Increasing average speed but while commuting only

[velosam]

I suspect I know the answer to this but here goes anyway.

My average varies between 12.5 and 14.5 and I would like to increase that by 1mph so my bad days are around 13.5 and the better days above 15.

I only commute and dont have a turbo. Actually even if I had one, probably would not use it anyway.

My question is  - other than intervals, is there any other way of improving my speed?

I do try and extend the commute by a couple of miles in the morning but can't find the motivation on the way home unless its not in winter.

Any advice appreciated.

[JohnR]

I suspect I know the answer to this but here goes anyway.

My average varies between 12.5 and 14.5 and I would like to increase that by 1mph so my bad days are around 13.5 and the better days above 15.

I only commute and dont have a turbo. Actually even if I had one, probably would not use it anyway.

My question is  - other than intervals, is there any other way of improving my speed?

I do try and extend the commute by a couple of miles in the morning but can't find the motivation on the way home unless its not in winter.

Any advice appreciated.

Well I'm finding that to go faster I simply have to try and cycle a little faster, may sound obvious, but I've found my hill climbing is slow, so I tried a few weeks of going up hills with a little extra effort seemed to make me a little faster up the same hills over a few weeks, so perhaps the same logic could work with speed?

[L CC]

A lot of what you perceive as slowness on your commute is probably without your control- road furniture, other road users, slowing and speeding up for lights and junctions.
There's basically two ways of getting faster- push from below (increase volume) and pull from above (increase intensity). Get proper sleep and recovery, and if you're carrying too much lard, lose it.

Like everything else though, theories are a lot easier than practice.

[Ham]

You will change very little of your average speed, IME 12 - 13 mph average in town is a good, brisk, commute meaning that attempt to reduce it is somewhat tough. Mind you, you said you have a 17 mile commute (?) how much of that is in town? I found that my 17 mile cross town took  1:15 - 1:25 on the way in but at least 15 minutes longer going back, often more. That's all to do with road and traffic conditions. The 28 mile each way I once did in 1:40, that was leaving 05:00 on a summer morning, most of the time it was c2:00 going just as fast when I was able.

When I was doing a regular 12 mile straight into town, there was a period I kept on trying to improve my average, got to over 16 one day then ended up ditching the computer and haven't looked back

[hellymedic]

I think my summer 'fast commutes' increased my overall speed but I was doing all kinds of other cycling at the time.

My fast commutes were attacking flat trunk roads at TT pace just after midsummer dawn, when traffic was light.

My pathetic hill-climbing ability improved a bit too.

[velosam]

You will change very little of your average speed, IME 12 - 13 mph average in town is a good, brisk, commute meaning that attempt to reduce it is somewhat tough. Mind you, you said you have a 17 mile commute (?) how much of that is in town? I found that my 17 mile cross town took  1:15 - 1:25 on the way in but at least 15 minutes longer going back, often more. That's all to do with road and traffic conditions. The 28 mile each way I once did in 1:40, that was leaving 05:00 on a summer morning, most of the time it was c2:00 going just as fast when I was able.

When I was doing a regular 12 mile straight into town, there was a period I kept on trying to improve my average, got to over 16 one day then ended up ditching the computer and haven't looked back

Its around 17 miles and consistently quicker in the mornings. Coming home I guess its a lot more stop, start especially the first 7 miles or so. I was hoping to find the strength to get home in about 70 miles as opposed to 90.  I do however only go in about twice a week, I simply cant do back to back days and function at work.

[Ham]

My point was that average time commuting is not so much about strength and speed as road conditions. You are no slouch, you have to be going at an exercising pace to hit 12 - 14 average, you have to go much faster on the bits you can to push it up. (which town/city do you commute?)

On top of that, for me, anyway, I found that chasing a faster average gave me a goal, but also made me take more risk quite apart from the automatically higher risk that comes with added speed. Not for everyone, I understand, but chucking the computer made my rides happier.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Commuting through suburbia and London all the way means a lot of things to slow you down. Lack of legs is only one reason.

[velosam]

Its from Ruislip to London. I think what set me off, is that someone I know on strava who commutes from Hanwell to UCH (just down the road from me) does it in an average of 15.6mph. I have followed him a couple of times and he is quick.

[contango]

A lot of what you perceive as slowness on your commute is probably without your control- road furniture, other road users, slowing and speeding up for lights and junctions.

I found that even using the moving average speed on my GPS (i.e. discounting time I spent stationary) the figures were lower than I expected based on the speeds I was actually moving when I was moving. If you're constantly slowing for traffic situations (congestion, red lights, junctions, whatever) you'll spend enough time going less than your typical cruising speed (especially in a city like London) that it will drag down your average.

Some people are fast because they ride a lot. Some people maintain a high average speed because they run junctions and red lights and basically piss everyone off along the way. If you don't stop for red traffic lights and blow through junctions without even slowing it's much easier to maintain a higher average speed.

[Si S]

Its from Ruislip to London. I think what set me off, is that someone I know on strava who commutes from Hanwell to UCH (just down the road from me) does it in an average of 15.6mph. I have followed him a couple of times and he is quick.

Don't be deceived by Strava's average speed, I commute the same route as a friend who in fact is a bit stronger than me all told, even when we ride together his moving average is a fair bit higher than mine but our overall averages are the same, mainly because he will attack a stop to get a segment time while I cruise up to it, his acceleration is massive although our top speeds are about the same I take longer to get there,  I can't afford to spend energy that way since I'm going nearly twice as far as him, when I do match him I pay for it for at least a day after.

His tactic does carry its own risks as others have said.

[velosam]

Its from Ruislip to London. I think what set me off, is that someone I know on strava who commutes from Hanwell to UCH (just down the road from me) does it in an average of 15.6mph. I have followed him a couple of times and he is quick.

Don't be deceived by Strava's average speed, I commute the same route as a friend who in fact is a bit stronger than me all told, even when we ride together his moving average is a fair bit higher than mine but our overall averages are the same, mainly because he will attack a stop to get a segment time while I cruise up to it, his acceleration is massive although our top speeds are about the same I take longer to get there,  I can't afford to spend energy that way since I'm going nearly twice as far as him, when I do match him I pay for it for at least a day after.

His tactic does carry its own risks as others have said.

I think I am in the same boat, the odd time I do ride with him I am at my upper limit. 

[hellymedic]

There might be a training effect from occasional commuter 'sprintervals' interspersed with steady rides on other days.

[TigaSefi]

To get a higher average in London, you need to sprint as hard as you can between the traffic lights and then stop on the spot. This is absolutely knackering when you commute 5 times a week! Plus your bike wears out quicker.

[hellymedic]

Suspect you'll get a better training effect if you hammer it at the lights no more than 2-3 times per week and go for smooth riding at other times.

Maybe something like:

Monday, Wednesday & Friday morning sprintervals, Tuesday and Thursday mornings speed on the long stretches and smooth, steady not-too-fast return trips in the afternoons.

[Ningishzidda]

Bettering a time PB on one's afternoon commute is bad news.

One day, you'll take one risk too many and something heavy will hit you.

[MikeFromLFE]

Don't be deceived by Strava's average speed, I commute the same route as a friend who in fact is a bit stronger than me all told, even when we ride together his moving average is a fair bit higher than mine but our overall averages are the same, mainly because he will attack a stop to get a segment time while I cruise up to it, his acceleration is massive although our top speeds are about the same I take longer to get there,  I can't afford to spend energy that way since I'm going nearly twice as far as him, when I do match him I pay for it for at least a day after.
His tactic does carry its own risks as others have said.

This is important when discussing 'average speed'.
There are two types of 'average speed' - the moving average excluding stops; and the 'audax average' which includes all stops.
When commuting you need to decide whether your average will include stops such as traffic lights, or whether you are interested in your moving speed.
I no longer commute, but my rides are pretty brisk until you look at the average including cake stops!

[Karla]

Make sure you get plenty of sleep.  When I was doing a similar length commute with a train ride at one end of it, I gradually got slower as I was reducing my sleep time to give me a decent length of me-time in the evenings.  Lots of cycling plus not much sleep meant that I didn't properly recover from each day's ride, so like I said, I gradually got slower.

[vorsprung]

I suspect I know the answer to this but here goes anyway.

My average varies between 12.5 and 14.5 and I would like to increase that by 1mph so my bad days are around 13.5 and the better days above 15.

I only commute and dont have a turbo. Actually even if I had one, probably would not use it anyway.

My question is  - other than intervals, is there any other way of improving my speed?

I do try and extend the commute by a couple of miles in the morning but can't find the motivation on the way home unless its not in winter.

Any advice appreciated.

Since last June you have made five posts on the general topic of "how fast I ride"
The only category that beat it was buying a perfect bike with eight posts

anyway the answers to your question "other than intervals, is there any other way of improving my speed?"

1) get faster tyres instead of marathon plus
2) loose weight (assuming your commute is not pan flat)
3) ride in at 4am when there is no traffic

[Karla]

4) Get more aero.  Try to look like this guy 



Oh yeah, also this:

5) Go out and ride with some people who are faster than you.  Don't hang around with your local CTC group, join a club with a racing section and get yourself strung out on the back for a while.  I'll help, I promise!

[Ningishzidda]

Commuting by bicycle.

Priority 1. Arrive home alive.
Priority 2. Don't damage bike, you will need it tomorrow.
Priority 3. Don't damage yourself.
Priority 4. Avoid hitting head on pavement.
Priority 5. Avoid hitting head on rear of 30 tonne lorry.
.......
Priority n. Ride home faster than yesterday.

[Highlander]

There's a lot of good points made already, most of them valid, but I'd agree that the simplest way you can gain speed is by changing your tyres.  In terms of components, tyre choice beats everything else when it comes to affecting average speed.  You might also try experimenting with pressures.  In the old days we just inflated everything to maximum and then a bit more... these days we ride on rougher roads and are more enlightened when it comes to the issue of rolling resistance.

As for yourself, your commute will give you basic fitness.  To increase power you need to regularly push your heart rate to 90% of maximum.   You might call this "intervals" but there's so many different ways of approaching this it's too much of a generalisation.
Anyway the reason most cyclists who ride a lot never get any faster is because pushing yourself into that red zone really hurts and most folk aren't that bothered about increasing power unless they race.

So to go faster you need better tyres and a heart rate monitor.

[jane]

I've had a few rows with friends about using urban commutes to increase PB's.  They have argued it's perfectly possible to ride safely at the same time. I've ridden with them sometimes (for a bit anyway!) when they're doing it and disagree.  Just my opinion.
When I was trying to get my fitness and speed back after my daughter was born, I mapped out a 15 mile hilly route (I live in SE London, so it's possible) and used to ride that 3 times a week early in the morning before going to work...we're talking around 5am as I liked to get to school around 6 to 6.30.  I found that really effective. 
Having said all that, 12.5 to 14mph isn't that slow for an urban commute with lots of traffic lights etc.  Is it really that important to bump it up.  Maybe try your commute one time very early in the morning when there's much less traffic and see how much faster you are then. Then you'll know it's conditions slowing you up and maybe not worry so much about speeding up.  I know I can get from Lewisham through Peckham and into central London at least 7 minutes faster before 6am than at 8am.

[Si S]

I've had a few rows with friends about using urban commutes to increase PB's.  They have argued it's perfectly possible to ride safely at the same time. I've ridden with them sometimes (for a bit anyway!) when they're doing it and disagree.  Just my opinion.
When I was trying to get my fitness and speed back after my daughter was born, I mapped out a 15 mile hilly route (I live in SE London, so it's possible) and used to ride that 3 times a week early in the morning before going to work...we're talking around 5am as I liked to get to school around 6 to 6.30.  I found that really effective.

my bold

Time can be critical, on my commute 20 mins later in the morning can be the difference between being able to go eyeballs out or half asleep cruising for 3 miles from Flixton to Stretford and having to have the spidey sense turned up to max. School hollibobs are a big influence too, traffic volume seems to decrease by an order of magnitude.

[jane]

Agree...hence my later edit above.  But I'm talking about riding safely through the City, across London Bridge and over the Elephant and Castle down to South London at peak times.  I don't really want to be sharing space with people who are more interested in knocking a few seconds off yesterday's time than anything else around them.  And I m pretty sure that's what's going on with a fair few people on those routes at rush hour.