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Hypothetical Bike Speed Question
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 2010-09-12 5:34 PM |
Veteran  329  |  Subject: Hypothetical Bike Speed QuestionI am interested to read your thoughts on what type of speed increases I can expect over the course of a year. I am going to make this as simple as possible, and would prefer not to hear the "depends on..." type answers. My first Olympic distance race was an enjoyable experience, but the bike leg was still my achellies heel. I was in the lower third in the male division at 19.70 miles per hour. Let's suppose the following next year at this same race: Same bike Same aero position Same shoes Same helmet Same tri suit Same wheels Same tire pressure Same weather Same swim condition You get my drift--anything that could be considered a variable outside of bike conditioning is actually constant. I know that is not reasonable, but let's pretend. Here's the deal. I have been ridng for 16 months. Have been on a tri bike for 5 of those months. Is it realistic to think that I could increase my speed to 22.2 mph in 11 months? My goal is to do a HIM next Fall, so I will be getting in the miles and plan to do Jorge's training over the winter. Do you guys think that for someone that hasn't been on the bike for too long can make a 2.5 mph gain in 11 months? Again, given my hypotheticals above. I'd be interested to hear what you all think. |
| 2010-09-12 7:29 PM in reply to: #3093978 |
Master 1790   Tyler, TX | Subject: RE: Hypothetical Bike Speed Question A 2.5 mph gain in one year is a huge jump, but not out of the question with a year of smart and consistent training. Brian |
| 2010-09-12 8:16 PM in reply to: #3093978 |
Elite 4048 Gilbert, Az. | Subject: RE: Hypothetical Bike Speed Question Certainly doable, but you don't log anything. If you are already putting in major hours on the bike to get the 19.7, getting to 22 might be tough. If you aren't putting in a lot of hours and no speed work, then it will be easier. Either way it's going to take some work. :p John |
| 2010-09-12 10:18 PM in reply to: #3093978 |
Veteran 329 | Subject: RE: Hypothetical Bike Speed Question tkd.teacher.--Actually my logs are there. i haven't done anything for a month, but will be getting back to the training soon. During the late spring/summer months i was doing about 60-80 miles a week about 3 rides weekly. I only did one 2 hour ride, and much of it was on a trainer. I went from a mountain bike to a tri bike in May, so it is hard for me to tell if the progress I had during the season was from power increase or if i was just getting more comfortable riding this style bike. Because I have only been riding a bike for 16 months, I tend to think a 2.5 mph increase is possible in the course of the year assuming I train correctly. that is why I plan on doing Jorge's program through the winter and strictly following a bike heavy HIM training program. Any more opinions and thoughts will be appreciated |
| 2010-09-12 10:41 PM in reply to: #3093978 |
Champion 10668 Tacoma, Washington | Subject: RE: Hypothetical Bike Speed Question Doable, but it's going to take some real concentration on the bike. And you're going to need to get comfortable with cranking out significantly higher speeds than what you're wanting for your average. |
| 2010-09-12 10:49 PM in reply to: #3093978 |
Master 1433 Calgary, AB Silver member | Subject: RE: Hypothetical Bike Speed Question Run is mostly easy, sometimes hard. Bike is almost always hard. Not much, if anything is gained from zone 1-2 biking, except maybe getting used to aero/saddle. |
| 2010-09-12 10:53 PM in reply to: #3093978 |
Master 3888 Overland Park, KS | Subject: RE: Hypothetical Bike Speed Question Good question. It would be intereting to know if anyone out there gained 2-3mph in a years time. Like you I have approx. 16 months of bike experience. About 4-5 months of that was spin class so really less than a year on the actual bike itself. |
| 2010-09-13 1:14 AM in reply to: #3093978 |
| Subject: RE: Hypothetical Bike Speed Question If 19.7 put you on the bottom third, then I'm going to assume that the course was flat and fast. Which likley means that 22.2 is in the top third, and certainly doable in one year given you put in the work. If you said that 19.7 was in the top third on a very hilly course and 22.2 was the fastest bike split in the previous race...then maybe not so likely. Just ride more, ride hard, wash, rinse, repeat. |
| 2010-09-13 6:11 AM in reply to: #3093978 |
 Bronze member | Subject: RE: Hypothetical Bike Speed Question My two cents because the time frame is about like yours: I have been on my road bike for 16 months. Did not take the winter off, road on my trainer with high intensity rides (spinnervals DVD's). Started building more miles in the spring to where I eventually leveled out around 90 miles a week for most of the summer. Did long rides, hills, rode with friends who were much faster than me, hard tempo rides etc. This work was all intended to be able to manage a faster bike split at an end of the season Oly (not HIM). I did the same race last year, same bike, same course, same helmet, same shoes. Only changes were new tires on my bike but those were just gator skins (not race tires or anything) and the weather. Last year the weather was perfect, this year we had a 20 mph wind in our face. So, last year I did 17.3 mph on this course, this year I did 18.4, but like I said, we had that wind to battle. I was just happy I wasn't slower because it was a lot harder ride! |
| 2010-09-13 7:36 AM in reply to: #3093978 |
Champion 7595 Columbia, South Carolina | Subject: RE: Hypothetical Bike Speed Question I've gained somewhere in that vicinity over the last year. I did Jorge's winter bike plan, and this summer I've been riding a good amount (round 40 hours/month). As someone else said, ride mostly hard, sometimes easy. |
| 2010-09-13 10:36 AM in reply to: #3093978 |
Pro 6582 Melbourne FL Gold member | Subject: RE: Hypothetical Bike Speed Question You need more T.I.T.S, (time in the saddle) and overall fitness gains. If your logs for the year are up to date, just not enough steady training. In the next year if you focus and work hard at it you can see a good increase in biking power/speed. Last year I spent most of the time focused on run training and gained a lot of fitness. Did a sprint tri last Oct where I avg'd 20.4mph for 15.9mi on the bike. After my Half Mary in Feb I re-focused for a June Sprint and did Jorges cycling plan for 9 weeks and on a 15.3 flat course got up to a 22.4. 22.2mph for an Oly is a fast ride (for me anyway!), and to be able to run a good run afterward it'll take a lot of dedicated training, especially over the winter months. Get a solid training plan/coach , buy a good fluid bike trainer for those days you can't get outside and you'll be on your way. Have fun! |
| 2010-09-13 11:19 AM in reply to: #3093978 |
Master 2158 | Subject: RE: Hypothetical Bike Speed Question OK, based on you July logs, you need to bike more. 3 hours a week isn't going to cut it for getting your biking to 22. Also, as someone else mentioned, your weight will also have an effect. And finally.... Yes, you can make that kind of jump. I have done something close in the last season. Part of it was a switch to a new bike, a lot of it was getting more intense on the bike. When I ride now, I tend to try to ride harder. I use some of the workouts and planning from the time crunched cyclist book. I think it helped. That being said, 22 is pretty darn fast. I might be able to go 22 in an OLY, but I don't know if I could run after! |
| 2010-09-13 11:28 AM in reply to: #3093978 |
Elite 3315 Miami | Subject: RE: Hypothetical Bike Speed Question It would be EXTREMELY difficult....to have this kind of gain, meaning it will require a very good training plan and great execution...meaning you will have to ride and not just ride i mean really ride... this is with an assumption that you will also want to run well...i can hammer on the bike but if i want to have a half decent run i need to take it down a bunch... consider a power meter that would help alot.... |
| 2010-09-13 11:47 AM in reply to: #3093978 |
Veteran 329 | Subject: RE: Hypothetical Bike Speed Question Thanks for the replies everyone. I agree that a 2.5 mph gain is going to be challenging; but I think it is doable because a.) I have only been riding for 16 or so months and b.) I plan to focus on the bike trainer through the winter. Then my plan is to concentrate on a HIM training program next spring/summer. |
| 2010-09-13 11:52 AM in reply to: #3093978 |
Veteran 186 | Subject: RE: Hypothetical Bike Speed Question Just fitness...my $0.02: First, I don't want it to sounds like I'm dampening enthusiasm, but I'm not thinking this is too realistic. 19.7 to 22.3 mph: That's a 13% speed gain, and about a 30% increase in power output (using the kurt kinetic power curve, which I know, is a little off). 11 months equates to 2.7%/mo. Yikes. Frequency of riding would have to go up. Intensity would have to go up dramatically. Sounds like a recipe for injury, really. And I'd think burnout would set in after 2-3 months. So, I think 10-15% per year increase in power is more likely, so 20.5-21 mph is my guess for improvement and might be a more realistic target. Even 20% may be doable with dedication and fitting in the rest of the sports since you're pretty new, but 30% more power is stratospheric. Work hard, but work smart! -Jason |
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