Maintaining higher average speeds?
- Xplora
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Maintaining higher average speeds?
Postby Xplora » Tue Jan 10, 2012 9:22 pm
I've found it is really hard to accelerate to 30+kph unless I'm in the drops and standing, but it's easier to stay close to this once I've gotten up to speed. I'm still ruined after sticking to this pace for a while though. Is this the strategy for most guys who want to spin at 35kph, or do you creep up to it, gradually increasing cadence?
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Re: Maintaining higher average speeds?
Postby Nobody » Tue Jan 10, 2012 10:03 pm
I don't inflict myself with carbon if possible.Xplora wrote:Hi carbon team
Practice producing power in an aerodynamic position, i.e. in the drops.Xplora wrote:...wondering what would be the best strategy for maintaining higher speeds. I'm 73kgs at 6'1", not much horsepower in the legs even after riding 80-100kms a week commuting for 18 months.
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Maintaining higher average speeds?
Postby toolonglegs » Tue Jan 10, 2012 10:44 pm
80-100 km a week... Is that all you are doing?
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Re: Maintaining higher average speeds?
Postby foo on patrol » Wed Jan 11, 2012 6:51 am
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Re: Maintaining higher average speeds?
Postby ausrandoman » Wed Jan 11, 2012 7:29 am
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Re: Maintaining higher average speeds?
Postby sogood » Wed Jan 11, 2012 10:37 am
+1.ausrandoman wrote:I asked a similar question a year or two ago. I tried high intensity interval training. It worked.
The fundamental would have to be a lack of a sufficiently powerful engine. 80-100km/week commuter miles isn't very much if you are expecting a higher level of performance. Many riders here would ride 80-100km on one single ride.
Try higher intensity interval.
Try to ride at a higher cadence - You can accelerate by grinding a high gear or spin seated in a lower gear.
Try endurance rides to develop your endurance as that's what'll allow you to ride into the sunset without getting exhausted.
RK wrote:And that is Wikipedia - I can write my own definition.
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Re: Maintaining higher average speeds?
Postby rustychisel » Wed Jan 11, 2012 11:16 am
I use my commute as interval training on fixed gear, powering off from traffic intersections, getting up to speed as quickly as possible, maintaining good leg speed in traffic and (ahem) drafting buses and trucks sometimes.
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Re: Maintaining higher average speeds?
Postby Xplora » Wed Jan 11, 2012 12:14 pm
I USED to do 80-100 a week commuting, that's now increasing to 120-220 a week (aiming for 220 but I can't physically handle it yet).
I've started putting the bike into 50/12 and pushing that for a kilometre at 80-90rpm on a high visibility PSP... should I be trying to do this a couple times?
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Re: Maintaining higher average speeds?
Postby sogood » Wed Jan 11, 2012 1:05 pm
You can try. But the strategy of sustained power isn't about pushing the highest gear but to push the most comfortable gear at a good cadence. I think you are better off trying to spin at 90-100 at a slightly lower gear.Xplora wrote:I've started putting the bike into 50/12 and pushing that for a kilometre at 80-90rpm on a high visibility PSP... should I be trying to do this a couple times?
BTW, with your 50/12 on 80-90rpm (700c wheel), you are travelling at 42-47.2km/h. Assuming on the flat, are you sure you can sustain that for a km or more? It's a bit of a mismatch with the rest of your description.
RK wrote:And that is Wikipedia - I can write my own definition.
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Maintaining higher average speeds?
Postby toolonglegs » Wed Jan 11, 2012 1:16 pm
The best thing to do is ride more. Slowly build up your engine... Keep pushing yourself and your body will adapt as long as you fuel and rest it well. At the moment you don't need to over complicate things.
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Re: Maintaining higher average speeds?
Postby simonn » Wed Jan 11, 2012 1:25 pm
Yeah you can. Just do it. I went from ~80km/week commute to ~250km/week commute over night... well, with a handful of trial runs. Was hard for about 3-6 months, but you do not have to ride at a high intensity everyday. Just ride and you build up stamina (not necessarily speed though).Xplora wrote:aiming for 220 but I can't physically handle it yet
One thing is certain, you are not going to do it until you do.
And, your BMI is better than mine now, let alone when I started.
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Re: Maintaining higher average speeds?
Postby Xplora » Wed Jan 11, 2012 4:04 pm
I've actually gotten sick after doing 3 days in a row twice. Gotta pace myself, I probably don't eat enough but I've started trying to make sure I eat properly (getting meals in isn't necessary every time with my body), take some extra protein.
Re 50/12, I might be more awesome than I think, I dont' have a computer on this bike, but realistically, I'm probably a hack. I suspected that moving from 12-27 to 12-23 would be a good move to give me some more gears around that 50/16-19 sweet spot for pushing it on the flat. I do try and keep the cadence at 90-100rpm all the time, the legs are never jelly, but the body doesn't have the guns to push it the whole way. I'm thinking that all you legends are cranking out centuries somehow!
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Re: Maintaining higher average speeds?
Postby notwal » Wed Jan 11, 2012 9:28 pm
If you're pushing a 50/12 on the flat at any reasonable cadence you will be going very fast but you say you aren't.
Its difficult to tell how you are developing without solid numbers.
If you are doing hard days you should follow them with easy days.
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Re: Maintaining higher average speeds?
Postby Xplora » Fri Jan 13, 2012 1:32 pm
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Re: Maintaining higher average speeds?
Postby sogood » Fri Jan 13, 2012 1:41 pm
Just a bit? And you call that hard? Try harder!Xplora wrote:I've done a hard sprint for 1+km each day towards the end of the ride this week. Legs are hurting a bit...
RK wrote:And that is Wikipedia - I can write my own definition.
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Re: Maintaining higher average speeds?
Postby ausrandoman » Fri Jan 13, 2012 2:49 pm
Sometimes, after endurance training, I find that I can't get my heart rate over 92% of maximum. When that happens, I turn around and ride home at an easy (70% of MHR) pace. Overstress, rest until complete recovery, repeat ....
When I was in my twenties, "rest until complete recovery" was usually overnight, 24 hours at worst. Now, it can be 2- 3 days
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Re: Maintaining higher average speeds?
Postby Xplora » Fri Jan 13, 2012 7:36 pm
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Re: Maintaining higher average speeds?
Postby foo on patrol » Fri Jan 13, 2012 8:15 pm
Different to how we trained back in my day. Just gotta love bio-mechanics science advances.
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Re: Maintaining higher average speeds?
Postby ratter » Fri Jan 13, 2012 10:07 pm
ausrandoman wrote:
Sometimes, after endurance training, I find that I can't get my heart rate over 92% of maximum. When that happens, I turn around and ride home at an easy (70% of MHR) pace. Overstress, rest until complete recovery, repeat ....
This has me intrigued, that seems to be where I'm at at present, I can't seem to get my heart rate above possibly high 80 %, as I just can't seem to exert any more where in the past I have seen my heart rate go high 90%, I have been riding the last few weeks with my wife and as she is slower than me I normally don't get much of a workout so have been working on getting my cadence up which at our road speed is keepng my heart rate in the low to mid 70%.
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Re: Maintaining higher average speeds?
Postby Xplora » Sat Jan 14, 2012 3:29 pm
Heart is a muscle, it gets sore and tired as well?ratter wrote:ausrandoman wrote:
Sometimes, after endurance training, I find that I can't get my heart rate over 92% of maximum. When that happens, I turn around and ride home at an easy (70% of MHR) pace. Overstress, rest until complete recovery, repeat ....
This has me intrigued, that seems to be where I'm at at present, I can't seem to get my heart rate above possibly high 80 %, as I just can't seem to exert any more where in the past I have seen my heart rate go high 90%, I have been riding the last few weeks with my wife and as she is slower than me I normally don't get much of a workout so have been working on getting my cadence up which at our road speed is keepng my heart rate in the low to mid 70%.
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Maintaining higher average speeds?
Postby RonK » Sat Jan 14, 2012 3:54 pm
That's probably right - and you are not putting much distance into your legs either. 100km per week is not a lot of training. It you want to see serious improvements in performance you need to be doing double or even triple that distance.Xplora wrote:I think I know the problem finally - I'm not just not putting enough legs into the ride.
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Re: Maintaining higher average speeds?
Postby sogood » Sat Jan 14, 2012 6:15 pm
False. Cardiac muscles don't fatigue. As long as you supply it with O2 and nutrients, it' work non-stop.Xplora wrote:Heart is a muscle, it gets sore and tired as well?
RK wrote:And that is Wikipedia - I can write my own definition.
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Re: Maintaining higher average speeds?
Postby Xplora » Mon Jan 23, 2012 1:01 pm
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Re: Maintaining higher average speeds?
Postby Xplora » Sat Nov 24, 2012 10:47 pm
Sadly enough, belting myself home takes 49 minutes at best, and I spun home specifically trying to avoid big efforts but maintain speed and I still got home in 60 yesterday. Topped 45kmh as well. I'm doing something wrong here
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Re: Maintaining higher average speeds?
Postby foo on patrol » Sun Nov 25, 2012 7:59 am
How far was the distance and and how low a gear were you spinning? It's all relevant to the time but 11mins is a big difference it over a short distance.
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