Most of us went nuts for our average speed when we first started cycling some of us still do!

Average speed is a great indication to measure if we have actually progressed overtime in fitness, endurance and of course speed. 

It is always a topic to compare with other riders.

For beginners it is quite simple and easy to improve your speed and power – you just have to cycle more resulting in your fitness, speed, and strength gradually increasing dramatically.

However after a while your average speed comes to a standstill and you will find it very hard to increase it. 

Simply riding more will not help in this case. Additional measures have to be put in place to achieve your goal of getting a higher average speed.

Here we have some tips to help you, put them into practise to see an improvement.

1. Body position

During rides have your body in an aerodynamic / racing position which is simply bending your elbows so they align with your knees, a lower straighter back and use the drop of the handlebars.

This helps you ride through the wind with ease which is the biggest factor that will slow you down.

2. Maintain High Energy levels

This is extremely vital, the worse thing you could do is head out without fuel in your body, the same way your car needs fuel so does your body during long rides.

If you are riding more than 90 minutes take some energy bars and drinks with you to refuel during your ride this will give the extra burst of energy needed to get a higher average speed.

3. Interval Training

Short bursts of high-intensity explosiveness forcing your body through its limits – this is where the real work is done and where it all counts. 

There is no room for the half-hearted here.

Add this workout into your routine twice a week.

Step 1: Warm-up from 8 to 12 minutes by steady pedalling, getting your body warmed up

Step 2: Ride as hard as you can for 90 seconds.

If you are a beginner start with 60 seconds and every 2 weeks add an extra 10 seconds until you reach 90 seconds

Step 3: Followed by steady riding for 3 minutes

Step 4: Steps 2 and 3 equals to one set.

Do 5 sets to start of with and every 2 weeks increase to one more set.

Step 5: Cool down with 10 minutes of steady pace riding

This is guaranteed to help with endurance, speed and power.

4. Ride with someone faster than you 

This will encourage you to ride faster pushing you physically and mentally.

Riding in groups also helps as you will be able to ride faster with less effort. 

If you are a beginner start of by staying at the back of the group, as you are exposed to less wind helping you ride faster.

5.Train your mind and body

Everything starts with your head before you do anything your brain registers the motion first before the action. 

Therefore it is extremely important you must believe in yourself. It works wonders, apply this into your daily routine and situations.

Training your body to lose weight is also important as the lighter you are the faster you can go. 

Include a healthy diet in your training plan. Not only will this will help get a quicker average speed but improve your overall quality of life.

6. Don’t burn yourself out

If you feel like your body is completed drained out and exhausted, mentally and physically, this may be a reason why your average speed is not increasing. 

This calls for a rest. Have 3-4 days of rest. Watch your average speed increase just by this tip.

7. Go out with the headwind and back with the tailwind

On the way back ride with the tailwind, the reason for this is you will not have as much energy on your legs on the way back.

This tip may involve planning your route before your ride.

8. Change your route

If you are taking the same route at the same pace chances are you will not increase your average speed. 

Place some different routes and add some hills in your training.

Crush the hills. When your there give it all you got and take them over.

9. Ride faster not longer

Whilst riding longer is more fun which you may enjoy more.

This is about increasing your average speed, riding faster is the way forward. 

Shorter rides with faster speed will definitely beat longer rides at a normal pace.

I hope you put the tips above in your upcoming ride and see an increase in your average speed. 

Remember that rest and recovery play huge factors into achieving your goals, you cannot train all the time and expect to see results.

Please let me know in the comment section how you get along. If you have any of your tips please also share them.

Thank you