I want to ride faster

[momof4greatkids]

I want to ride faster.

Is there a top limit to the speed I will be able to reach on a hybrid (trek 7,5fx) compared to exerting the same effort on a road bike?

Would a road bike help me go faster?

Or do I just need to be fitter and ride more to get faster on the bike I have?

As Eddie Mercxx says, should I ride upgrades, not buy upgrades?

Do I NEED a road bike to go faster?

Colleen

[Veronica]

Is there a top limit to the speed I will be able to reach on a hybrid (trek 7,5fx) compared to exerting the same effort on a road bike? yes

Would a road bike help me go faster? yes

Or do I just need to be fitter and ride more to get faster on the bike I have? yes

As Eddie Mercxx says, should I ride upgrades, not buy upgrades? yes

Do I NEED a road bike to go faster? no

I think you need to define what you mean by going faster. Are you talking about increasing your average from 8 to 12 mph? Or 12 to 18 mph?

V.

[momof4greatkids]

My average speed now is about 14-15 mph, (ok.....13 mph with a strong headwind!). I'd like to be able to go 18-20 mph.

Colleen

[Veronica]

How far are you riding? How hilly is it?

Unless you're pretty intense about training, averaging 18 - 20 mph on a 30 to 40 mile ride is pretty fast.

It took me a year of serious training to increase my average speed from 14 - 15 mph to 15 - 16 on a 40 mile ride with 2000 - 3000 feet of climbing in it.

V.

[Triskeliongirl]

You will go faster *for the same effort* on a lighter bike, especially where climbing is concerned. That is because speed depends on your power to mass ratio. Mass is the weight of you and the bike, so if that is reduced, especially rotational weight (wheels, hubs, etc.) you will be faster. But as Veronica said getting to 18-20 mph requires mucho series training and a super light bike both. But getting from 12-15 mph to 14-17 is realistic with consistent riding and a lighter bike (average speed too depends a lot on how hilly it is where you ride).

[Veronica]

You will go faster *for the same effort* on a lighter bike, especially where climbing is concerned. That is because speed depends on your power to mass ratio.

And you have to decide how much are you willing to spend for the two or three minutes you may save by getting a lighter bike.

Here's a calculator that shows you how much faster you can be with a lighter bike.

http://www.kreuzotter.de/english/espeed.htm

Use a ride you have some data on and plug in the weight of your bike and then do the same thing with what you think a new road bike would weigh.

V.

[TsPoet]

My average speed now is about 14-15 mph, (ok.....13 mph with a strong headwind!). I'd like to be able to go 18-20 mph.

Colleen

For reference (from someone who has both, sort of)
On my 20" front wheel bent (the recumbent equivalent to your hybrid DF), I average ~13 mph on my commute to work. On my performance bent (equivalent to an entry level road bike), I average ~17 mph on my commute to work.
Differences: aerodynamics, weight (32 lbs vs 25 lbs, bents are heavy) - that's pretty much it, I have narrow tires on both. My faster bent is also aluminum, which I think works well for me, and the other is cromoly. The weight difference is more than that, though - I carry cloths and lunch and things with me on the comfortable bike and much less on the road bike.
You should always buy a new bike when you want to! OK, my comfort bent is for sale, I've run out of room to store them all.

[Geonz]

I have averaged either 21.3 or 23.1 mph on a 30 mile ride - in a paceline - on my 7500FX. The paceline of course made me a whole lot more streamlined.

Did I miss this skimming the replies: What tires do you have? I added 2 mph, no effort, when I went to skinnier tires (tho' I did it on the bike before the trek; when I bought this one, Fritz said "of course you'll want to switch out tires." I have 25 cc tires; most of my road buddies have 23s.

The only way I could hold 18-20 is with a paceline (or a tailwind - I did average 17.9 on the RAIN ride but the 8 mph breeze helped ) unless it was prestty short and sweet.

[roguedog]

cool link! thanks v

[momof4greatkids]

...thank you for sharing your advice. My tires are 32cc. A good ride for me is 42 miles at 14.8 mph, with some small hills, no big grades. I really don't do much climbing here in Ohio, it's more like little rollers.

That link is amazing! I have so much to learn, gotta admit a lot of those variables go right over my head.

Geonz, my ambition is to do RAIN, but I cannot see myself averaging 17.9 on my bike, but your story gives me hope!

Colleen

[CR400]

Well I'm from a flat part of Ohio as well. But if you are close to the PA line there is some great climbing some grades 14% and a little better.

Anyway as far as getting faster without changing your bike try riding in bigger gears and trying to maintain the 14mph pace for a while (two rides a week). Then when you return to the smaller gears you are used to it will seem like you are flying with less effort. Because you have built more muscle mass. Quickest way to gain watts is to loose weight so you don't have to pedal as hard or gain muscle so you can pedal higher watts without noticing a difference.

[jamom]

I've been reading this thread and thinking about something my sister, who's ridden for many years, told me. If you want to go faster, ride with guys-they'll really push you. I have to admit, when I ride with my hubby, I go faster!!

[Kano]

I've been reading this thread and thinking about something my sister, who's ridden for many years, told me. If you want to go faster, ride with guys-they'll really push you. I have to admit, when I ride with my hubby, I go faster!!

I wonder if that's cuz when they ride, they just ride. When I ride, I ride, but I also enjoy the scenery, which does slow me down some, I know!

Karen in Boise

[RoadRaven]

I've been reading this thread and thinking about something my sister, who's ridden for many years, told me. If you want to go faster, ride with guys-they'll really push you. I have to admit, when I ride with my hubby, I go faster!!

Yup - they will... men tend to ride faster because they tend to be stronger, therefore you can use them to "motor-pace" yourself and increase your endurance and speed (its also a psychological boost because you think - gee, I CAN ride that fast... so it lifts your performance when you ride without them).

Riding with anyone else tends to lift my performance - I just push myself a little bit more... the advantage of riding with my partner is that he is waaaay better and more experienced than me and will pace himself to optimise my training...

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Well, I feel I must report my own experience with thinner tires, just to be on the record...
I am sure that it is probably true for many of you that you gain speed when you put on skinnier tires. But oddly, it did not seem to make a difference for me.

I went from 700c x 38cm tires on my road bike to 700 x 28cm tires (with smoother tread as well). That's quite a difference to jump in tire width.
Although it "felt" a bit quicker and more responsive on turning, etc,...according to my bike computer and my wristwatch my usual 21 mile ride did NOT get any shorter at all, time-wise. I re-checked the time about four different times under varied conditions. Interesting!
Your mileage may vary (ha ha)....