One year on - average not improving

[Gixxerman]

I have had my Trek 7.3FX for just over a year now.
In that time I have done about 2500miles including a 100 miler (well actually 97.1 miles - BAH!).
I am fit for my age (45) and play football 2-3 times a week, go to gym 5 nights a week and run a bit as well.
So my fitness level was quite good before I bought the bike (although it has improved since due to my biking).
So I never really had any fitness issues from day one even though it is 30-odd years since I last rode a bike.

The day I picked up the bike I rode it home over a 30 mile course that was not particularly hilly and had no issues at all.
Since then I have been on many short, med and long rides, using computer / sports tracker and my average speed is always between 13 and 14 mph.
Even though I am fitter now, my average speed has never changed. OK I tend to do much hillier routes these days, but you would think that this would kind of average out as the speed you get going down hills cancels out the slow cllimb.

So is my average now being limited by the bike or me?
Should I be happy with it?

 

[accountantpete]

There's probably a whole host of reasons but basically if you train at 14mph your body adjusts to that level of power output. If you trained at say 18mph the body will slowly acclimatise to a higher level of output-but don't expect quick results at your age. If you threw in one or two training sessions a week you will probably be at 18mph average in a year.

Having said that, you will be getting a fair amount of wind resistance with the upright nature of the bike and the wheels and tyres are not the best as regards speed - as a rough guide, I would say that a decent set of road wheels and tyres (£400 worth) would immediately raise the average to 16mph.

 

[snailracer]

Whether you're happy about it or not is down to the compromises you find acceptable:

Lowering the bars or getting a drop-bar bike: this can get you a 1-2mph increase but you are then in a less comfortable riding position, your wrists will take a pounding and it's harder to spot traffic coming up behind you.

Faster tyres: these can get you another 1mph increase but are more prone to punctures.

Pedalling harder: this can get you any amount of increase, but you'd be too knackered to play football or do anything else.

Lighter bike, fancy wheels: maybe 0.5mph, but these are not terribly cost-effective upgrades.

 

[Crackle]

I have had my Trek 7.3FX for just over a year now.
In that time I have done about 2500miles including a 100 miler (well actually 97.1 miles - BAH!).
I am fit for my age (45) and play football 2-3 times a week, go to gym 5 nights a week and run a bit as well.
So my fitness level was quite good before I bought the bike (although it has improved since due to my biking).
So I never really had any fitness issues from day one even though it is 30-odd years since I last rode a bike.

The day I picked up the bike I rode it home over a 30 mile course that was not particularly hilly and had no issues at all.
Since then I have been on many short, med and long rides, using computer / sports tracker and my average speed is always between 13 and 14 mph.
Even though I am fitter now, my average speed has never changed. OK I tend to do much hillier routes these days, but you would think that this would kind of average out as the speed you get going down hills cancels out the slow cllimb.

So is my average now being limited by the bike or me?
Should I be happy with it?

It doesn't. Say you normally ride a mile in 4 minutes. Do the same mile up a 6% to 10% hill it takes you 12 minutes. Do the same mile down the hill it takes you 2 minutes, so a total of 14 minutes to do two miles which would take you 8 without the hill (that's a 15mph flat mile, a 5-9mph climb and 30mph downhill, roughly).

 

[jimboalee]

13.5 mph average for a 100 km ride is not bad at all on that bike. I would be pleased with that.

 

[yello]

Should I be happy with it?

Only you can tell you that. It sounds like you're not happy with it though!

I have not become noticeably quicker in the last 5 years but it does feel easier these days. Particularly climbing. But then I'm not motivated to be any quicker, if it happens then it happens as a natural consequence.

I suspect you've plateaued physically and it's little to do with the bike. I'm no expert in increasing speed (as you might have gathered!) but I suspect you'll have to make deliberate efforts to ride faster until that then becomes natural and, hopefully, you're happy with that!

 

[NormanD]

OK I tend to do much hillier routes these days, but you would think that this would kind of average out as the speed you get going down hills cancels out the slow cllimb.

Not really check your route, you might find that some hills have a longer steeper climb and a more level decent, thus keeping the speed average down, could well be a faulty computer read out, if thats what you're basing your average on.

Any number of factors could come into it, but the main thing is, you've said you feel fitter, so some improvement has been made, I'd be happy with that myself.

 

[HLaB]

Even though I am fitter now, my average speed has never changed. OK I tend to do much hillier routes these days, but you would think that this would kind of average out as the speed you get going down hills cancels out the slow cllimb.

So is my average now being limited by the bike or me?
Should I be happy with it?

It depends how long the hillier course, etc is imo sometimes you can go up them and power down them so they do just about average out but with a long day of climbing it eventually get to you and they are no where close to balancing out. Some people are better climbers than descenders and visa versa and this makes a difference too.

The Trek 7.3 will be limiting you to a degree but through work (training) you will be able to make it go a bit faster. Other things that would improve things is changing the tyres JE James says it comes with 700 x 32 60tpi, you could perhaps change them to 28 or 25's and a pair with a slightly higher tpi. You could also consider flipping your stem to get a slightly more aerodynamic position. That should see your average rise a bit and then you'll probably reach a plateau when the only way to improve other than being superfit is to get a new dropped bar bike. Good Luck

 

[jimboalee]

It doesn't. Say you normally ride a mile in 4 minutes. Do the same mile up a 6% hill it takes you 12 minutes. Do the same mile down the hill it takes you 2 minutes, so a total of 14 minutes to do two miles which would take you 8 without the hill (these are roughly based on my figures, not made up).

15 mph along a flat. 5 mph up the hill and freewheel down. The energy consumption is the same.

 

[gbb]

I have had my Trek 7.3FX for just over a year now.
In that time I have done about 2500miles including a 100 miler (well actually 97.1 miles - BAH!).
I am fit for my age (45) and play football 2-3 times a week, go to gym 5 nights a week and run a bit as well.
So my fitness level was quite good before I bought the bike (although it has improved since due to my biking).
So I never really had any fitness issues from day one even though it is 30-odd years since I last rode a bike.

The day I picked up the bike I rode it home over a 30 mile course that was not particularly hilly and had no issues at all.
Since then I have been on many short, med and long rides, using computer / sports tracker and my average speed is always between 13 and 14 mph.
Even though I am fitter now, my average speed has never changed. OK I tend to do much hillier routes these days, but you would think that this would kind of average out as the speed you get going down hills cancels out the slow cllimb.

So is my average now being limited by the bike or me?
Should I be happy with it?

If i take my 'hilly' route over say 35 miles or a flat route over the same distance...my average is nearly always exactly the same.
Slow up, fast down. You're starting and finishing at the same level above sea level...so there must be the same distance up...and down.

Only you can tell you that. It sounds like you're not happy with it though!

I have not become noticeably quicker in the last 5 years but it does feel easier these days. Particularly climbing. But then I'm not motivated to be any quicker, if it happens then it happens as a natural consequence.

I suspect you've plateaued physically and it's little to do with the bike. I'm no expert in increasing speed (as you might have gathered!) but I suspect you'll have to make deliberate efforts to ride faster until that then becomes natural and, hopefully, you're happy with that!

For a long time, my average on a roadbike was IRO 16.5 mph. I had to put in a deliberate and concerted effort over 6 months to up it to nearly 18mph. An awful lot of effort. It certainly didnt come easy for me.
Age has got the better of me...i just cant be bothered anymore. 16 to 17mph average is good enough for me. i got fed up of pushing myself to the limit

 

[palinurus]

To go faster you need to mix up your rides a bit. Do one or two a week at a higher effort than usual and do the rest of your riding nice and easy.

Monitor improvements to your average speed on an out and back or circular course (all left turns) with no traffic lights or junctions, you will need to take into account the weather conditions (if it's windy you'll generally go slower, although this will depend on how the wind direction interacts with features on your course)

 

[gbb]

To go faster you need to mix up your rides a bit. Do one or two a week at a higher effort than usual and do the rest of your riding nice and easy.

Monitor improvements to your average speed on an out and back or circular course (all left turns) with no traffic lights or junctions, you will need to take into account the weather conditions (if it's windy you'll generally go slower, although this will depend on how the wind direction interacts with features on your course)

This is one area where i did just that (to up my average speed)
I found honking up short hills as hard as i could, lose as little momentum as possible, then go steady once i'd topped the hill to recover, then resume a normal pace. This worked a treat for me.

 

[Norm]

...but you would think that this would kind of average out as the speed you get going down hills cancels out the slow cllimb.

In addition to the comments above, every bloody downhill that I had on my commute earlier this year had a give-way junction at the bottom of it, which meant I got no benefits from the momentum I'd gained, I trashed brake pads in no time and which meant I had to stop at the bottom of every steep hill on my way home.

My time for a 10 mile run has dropped in the past year from about an hour to just under 40 minutes, but I was starting from a pretty unfit base. I can, on a road bike, average 16mph over an 18 mile circular route with no hills now, though, and I still don't think I'm all that fit.

Changing the bike might help the speed but it won't do anything for your fitness so I reckon that's either a distraction / excue for N+1 or a way of cheating.

 

[Banjo]

I have had my Trek 7.3FX for just over a year now.
In that time I have done about 2500miles including a 100 miler (well actually 97.1 miles - BAH!).
I am fit for my age (45) and play football 2-3 times a week, go to gym 5 nights a week and run a bit as well.
So my fitness level was quite good before I bought the bike (although it has improved since due to my biking).
So I never really had any fitness issues from day one even though it is 30-odd years since I last rode a bike.

The day I picked up the bike I rode it home over a 30 mile course that was not particularly hilly and had no issues at all.
Since then I have been on many short, med and long rides, using computer / sports tracker and my average speed is always between 13 and 14 mph.
Even though I am fitter now, my average speed has never changed. OK I tend to do much hillier routes these days, but you would think that this would kind of average out as the speed you get going down hills cancels out the slow cllimb.

So is my average now being limited by the bike or me?
Should I be happy with it?

Does it matter to you? I am in a similar position to you, even on my roadbike I cant do fast but definitely getting fitter as I can cope much better with hills and long rides.

Personally I am happy where I am ,enjoying my cycling and keeping fit at my own pace.

 

[marinyork]

Having a similar and perhaps slower hybrid in a hilly area based on what speeds other people (not myself) can cycle I'd have thought you'd have 1-2mph left of improvements. It'd be unlikely you'd go any faster than that without a fast bike. 14mph hilly is very respectable.