3 tips to get faster on your bike without spending a penny

Intervals

One of the best ways to get faster is to do some interval training. The best thing about interval training is it can be done anywhere and at any time including the commute. Next time you leave the office (or head out for a ride) try riding flat out for 200m and then sitting up and taking it easy for the next 200m metres before repeating the trick. (Adjust lengths depending on fitness.) When starting out straight flat roads work best. Interval training is a really quick way to build muscle in the legs which will power you during future rides whilst also helping improve your lung capacity. On top of this interval training will help you become a more efficient fat burner. Win!

Get Low & tight!

One of the biggest things that slow you down whilst on a ride is wind resistance. It may be simple science but by reducing your overall surface area you reduce resistance which makes you more streamlined & results in you going quicker. Make sure you tuck your elbows into your body and get as low over the bars as possible. If you have drop handle bars you should be able to get right over the bars. Try it, you’ll notice the difference.  Another way you can reduce wind resistance is to wear tighter clothing. Baggy clothing creates a large amount of drag and switching to lycra or a tight fitting top can make all the difference.

Tyres

Another thing that can slow you down is having low pressure in your tyres. Fully inflated tyres will reduce resistance with the road and allow you to roll much faster giving every pedal stroke greater efficiency. Tyre pressure should be checked every ride as changing temperatures (an all too common occurrence during the British Summertime) and air seepage over time will result in a loss of pressure. Check the side of your tyre for the recommended PSI & invest in a decent pump which will allow you to get your tyres up to pressure in no time!