HOW DO I RIDE FASTER?

Increasing your average speed boils down to when and where you deliver power, as well as your bike handling, your route and your equipment. Knowing when to pedal is important.There's no point in hammering up to a red traffic light then having to stop, put a foot down, then start again, when a better-timed approach would see you ride through with much less effort.

Avoiding unnecessary braking is very important.You don't have to brake just because a car goes past on the other side of the road or if you approach a roundabout where there is nothing coming and you can maintain a straight line. Laying off the brakes is easier if you know how to corner confidently. We often hit our maximum speed on descents, so capitalising on gravity's assistance can raise your average cycling speed.

On an undulating road, a faster descent will give you more momentum to get you part way up the next rise, too. Gauge it right and you might make it to the top of the next ridge without too much of a drop in speed.Starting a climb from a low speed is slower and harder.

"Pedalling faster can help you ride faster, too. There's less strain on your muscles and, Once you get efficient at it, pedaling faster should be esstiring"

Pedalling techniques
You want to minimise the amount of time you spend going slowly. So pushing on when it's slow uphill, into a headwind or on bad road surfaces and recovering when it's fast will use your energy most effectively to give you the fastest speed. But before bombing over the other side of a hill, make sure you're aware of how to descend safely.

It's not just about pedalling harder. Pedalling faster (at a higher cadence) can help you ride faster, too. There's less strain on your muscles and, once you get efficient at it, pedalling faster should be less tiring. Cadence is the number of times you turn the pedals per minute .There is no 'perfect' cadence but trained amateur riders typically ride at 80 to 90rpm, while some pro riders may ride with a cadence approaching 100rpm.
It's also about developing souplesse - a smooth, efficient riding style that puts down power through more of the pedal stroke, not just when pushing down.

Joss Lowden, pro cyclist for Uno-X

Up your speed
Riding smarter and with a higher cadence can both boost your speed.

FAST FACT
Cadence is the number of times you turn the pedals per minute.
You can work this out by counting your pedal strokes over 30secs
and then multiplying by two, or Wahoo and others offer cheap cadence
sensors, which will be more accurate.