The idea behind this blog is to give you some thought provoking tips to help you increase your cycling speed. Something we would all like to do. Although a general guide, hopefully, at least one or two tips will work for you.

Think about Aerodynamics

Wind resistance causes drag and will slow you down when riding. Bike manufacturers are trying to design bikes that offer less wind resistance and as such increase your speed. As well as having a more aerodynamic bike, think about:
• Your helmet – more aerodynamic helmets are being developed so why not try one
• Your clothes – tighter clothes offer less wind resistance than baggy clothes which catch the wind
• Your cycling position – Think about aero bars as these put you into a better aerodynamic position.  I.e. your back parallel to the frame.

Think About your Bike

We all have to live within our means but if you’re serious about achieving your cycling potential, and as you’re reading this blog you probably are, then getting the best bike we can for our money is important. If your bike is quite heavy by today’s standards, an investment now can see you riding faster and further sooner rather than later.

Discover your Optimal Riding Weight

Your best riding weight is the weight that gives you your best power to weight ratio or PWR. PWR is a big factor to professional cyclists and serious amateurs. These numbers are crunched regularly to see improvement or the loss of it by professional cycling teams.

Without becoming too technical, if you can increase your power and reduce your weight or maintain it, then you will ride faster. There is a catch, however, and that is you may lose too much weight and lose power as well. As you can see, a balance is needed.

If you can lose weight but maintain the same fitness level, you should see an increase in your cycling speed.

Think about your Riding Techniques

As well as your equipment and your weight the way you ride has a big impact on how well you ride. Cornering, braking, gear use, and group riding, can make a massive difference to how fast you ride. For example, if you corner incorrectly – brake too soon, select the wrong gear, etc, and you lose momentum you could add a few seconds on every bend. If one of your rides has twenty bends, you could easily add a few minutes to your overall time and spoil the enjoyment of your ride.

Similarly, cycling group riding is a great way to conserve energy and in turn, use the extra energy to ride faster. There are rules for group riding which should be adhered to and everyone should take their turn leading the pack.

Think about where you Ride

Wind is a significant factor when riding so try and use sheltered roads on windy days, and more open roads when the wind is less severe.

Mallorca Cycle Training with SportActive

Our Mallorca Cycling Training Camp, will teach you the best riding techniques. This will help you cycle faster and further and fulfil your potential as a cyclist. We cover all the techniques in this blog and riders who have ridden with us all say they have improved as a result.

Discover Mallorca cycling by clicking here. Team Ineos (formerly Sky) train on Mallorca in the off-season.

Submitted on 16/3/16
Updated on 23/6/2019