How to Ride Faster on a Bike — 7 Proven Methods
"How do I ride faster?" is a question every cyclist asks. The answer splits into two categories: free watts (position, technique, tactics) and earned watts (training, diet). Here's both.
1. Aerodynamics — free watts
Above 25 km/h, air resistance accounts for 80% of your total resistance. Lowering your position by 5 cm cuts drag by 5–10%, worth 1–2 km/h at the same power. Concretely: bend your elbows, lower your torso, tuck your head between your shoulders on descents, wear fitted kit instead of loose clothing, and zip your jacket closed.
2. Cadence
Too low a cadence (50–60 rpm) loads your joints; too high (100+) wastes oxygen. An optimal 85–95 rpm sustains speed longer without excessive fatigue.
3. Structured training
"Just riding more" produces gains early, but plateaus fast. A structured plan produces bigger progress:
- Aerobic base (80% of time) — the foundation of endurance.
- Intervals (20% of time) — raise FTP and VO2max.
- Strength work (1–2x/week) — higher peak power.
4. Tire pressure and tire choice
Too low pressure means higher rolling resistance. Too high means worse comfort and less grip. Good race tires roll 10–20% lighter than cheap training tires — free watts, no fitness change required.
5. Body mass
On climbs, power-to-weight (W/kg) is what counts. Dropping 3 kg of fat while maintaining power is roughly equivalent to gaining 10–15 W on a climb. But not at the cost of health — weight loss needs to be gradual and shouldn't happen mid-race-season.
6. Drafting
Riding behind another cyclist saves 20–40% of the energy cost. In a group of 4–6, rotating at the front, everyone rides faster than solo — that's why group rides and races are faster than solo training.
7. Rest and recovery
The paradox: to ride faster, you need to rest more. Supercompensation (the fitness gain) happens during rest, not during training. Recovery isn't laziness — it's part of the plan. Riders who actually rest end up faster than those who ride every single day.
How do I know if my changes are actually making me faster?
Track power, FTP, and your power curve over time — that's the only reliable way to see whether you're genuinely faster, rather than guessing from how a ride felt.
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