Finally got to the average i have been struggling to get to

[auswi2]

Over the last 12 months or so I have been trying to get average 25kph over 40km doing the same route to improve my average and i finally averaged 25kph on the dot this morning. When i started the route i was doing about 22kph so 3kph may not seem like a lot but it is to me.

I have been going into a more aero position on the downhills and that seems to produce an extra 2-4kph faster then sitting up. I have also been using the bigger front cog more and more lately to keep the speed up

Next target is 26kph along with some weight loss

Keep Pushing

Kiwalian

[booge]

Well done, 3km/h average speed increase is actually quite good.

[Jonny Rochester]

Ride with a friend, take turns sitting right behind the other rider, you will pick up speed. You need the practice anyhow.

Another tip, don't stop riding at the crest of a hill. Continue putting some power down over the crest of a hill and only rest on the downhill once your up to speed.

For a small hill, leave it in the big ring, stand up and try and maintain the same speed.

Plan a flat course ride that gives a higher average speed, it just gives more confidence, nothing else.

Do a extra long ride, slower. Take a day to rest. THen do your normal ride and you will be faster.

[g-boaf]

Make sure you rest - that's important.

3km/h average increase is very decent.

[macca33]

Great effort there mate - the hard yards do pay off!

cheers

[william]

It doesn't seem much but to increase your average can be a feat, especially if your talking 3 kph or more.
As with good advice given here sometimes trying too hard may be your worst enemy. Fluctuate your efforts. One day hard, another day easy spinning.
Keep at it.

[auswi2]

Thanks for the kind words. When I am doing the same ride with a group I get left behind going up the hills but I will get better at that with more practice and some weight loss. For myself hills are just as much mental as it is physical, what I mean by that is I tend to go into a easier gear earlier then I need to because it is easier.

I used to think it was all about the lightest CF frame and the best spec but its not as important at this point as I don't race. I will keep pushing so I can go out with groups and keep up to their average pace of 28kph.

Thanks

Auswi2

[bychosis]

Keep up the good work. Don't forget to vary your route as well so your body won't get used to it. By all means use the standard route to check progress, but mix it up in between.

[ratter]

congrats on the improvement and keep up the good work.

as a commercisl once stated "it won't happen over night, but it wll happen"

[Xplora]

Well done!

If at all possible, try to get some really short rides in (10kms?) and push yourself super hard, stay in the big ring and aim for a 30kmh average over that ride. It should HURT the next day. Your body does get used to one route, one style of riding, and tricking your body into adapting to a new route, a new style, will give you a great baseline to start attacking that 28kmh group. If your workout causes you to absolutely blow out and you can't ride after 8kms, that's OK. You are trying to improve, and improvement comes from going hard.

[DoogleDave]

Great stuff and well done!

I agree with everything above and I have been doing similar over the last 9 months I have been riding.
I started at around 23km/h ave as well and can now hold between 28-31 km/h depending on course and wind conditions.

For me I have found that varying your ride distances, your efforts during these rides and the courses you ride all help you to improve more and more as the weeks go by - but most of all just clock up as many km's as you can (no matter if there slow or fast rides), just keep on riding.

Keep up the good work and well done on reaching your goal....and good luck on your way to reaching your next goal!

Dave

[azzurribike]

Great work mixing up the days with some short hard rides will see improvement. Definitely work on the mental approach to the hills.

[greyhoundtom]

............ Definitely work on the mental approach to the hills.

I’m an absolute crap hill climber, and the best way I found was to look at the road in front of me, and to concentrate on cadence.

Looking at the top of the hill, and just how much further I've got to go does my head in.