Going faster?

Question

Either I'm very unfit or I'm doing something wrong. I can only cycle at about 7 miles per hour, everyone seems to think 15 is more like the norm. I even got some semi-slick tyres for my mountain bike but it's made little difference, I was overtaken by a jogger the other day! What am I doing wrong?

Answer 1

I'm with joeschmoe all the way.

I ride with my 8 and 10 year-old kids and we keep a steady pace above 10 mph. More like 12 mph. And they're not puffing or anything. Something's wrong with the bike.

Answer 2

It could be so many things that are wrong with either the bike or technique, that your best bet is to go to your local bike shop and ask them for help.  They usually rely on being friendly to all of their customers for repeat business and will help you.  If you want to really butter them up, buy something while you are there :)

Answer 3

Are you riding a bike from a bike shop or a bike from Wal-Mart?  There is a *HUGE* difference, especially if you are riding a full suspension.  Never buy a full suspension bike from Wal-Mart, as the "suspension" on the rear does nothing but rob you of power and makes the bike incredibly inefficient.

That's my best guess, that you are on a crappy full suspension.  If not, there must be something seriously wrong with your bike.

You also want to make sure your bike is the proper size for your height.  As a simple test, have someone hold the bike while you sit on it.  Bend your leg just slightly, and your heel should be at the same height as the pedal at its lowest position.  You can raise or lower the seat to help a bit but if it is much to big or small you may need a new frame altogether.

You could also try clipless pedals.  You wear a special biking shoe that locks into the pedal itself to double your efficiency (push down and pull up, instead of just pushing down)  They are easy to unclip, as easy as taking your foot off the pedal.

Good luck!

Answer 4

Both first two answers are good.  Another question is if you are on a steep hill.  I'm a fairly fit, avid mt. biker and have been passed by runners on tough hills.  It usually doesn't take long to catch back up, though.  Some hill climbes might be faster for a fast runner and an averager biker.  (I hate that!)  

But I suppose its true that on flat pavement, 15 mph is pretty easy to achieve without a headwind.   Get your bike checked out and keep practicing.  NEVER BUY A WALMART BIKE.

Answer 5

I honestly don't know! Have the bike checked out for rubbing brakes etc. Even little kids, 7 year olds can ride over 10 mph.

Answer 6

Do you mean you have a Giant Boulder?  I went all the way back to the 2003 archives at Giant's website and I can't find a Rock.

Anyway...

- Check your seat height.  People who set their seat too low often find that they can't pedal very fast, because they can't comfortably extend their legs when pedaling, which means no power.  (when set at the proper height, you are NOT supposed to be able to touch the ground with your feet when on the seat.)

- Your gear shifting technique might need some work.  Basically you want to select the right front and back gear combination to allow you to keep a constant cadence.  If you find it too hard to pedal, drop to a lower gear.  If you find you are windmilling your pedals like crazy, shift up to a higher gear to get more resistance.

- Check your tire pressure.  Underinflated tires makes a bike SLOW (and increases the chance of rupturing your tire inner tube with a pinch flat).

- Check your brakes and make sure they are not rubbing your wheel rims.

- If the front suspension is too mushy, it might be soaking up some of your pedaling power.  If you are willing to spend the money, maybe you can ask your bike shop to swap out the suspension fork for a rigid fork instead.

Hope this helps, and good luck.

Answer 7

what gear are you in