets back in his car and leaves. I continue doing my slow laps for another thirty minutes or so. Then, I go ride for an hour or so around the neighborhood.
My long, slow rides meet my goals, which are based more on relaxation and enjoyment. His fifteen minutes of speed meet his goal, which is still something I have not figured out. What IS the point of driving across town to do a fifteen minute sprint and then drive back across town?
I see the same thing on bike trails. The "speedsters" are riding fast, but they seldom are on the trail long. They want a fifteen minute fast ride. I want a two hour slow ride...different strokes for different folks. Let the "fast" guys do their thing. And, just do your thing.
There is also a "tortise and hare" thing going on. I will sometimes be doing slow laps around the "sorta" track at Rice University. I've been doing laps for thirty minutes. A young guy drives up with a bike on top of his car. He riaces around the track for fifteen minutes at amazing speeds. He gets back in his car and leaves. I continue doing my slow laps for another thirty minutes or so. Then, I go ride for an hour or so around the neighborhood.
My long, slow rides meet my goals, which are based more on relaxation and enjoyment. His fifteen minutes of speed meet his goal, which is still something I have not figured out. What IS the point of driving across town to do a fifteen minute sprint and then drive back across town?
I see the same thing on bike trails. The "speedsters" are riding fast, but they seldom are on the trail long. They want a fifteen minute fast ride. I want a two hour slow ride...different strokes for different folks. Let the "fast" guys do their thing. And, just do your thing.
03-31-05, 12:43 AM
#40
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eh, don't worry about the speed thing. There will always be someone faster than you(unless your Lance)
Just keep riding and once you get better go and get yourself a nice road bike, I garauntee you that you will be amazed how much faster it is than your hybrid.
I noticed you said that your knees hurt. I'm not sure if this is from your weight or if you are mashing too much. Or is this normal? I didn't have knee problems until I started training hardcore and then it was because my bike was too big for me. If it's because you "mash" the pedals I recommend that you spin a lower gear at higher RPMs. This will also work your cardio more than your quads.
)Just keep riding and once you get better go and get yourself a nice road bike, I garauntee you that you will be amazed how much faster it is than your hybrid.
I noticed you said that your knees hurt. I'm not sure if this is from your weight or if you are mashing too much. Or is this normal? I didn't have knee problems until I started training hardcore and then it was because my bike was too big for me. If it's because you "mash" the pedals I recommend that you spin a lower gear at higher RPMs. This will also work your cardio more than your quads.
03-31-05, 12:45 AM
#41
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Do not compare your performance to other cyclists. Compare it to your own performance a week ago.
You will get frusterated if you try and compare yourself to others right now. I am in a simular situation with speed. I race but I can not always keep up with the other racers. Sometime I see that I can not average 28 MPH and get discouraged. Of course I then have these nights like last night where I discover I am about 20 percent faster than 1 month ago. Measure based on your own baseline and you will get there.
Congradulations of all you have done and good luck in the future...
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03-31-05, 03:15 AM
#42
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little semi off topic question, someone mentioned earlier one might expect about a 2mph difference between a hybrid and a road bike, granted this is a guesstimation, but what kind of difference would one expect between a mountain and a road bike? given the same amount of effort
03-31-05, 05:29 AM
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I'm not one to try to guess between a hybrid and a roadie, but comparitively I'd think you might see about the same amount or more between a MTB and a roadie. Same reasons, except that a MTB usually has even lower gearing, and those knobbie tires offer even more rolling resistance. Throw some street tires on and you'll see some improvement and will be able to lean toward the taller gears. For what it's worth looking back, I saw maybe a 1 MPH increase in avg. speed from MTB to hybrid, and about 2 MPH increase going to roadie.
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"It hurts so good..."
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"It hurts so good..."
03-31-05, 05:36 AM
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When I went from mtb to road bike within a week my 25K time dropped almost 15 minutes. I was very sore for a bit longer though because your muscle have to push differently. The aero position is a big advantage.
03-31-05, 09:30 AM
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Well, did 15 miles last night in less than 2 hours. Would have been much shorter except for the 8-10mph headwind I had comeing back. Today my knees are fine so it had to be the saddle position causing the pain. Hit 20mph a few times and maintained it for a little while when I had a tailwind but my average was 12-14 mph, which I am proud to do. At that average, my morning commute should be around an 1.5 hours.
Wake up at 3:30, leave at 4:15, arrive at work at 5:45, sounds like a good morning to me.
Wake up at 3:30, leave at 4:15, arrive at work at 5:45, sounds like a good morning to me.
03-31-05, 09:37 AM
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Originally Posted by HaagenDas
25k by 15 minutes... that's enormous .. well to me it is.
(You can play with the formula I used in google:
25km/(25km/13mph-15 minutes) in mph
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Bring the pain.
Bring the pain.
03-31-05, 09:44 AM
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Originally Posted by pj7
Well, did 15 miles last night in less than 2 hours. Would have been much shorter except for the 8-10mph headwind I had comeing back. Today my knees are fine so it had to be the saddle position causing the pain. Hit 20mph a few times and maintained it for a little while when I had a tailwind but my average was 12-14 mph, which I am proud to do. At that average, my morning commute should be around an 1.5 hours.
Wake up at 3:30, leave at 4:15, arrive at work at 5:45, sounds like a good morning to me.
Wake up at 3:30, leave at 4:15, arrive at work at 5:45, sounds like a good morning to me.
I think it feel quite odd commuting to work in the dark. You must be quite a morning person.
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03-31-05, 10:18 AM
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Originally Posted by jeff-o
The only rehab for a cycling addiction is to ride more.
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Dead last finish is better than did not finish and infinitely better than did not start.
03-31-05, 11:38 AM
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Originally Posted by recursive
3:30?!?
I think it feel quite odd commuting to work in the dark. You must be quite a morning person.
I think it feel quite odd commuting to work in the dark. You must be quite a morning person.
In the morning is when I have my most energy it seems. As it is now my alarm is set to wake me up at 4:30, I can't recall the last time I heard it go off because I'm usually up 10 minutes earlier feeding the cats, fish, and sugarglider. I've always been an early rise, stems back to my farmboy days
And I can't wait until I start bike commuting, just need to courage and confidence, oh and a light and some way to cary cargo.
While I'm at it, why the hell do racks/panniers cost so much?
My LBS sells racks for a little over 20 bucks and the cheapest panniers are 50 or so, ugh! I've been tempted to hit up Wal-Mart and see what they got.
