i need to be able to ride faster for longer periods of time...
 

... what is the best method to build up speed and endurance?

This morning, I kept up with the group for 5 miles, then I faded fast, took a wrong turn, and ended up cutting a 45 mile ride down to 16 miles (it was too cold to ride anyway... heh)

Every other time I try to go on a group ride, it's the same thing- I can keep up a 15mph pace for the first 4-5 miles, then i fade fast, and can only go 10-13 mph...

I spin on my second gear (don't know the ratio offhand) at about 80 rpm's while going 15mph, i just can't do it for long periods of time...

I want to do a 189 mile MS150 at the end of April... That's the goal


(back in Feb, I was 225 lbs, and couldn't walk on a treadmill for more than 2 minutes... Now, I'm 165, and can ride for hours at low speeds, but i haven't lost any weight since I bought my bike... hehe)

Get a heart rate monitor and train more.
See how far you can bike at 70% of your max heart rate and keep it consistent.
A lot of people start out way too fast and completely lose it while they could've gone 3-4x farther if they just backed down the intitial effort by 1-3 mph average.

I used to have the same problem. I still do when I enter long rides and try to ride out with the lead groups. I try to hold that mondo-fast pace and next thing you know, I've burnt off most of my energy (or so it feels) and I struggle to finish the last 80% of the ride.

What I have learned is to learn your pace and the more you learn about it, the more you will have to gauge. I know I can ride most anywhere around here @ 16-18 mph. But change the terrain (more flats for example) and I need to drop a couple miles per hour.

You learn your pace by riding...lots. Take rides by yourself, so there is no one else to pace to. You will learn what feels good and where it hurts too much. I have left out from the house and pushed 20-22 mph, occasionally topping out @ 25-26. What I learned from that is 5 miles out, I'm about to pop and need to take a break. I later learned that I CAN hold that pace for awhile IF I start out slower, smoother. Remember warming up is very important.

There's nothing better than getting to that point where you can hang with your groups. I cannot hang with all of them, but for the most part, I can hold my own.
It will take a lot of work, but the key to building speed is to just ride. Get a HR monitor and learn to use it. Play around with different gears; use big gears to climb one week, spin like crazy the next.

I learned this afternoon that I can climb those 18-20% grades if I pace myself and use the lowest gears. I also learned that not eating correctly would cause me to lose most of my leg strength on the way home.

First, make sure you've got some calories in you before you go out, and carry a power bar or some gels or something on the ride. Then, I agree, get a HRM, figure out a good sustainable pace, and just train for distance at that pace, making sure you don't overdo it. Pushing your limits distancewise is the only way you're going to see improvement. Make sure you don't go anaerobic. I think you need to worry either about going faster or going longer one at a time, or you may just end up frustrated.

Learn to spin 90-100rpms. Your muscles will have to exert only 80% as much force as you're doing now for the same speed, they'll last longer.


yes, you cannot do both in the same ride. Forget it. You need to separate this into two different kinds of workouts, not on the same day, in fact, at opposite ends of the week 3-4 days apart. First is sprints/interval training up to max-HR. Second, do true endurance rides of 2-3 hours at a steady pace you can hold the entire time... no intensity!