Six tips for beginners to increase speed while cycling
Improving the aerodynamic performance of bicycles is the goal of many cyclists.
For professional cyclists, this is necessary as both teams and riders are looking for various solutions.
Although most of us are not that extreme, every time we go cycling, we usually have a unified desire to walk faster.
You don't have to spend a lot of money on the latest kits and technologies. Below are some faster cycling tips that can instantly make you more aerodynamic.
01
Maintain the correct body posture
This is the biggest single change that can be made to achieve the fastest speed.
When riding, the human body bears about 80% of the resistance, so even if you are riding the highest specification top-level pneumatic bicycle, if the body position is not optimal, it will not get faster.
The basic thing to remember in aerodynamic positioning is to strive to minimize the resistance of the body on the bicycle as much as possible.
The best way is to bend your elbows and bring your body closer to the handlebar, slightly retracting your shoulders. This may sound simple, but if you want to maintain this position for a period of time, it may take some time to adapt.
It's worth exercising your core strength and flexibility through some simple exercises. After practice, you will find that this posture becomes easier over time.
02
Lower the handlebars on the bicycle
This may seem a bit extreme, but the reason for doing so is that it will help you capture less air with your upper body.
In fact, some tests have shown that lowering the stand by 20 millimeters can reduce aerodynamic drag by up to 10 watts, which is not insignificant.
The disadvantage of this modification is that it is difficult to maintain this posture because the muscle group you are using is different from the muscle group you may have used before.
Additionally, we all have varying degrees of flexibility, so this is not suitable for everyone.
Therefore, although this is a very low-cost way to obtain more aerodynamics, you may need some time to fully adapt to it.
If you want to truly change in this direction, make sure to gradually lower the stand.
It should not exceed 5 millimeters at a time and wait for some time to adapt before making further changes.
03
Use narrower handlebars
The wider the handlebar, the less likely you are to achieve a good aerodynamic position. Therefore, it is possible to consider using some narrower handlebars.
In the past, as a rough standard, the width of the handlebars should be similar to the shoulder width.
However, with the increasing desire of cyclists (especially professional athletes) to become more aerodynamic, this range becomes narrower.
Actually, it's about finding a point that helps emphasize the folding position without feeling uncomfortable.
Similarly, we cannot go to the other extreme, where the handlebars are too narrow to avoid adverse effects on handling ability.
What's the point of using aerodynamics if you shake or even worse, if you crash the car.
04
Choose the right clothes
This is not only related to the clothes you are wearing, but also to the way you actually wear them.
You can maintain aerodynamics as you wish, but if you wear a zippered and fluttering garment in the wind, it will act like a parachute, creating greater resistance and ultimately slowing down your speed.
I'm not saying that you necessarily need a fully professional and aerodynamic tight fitting suit, but it's best to wear a fitted cycling suit to reduce resistance.
Also, make sure the zipper on the clothes is fully closed to prevent air from entering from your top, ultimately slowing down your speed.
05
Aerodynamic helmet
There are many different helmets to choose from in the market, depending on the type of demand you want. Generally speaking, the fewer ventilation openings on a helmet, the stronger its aerodynamic performance.
If you usually wear a fully ventilated helmet while riding, here is a quick trick to keep it cheap and simple.
Some electrical tape can be placed on some ventilation openings to help them form a more aerodynamic shape.
If cycling in hot weather, especially when climbing, make sure to open some ventilation openings as you need airflow to help cool down.
06
The influence of wheel depth
These are cheap and simple techniques for improving aerodynamic efficiency.
If you really value aerodynamic gain and are willing to spend a little more money, then the benefits of deep section wheels should not be underestimated.
The deeper they are, the better the aerodynamics. Of course, the downside of doing so may be that they make the handling of bicycles slightly more complex.
Suggest using an edge depth of 40mm or 50mm for optimal results