Is it ever the bike?

[Catrin]

You may be working on the bike every day and not see any tangible improvement because you train focusing on an area and measure your improvement on another. For example, if you train for mileage base and measure improvement based on sprint speed - you may not see any change. Why? Because you work on A and test B. It's like teaching students: if you teach them A and test them on B maybe no student will pass. Our body is a student, sort of, and learns what we teach.

So, before you get disappointed about the lack of speed improvement, make sure that you are, in fact, focusing your training to achieve higher speed.
That also extends to your 'off-the-bike' training, i.e. fitness: make sure that your strengthening program is designed to achieve your goals.

Thanks for this reminder - I find myself guilty of this in that I am currently training for endurance/distance and climbing hills but then get frustrated when I can't get past 19.5 mph on flat ground when hammering it.

[JennK13]

Thanks for this reminder - I find myself guilty of this in that I am currently training for endurance/distance and climbing hills but then get frustrated when I can't get past 19.5 mph on flat ground when hammering it.

...so I try to remember what I'm trying to accomplish. My riding is quite varied - liesurely commutes to work or trail rides with DH; moderate paced NO DROP group rides (which means we don't go faster than the slowest rider); distance riding; short "sprints" for triathlons (lengths of 15-25 miles at "speed"); and this is Colorado, so of course, hills. And this is all in one week I've found that in order for me to be a good "all around" rider, it seems that I'm not the best at any particular thing. But I hang tight with the group, and over the course of a ride, I'm right up there in the front because I'm pretty good at all of it. I have been focusing more on climbs and maintaining speed over a longer distance - intervals have helped tremendously with both of these. And I also ride once a week with a couple of kids who are crazy fast - really pushes me and is a nice change from my regular group rides.

As for the bike, it makes a difference to a certain degree. I have three different bikes - one is definately faster than the others. But what I have noticed is that I've seen improvement overall, and I'm faster and stronger on all of them. If you're plateauing and not making any progress at all, as previously mentioned check your training routine.

I hadn't ridden with my DH in a while, and I ride a lot more than he does (like 5 or 6 times a week compared to his twice a month). I had just put slicks on my Cross bike and wanted to try it out (I was told it would make me faster ) He's never been faster than me, but he can usually hang if I'm not going all out. Well, I left him in the dust and wasn't even trying!!! He was so mad! Of course, he credits the tires ("I thought you were BSing me about tires, blah blah blah...") God forbid it actually be ME that was faster!!!
Commuting gives me a pretty structured route, so it's very obvious and easy for me to tell if I'm improving - I just check my time!