Speeding up a steel touring bike

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cycle tramp
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Re: Speeding up a steel touring bike

Post by cycle tramp »

simonhill wrote: 22 Nov 2021, 10:31pm Basically, don't do it. It's a touring bike, go touring at your own pace. Give up these foolish ideas of pedalling vast distances in few hours into glorious Essex. You're being seduced by the roadies.

Book a couple of Travelodges and have a weekend tour of God's chosen county. You know it makes sense.
:D
Have to admit those were my thoughts after I'd finished the Dunkery Dash At the start I was really excited- and then part way around, I realised that if we'd been using a road some 2 to 3 miles south we could have got the views of some lakes, then I realised that I didn't have the time to stop at Raleigh's Cross Inn... never did the Dunkery Dash again, but had alot more fun cycling where I wanted at the pace I wanted :-D
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Carlton green
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Re: Speeding up a steel touring bike

Post by Carlton green »

Maybe I’m mistaken but the OP isn’t looking to dash about the place but rather to just get a better pace - and perhaps a less effort one too - out of the bike that he already has. That seems a very reasonable goal to me.

I too would vote for not dashing about the place, but instead enjoying the ride at an easy pace and taking time to view the sites, etc. Perhaps on the day the OP will opt for that way of riding, perhaps he’ll do the 100 in a longer time than he could have managed but enjoy the ride rather than push through it. If I was doing this event then I’d likely have a time plan of when I should be where and where my breaks (rest / comfort / feeding) should / would be.

Edit. I should have added the quote below earlier (credit to rareposter for doing so first) and reckon that the OP is in with a really good chance of doing the miles in the time allowed. Short rests, pacing and helpful weather will doubtless help. Riding with other people typically ups ones rate of progress too.
bohrsatom wrote: 16 Nov 2021, 9:25pm
Tbh my only concern speed-wise is there's an 8 hour time limit - I'm not too fussed about finishing alongside all the roadies, I just want to make it to the line before the broom wagon!
According to my Garmin my long term average speed is a little over 12mph, but that includes all my riding - including to the pub, the shops and pootling around the park. The event is the Ridelondon which heads out into Essex, so on reasonably flat closed roads I'm hoping I can get 13mph/14mph across the entire distance.
Last edited by Carlton green on 23 Nov 2021, 5:07pm, edited 1 time in total.
Don’t fret, it’s OK to: ride a simple old bike; ride slowly, walk, rest and admire the view; ride off-road; ride in your raincoat; ride by yourself; ride in the dark; and ride one hundred yards or one hundred miles. Your bike and your choices to suit you.
rareposter
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Re: Speeding up a steel touring bike

Post by rareposter »

bohrsatom wrote: 16 Nov 2021, 9:25pm The event is the Ridelondon which heads out into Essex, so on reasonably flat closed roads I'm hoping I can get 13mph/14mph across the entire distance.
OK, that's a big help. Closed roads and the drafting effect will massively increase your average speed.
Your starting time will have a bit of an impact though - earlier generally means faster, later starts can be slower just because of the sheer volume of traffic.

Definitely fit lighter / slimmer tyres. You won't need the kickstand or the panniers or the rack. That'll be spot on then. Simple, cheap, minimal faff. Mudguards - leave on until the day before and then look at the weather forecast. If it's been dry and is forecast to stay that way, take them off. Any rain or wet roads from earlier rain - leave them on.
bohrsatom
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Re: Speeding up a steel touring bike

Post by bohrsatom »

simonhill wrote: 22 Nov 2021, 10:31pm Basically, don't do it. It's a touring bike, go touring at your own pace. Give up these foolish ideas of pedalling vast distances in few hours into glorious Essex. You're being seduced by the roadies.

Book a couple of Travelodges and have a weekend tour of God's chosen county. You know it makes sense.
:lol: loving your descriptions of the joy that is Essex. I've ridden a fair bit around the county, I have family in Southend so have ridden between London and Southend many times over the years. The only really tough bit is the climb up to Langdon Hills, then you're treated with a very memorable stretch through Vange, Pitsea and into Benfleet. Truly a ride to be savoured
gregoryoftours
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Re: Speeding up a steel touring bike

Post by gregoryoftours »

I haven't read through this whole thread but the main things I'd say would be to change tyres, remove mudguard if you don't mind the possibility of getting wet, lower the bars if you can be comfortable with that, (there look to be plenty of steerer spacers to play with).

This should give you a bit more speed. Otherwise pretty pointless trying to make that bike into something it's not, you're not going to compete with someone of similar ability to you on a carbon road bike so I wouldn't throw unnecessary money at it.

You can still go at a good enough clip on that.
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NATURAL ANKLING
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Re: Speeding up a steel touring bike

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
cycle tramp wrote: 22 Nov 2021, 5:14pm
NATURAL ANKLING wrote: 21 Nov 2021, 1:45am
Backache........................yep thats what happens if you sit to upright.
But only if you don't make other corresponding changes - such as to reduce the reach of the handlebars or the angle of the saddle..
...many bicycle riders in Europe, Asia and Africa ride in an upright position without any discomfort at all :-)
At 10 mph yes.
At 15 mph no..................
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cycle tramp
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Re: Speeding up a steel touring bike

Post by cycle tramp »

NATURAL ANKLING wrote: 2 Dec 2021, 9:04pm Hi,
cycle tramp wrote: 22 Nov 2021, 5:14pm
NATURAL ANKLING wrote: 21 Nov 2021, 1:45am
Backache........................yep thats what happens if you sit to upright.
But only if you don't make other corresponding changes - such as to reduce the reach of the handlebars or the angle of the saddle..
...many bicycle riders in Europe, Asia and Africa ride in an upright position without any discomfort at all :-)
At 10 mph yes.
At 15 mph no..................
Well, yes...and no, it all depends on whether the wind is behind you or infront of you... with a decent following wind 15mph is easy
Motorhead: god was never on your sidehttps://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&client=m ... +your+side
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freiston
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Re: Speeding up a steel touring bike

Post by freiston »

cycle tramp wrote: 22 Nov 2021, 5:14pm
NATURAL ANKLING wrote: 21 Nov 2021, 1:45am
Backache........................yep thats what happens if you sit to upright.
But only if you don't make other corresponding changes - such as to reduce the reach of the handlebars or the angle of the saddle..
...many bicycle riders in Europe, Asia and Africa ride in an upright position without any discomfort at all :-)
Therein lies the beauty and elegance of a short and (compared to current trend) high stem coupled with a drop bar with long flat ramps and a deep drop (like the Nitto Noodle) - you can be upright or low down (and stretched) just by changing the hand position.
Disclaimer: Treat what I say with caution and if possible, wait for someone with more knowledge and experience to contribute. ;)
PH
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Re: Speeding up a steel touring bike

Post by PH »

cycle tramp wrote: 22 Nov 2021, 5:14pm ...many bicycle riders in Europe, Asia and Africa ride in an upright position without any discomfort at all :-)
Not usually for sporty hundred miles in eight hours rides though. For such rides people the world over use pretty much the same kit and ride in the same way.
Carlton green
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Re: Speeding up a steel touring bike

Post by Carlton green »

It seems to me that we take for granted that a bike has been well set-up to suit the rider. A well set-up bike will be/become ‘faster’ and will be less sapping to power along. Sometimes it is about the operator too, we learn how to make better use of what we have ...

My own bikes have evolved over years of use, changes here and there being prompted by good books and good articles. Mostly the changes are beneficial in some way but occasionally little, no or even negative benefit is the result. Informed experimentation, seeing what works for you, is good.

The comment above about handlebars makes me wonder. What I have serves me well but the comfort and control provided by good or better (than you already have) handlebars is not to be lightly ignored. If you’re happy with the weight then steel bars are best, alloy ones have been known to unexpectedly fatigue fail leaving the rider without control.
Don’t fret, it’s OK to: ride a simple old bike; ride slowly, walk, rest and admire the view; ride off-road; ride in your raincoat; ride by yourself; ride in the dark; and ride one hundred yards or one hundred miles. Your bike and your choices to suit you.
bohrsatom
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Re: Speeding up a steel touring bike

Post by bohrsatom »

Today was the day of the ride (RideLondon 100) - glad to report that me and my slightly souped-up steel tourer completed it successfully

In the end I only spent half my £200 budget, swapping my Marathons for Conti GP5000s, and I removed the pannier rack and mudguards for the ride. The kickstand stayed to show I wasn’t taking things too seriously :D. At one point I considered SPDs but used my normal combination of flats and walking shoes instead.

Image

Other than that, I did do a fair amount of training but never quite lost the 5kg mentioned in my first post

Anyway, 102 miles completed in 5:45 at an average of 17.9mph. I’m well chuffed: it’s a good 3mph faster than I was expecting, and I was able to keep up with (and overtake) a fair number of roadies on expensive looking bikes!
Last edited by bohrsatom on 29 May 2022, 8:37pm, edited 1 time in total.
Jamesh
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Re: Speeding up a steel touring bike

Post by Jamesh »

Well done!!
Was there a fair bit of chain gang riding?
Good pace!
Jdsk
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Re: Speeding up a steel touring bike

Post by Jdsk »

Well done.

What's next?

Jonathan
bohrsatom
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Re: Speeding up a steel touring bike

Post by bohrsatom »

Jamesh wrote: 29 May 2022, 8:33pm Was there a fair bit of chain gang riding?
Good pace!
Thanks! There was a bit but I found chain gangs either went too fast for me or blew up after a mile or two. Better in a bigger group at a more sustainable pace. I think closed roads made a huge difference to my final speed tbh

Jdsk wrote: 29 May 2022, 8:40pm What's next?
Back to touring with the Marathons, mudguards and Tubus rack. I think it’ll be a whole lot tougher: viewtopic.php?t=149783
Jdsk
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Re: Speeding up a steel touring bike

Post by Jdsk »

Thanks.

: - )

Jonathan
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