It’s a natural urge as soon as you start pedalling a bike to wonder how fast you are going. A simple bike computer will allow you to see your max, current and average speed for each ride. Once you have that information the questions start to roll — how do I compare to other riders? How much faster can I go? Keeping an eye on your average is a good indicator of your fitness and development.
We’ve come up with a few ways that you can instantly go faster and a few that need a bit more practice and dedication.
Bend And Tuck Elbows
Wind resistance can impede your cycling pace and make it more arduous to pedal through. Nevertheless, you can reduce the drag in different ways to make your ride smoother. Lowering your body position on the bike is one of the easiest strategies to reduce wind resistance. Rather than sitting upright in the saddle, bending forward and tucking in your elbows to bring your body closer to the bars can minimize air resistance. You'll feel an immediate difference in your bike's speed and ease of pedaling.
Another approach is to ensure that your bike is in optimal condition. Properly inflated tires and a bike devoid of debris or mud buildup can considerably reduce wind resistance, allowing you to ride faster with less exertion. Consistently maintaining your bike in good working order preserves its longevity and makes the ride more enjoyable.
Pump Up Your Tyres
If you're looking to boost your cycling speed, one effective way is to ensure that your tires are appropriately inflated. Most tires will feature a recommended pressure printed on the sidewall, and it's crucial to take a moment to check this before each ride. Sometimes changes in temperature can cause tires to lose pressure, even if they're not punctured, so monitoring your tire's pressure is essential.
Investing in a track pump can simplify the process of getting your tires to the desired pressure level, while a portable mini-pump can be reserved for emergency situations while you're cycling. Ensuring your tires are properly inflated can enhance your cycling proficiency and lead to faster, smoother rides.
Cycling routes with varied terrain can help improve your speed.
If you're seeking to elevate your cycling performance, an effective manner to do so is by diversifying your riding terrain. By biking on routes with varying landscape, you can enhance your velocity and become an increasingly efficient rider.
To switch up your terrain, one of the most effective methods is to ride on routes with hills. These hills help increase your power and leg strength, both of which are critical for cycling speed. If you're not fortunate enough to have hills available to you, you can try to challenge yourself by riding on rougher, uneven landscapes. This will bolster your bike handling skills and elevate your confidence, as you ride faster and stronger.
So, if you're looking to up your cycling pace, don't hesitate to experiment with changing up your riding terrain. This proactive measure will contribute to making you a robust and accelerated cyclist.
Why it's important to have varied terrain when cycling.
One of the advantages of having diverse landscapes in your cycling repertoire is the opportunity it offers to refine your climbing prowess. Living in a flat terrain can be arduous when searching for hills to train on. However, having variable terrain on your cycling playlist will grant you access to hills that can fast-track your development as a climber.
A second benefit of varied terrain is its contribution to improving your bike handling skills. Riding on diverse terrains that challenge your ability to navigate obstacles will serve to improve your bike handling skills and boost your confidence in the saddle.
Therefore, if your desire is to increase your cycling velocity, riding on varied terrain is an excellent strategy to accomplish this. You'll sharpen your climbing and bike handling skills, which in turn will make you a confident and proficient cyclist.
Brake Less
If elevating your cycling pace is something you aspire to, one of the key maneuvers to master is reducing your use of brakes. When you apply the brakes, it inevitably obstructs your momentum, which can make it more challenging to pick up speed again. By avoiding superfluous braking, you conserve energy and impetus, leading to a faster and smoother ride.
One smart method to diminish your breaking is by shedding what's known as "comfort" braking. This occurs when you're cruising down a speedy road or a slope and your pace is marginally above your customary speed. The impulse to apply brakes can be hard to fight off, but if you remain composed and place your trust in your bike, you'll be less likely to whip out the brakes.
It's important to note that braking is critical in certain situations. Nevertheless, if you monitor yourself closely and only brake when necessary, you'll start to reduce your usage of brakes and experience increased speed on your ride.
Lose Weight
If you aspire to go faster while cycling, losing weight can undoubtedly help in achieving your goal. The less weight you carry, the less resistance you face while cycling uphill, making it easier to pedal upwards against gravity. Additionally, shedding those extra pounds can help you reduce the drag you encounter while cycling on level surfaces, enabling you to gain more speed.
There are several effective ways to lose weight and optimize your cycling performance. Eating a nutrient-dense, well-balanced diet and consuming fewer calories can help you drop weight. Additionally, increasing your physical activity and burning more calories than you consume can also contribute significantly to weight loss. Combining these two approaches can provide the best results.
Remember, even a minor weight reduction can yield considerable gains in cycling speed. Thus, if you desire to accelerate your cycling momentum, consider losing weight and give it a go.
Build Muscle
You can gain strength with specific gym training - but building up your cycling muscles and developing your efficiency as a bike rider takes place over a long period of time, there is no substitute for time on the bike when it comes to improving cycling fitness.
If you ride regularly your average speed will gradually increase as will the distance that you feel comfortable riding. However, to speed up your development and to establish good techniques and help build some cycling muscle there are some things you can do in the gym.
Gym work can help you build the core and leg strength necessary to be a better rider. And while there is no substitute for time on the bike, doing some targeted strength work can help you improve your cycling fitness and ride faster.
Fitting Jersey
In order to enhance your cycling speed, it is imperative to don clothing that fits impeccably. Ill-fitting attire can instigate resistive force, obstructing your progress and ultimately decelerating your pace. It is therefore paramount to indubitably invest in a well-fitted cycling jersey, if you aspire to augment the speed of your cycling endeavors. Cycling jersey is meticulously designed to proffer comfort, coolness, and freedom from distractions, facilitating longer and enhanced cycling stints without propelling your body to a state of fatigue.
By curbing air resistance, you can accelerate your movement with less strain. Additionally, remember to fasten your clothing for optimal cycling performance.
Post time: Jul-22-2022