Stop Lagging Behind | 6 Easy Ways to Increase your Cycling Speed
by johnthescone
To some, speed seems to come easy as they pedal by. For most of us, however, speed is something we work hard for, grasping on to every bit of help that we can get.
How do they do it? Do they have better equipment? Is there some sort of magical formula to flying past your fellow cyclists?
Not really. But, there are a few things that you can do to help yourself out. Here are six:
- Work Your Core – Put together a core routine, but don’t just stick to sit-ups and crunches! Try something new. Try some cross-fit, running, and weight-lifting. FitDeck has a great Core Blast Workout deck that will keep your body guessing with a different workout each time. You’ll be shocked at how much a stronger core will help your speed.
- Interval Training – Interval training helps you to increase your power output for a longer period of time. By mixing in an interval workout with your standard ride, you increase both your endurance and the power level you can maintain during your ride.
- Bike Fit - A good bike fit is essential not only to your speed, but to your overall health and safety. If you don’t know anything about bike fit there are many websites out there that will give you an overview of what you need to know. Your best bet, however, is to visit your local bike shop. They fit bikes every day and know exactly what to look for.
- Hills – Find a hill that’s a challenge, but not one that you can’t overcome. The ideal hill will be one that you can climb gradually at a steady pace. Once you find this hill, climb it repeatedly, upgrade when necessary and repeat.
- Cadence – Cycling Cadence is the rate at which you are pedaling, or RPM. There is not enough time to go into detail here, but the ideal RPM for each rider is different. What you want to do is find a balance between resistance and RPM. Find a pedal rate that’s fast, but not too fast, with just a little resistance. And stay there. You’ll find that not only your speed will rise, but also your endurance.
- Don’t Give Up – Every time you throw in the towel because you think you’ll never get faster, you lose valuable ground. Be persistent, build your base, and you will get to where you want to be.
All of these tips are helpful. What is most important, however, is perseverance and discipline. Be Strong, Ride Often and Keep a Good Ride Log and you can’t go wrong.
How do you increase your speed?
Let us know in the comments!
