9 Easy Speed Upgrades
Although there are more joys to cycling than simply speed, we’ve surely all felt the urge to go faster.
Consistent training might be the most effective path to upping the pace of your rides but there is a certain delight in the mechanical challenge (and the instant results) of optimising your bike for maximum speed. We can’t deny, we’ve all been tempted by a bling upgrade in our time!
Consistent training might be the most effective path to upping the pace of your rides but there is a certain delight in the mechanical challenge (and the instant results) of optimising your bike for maximum speed. We can’t deny, we’ve all been tempted by a bling upgrade in our time!
Category
🥇
SportTranscript
00:00Although there are more joys to cycling than simply speed, we've surely all felt the
00:09urge to go faster. Consistent training might be the most effective path to upping the pace,
00:15but there is a certain delight in the mechanical challenge and the instant results of optimising
00:20your bike for maximum speed. We can't deny, we've all been tempted by a bling upgrade
00:26in our time. So, without further ado, here are our 9 tips for making your bike faster.
00:40Standard black butyl inner tubes may be cheap and relatively robust, but they aren't particularly
00:46fast. Friction between the tube and the tyre increases rolling resistance compared to latex
00:51inner tubes which cause around 5 watts less friction per wheel. They're also lighter too.
00:58The downsides are the cost, which is around three times more, and the fact that latex
01:03inner tubes are a little more fragile. You could ditch the inner tube altogether and
01:08go tubeless, although costs can ramp up quite quickly with the necessary specific kit such
01:13as wheels, tyres, valves, tape and sealant. It is proven to be faster though.
01:25Better brakes allow for greater stopping power, allowing you to brake later into corners,
01:29enabling you to carry more speed. If you're using rim brakes, upgrading to a set with
01:34a separate pad and shoe will make your brakes feel less spongy, more direct and increase
01:39modulation, as will swapping out the brake cable housing for a version with less compression.
01:47Changing to pads with a grippier compound, or one that's better suited to your riding
01:50conditions, for example the Wet, will also help to increase the performance. For those
01:56using disc brakes, increasing the rotor size will add power to your braking, and top quality
02:01pads aren't significantly more expensive either, making for quite a cost effective
02:06upgrade. If you're looking to eke out every marginal gain, you could replace your bearings
02:17with some ceramic alternatives. If you do go down this line, just make sure you get
02:22someone with a ceramic race to go with the ceramic balls, because steel races are prone
02:26to getting pitted when used with the hard ceramic balls, which degrades the performance
02:31of the bearing. If ceramic options are a touch plush, then a replacement set of good
02:36quality steel bearings shouldn't cost the earth, but can have a large effect on how
02:40fast you can go. Air resistance is one of the greatest forces
02:50you have to contend with, so any upgrade that can put the rider in a more aero position
02:55will have a significant effect on speed. You could invest in a fancy carbon aero profiled
03:00handlebar, but simply going narrower, even with an ordinary round and aluminium bar,
03:06can provide greater gains and doesn't have to break the bank. Although aero and lightweight
03:17might be the flashier upgrades, there's still some serious watts to be saved from tyres
03:22with lower rolling resistance. For example, the Vittoria Corsa Speed G Plus 2.0 TLR may
03:29not have the fastest name to say, but they are widely regarded as some of the fastest
03:34tyres available. Independent testing from BicycleRollingResistance.com puts the rolling
03:39resistance of the 25mm version at 7.5 watts when pumped up to 100psi. What's more, going
03:47for a top end tyre will add comfort and grip to your ride, reducing fatigue overall.
03:59Not only is it easier to put out power on a bike that is set up correctly for you, but
04:03it can also help get you into a more aerodynamic position. Enlisting the help of a professional
04:08bike fitter will enable you to test out a range of components to find out what works
04:13best for you. Whether that's a change to shorter cranks to enable a lower front end position
04:18and a flatter back, or a switch to a shorter nose saddle to make it more comfortable to
04:22stay in an aero position. A deeper section rim will reduce aerodynamic drag, while a
04:35set of shallow carbon wheels can both reduce weight and increase rolling speed. A lower
04:40spoke count makes the wheelset lighter and will also further improve aerodynamics, while
04:45a hub machined to greater tolerances can make the bearings run more smoothly and even increase
04:50service life. Fortunately, you no longer have to spend more on the wheels than you did on
04:55the bike. There are plenty of high quality aluminium wheelsets that have a relatively
05:00deep section. If your tyres are too hard, you'll expend greater energy chattering over
05:12imperfections in the road surface. Too soft, and the increased contact area will slow you
05:17down. Although most track pumps do come with a pressure gauge, the cheaper ones tend to be
05:22quite inaccurate, and even the more expensive ones can make small adjustments difficult to
05:26execute. A digital pressure gauge, or an analogue one with a usable scale, will help you get the
05:32best out of your tyres and leave you riding faster. Finally, the most effective, albeit
05:45less glamorous, route to a faster bike is a proper maintenance schedule. Keeping your
05:50drivetrain clean can save you precious watts. A specific degreaser certainly makes it easier,
05:56just don't forget to dry and re-lube the chain once you're done. Another common issue is brake
06:01rub, and if an adjustment of a caliper is all that's necessary, then it's an easy fix that can
06:06save you energy and annoyance out on the road. However, something like an out-of-tree wheel
06:11is a bigger ask, and that might be a job for the local bike shop.
06:16So there you go, 9 ways to increase the speed of your bike. If you have liked this video,
06:21then please do drop us a thumbs up and be sure to subscribe to the channel for more great tech
06:26content. Of course, feel free to leave us any comments and questions that you might have.