Fastest Bike: Guide to Increasing the Top Speed on Your Bike
Once you start cycling and get comfortable, speed can become addictive. Even seasoned riders who have been biking for years can be constantly searching for ways to improve their overall average speeds and the top speeds they achieve. There are plenty of ways to shave off some time by modifying your road bike. There are modifications and parts that can be bought to add power or to make it lighter, as well as free (or low cost) everyday techniques that anyone can use. These modifications can be broken down into a few categories based on the metric that they target.
Weight
- Remove all unnecessary accessories such as fenders, baskets, water bottles, cargo racks, etc. Though it might not seem like much weight at first, even removing a pound or two can make a difference in the long run.
- Losing bodyweight can have a similar effect on reducing the weight of your bike. The lighter you are the less mass you need to shift and the faster you can sprint. Invest in lighter pedals and similar parts for reduced air resistance.
- If you have the money for a serious upgrade, consider replacing your frame with a lighter one. Steel frames can be upgraded to aluminum alloy and aluminum can be upgraded to a super lightweight carbon fiber frameset. These are not necessarily cheap but if speed is something you really want then it is worth considering.
Aerodynamics
The next most obvious way to increase your top speed is by improving the aerodynamics of your ride. This can be done in several ways.
- Riding lower is always better. You will notice that professional riders lean far forward with their heads down, arms out front, and elbows tucked in tight to reduce the size of their front and overall cut down on drag. Though you might not want to assume a full racing stance you can start by lowering your handlebars to naturally bring down your seating height.
- If you do want to go for the full on racing position, a set of clip-on handlebars can get you there in a flash. These include padding to rest your elbows and forearms while giving a forward grip to grab on to for stability and leverage.
- Wheels that have been designed for improved aerodynamics can be installed in place of the stock wheels that your bike came with. Aerodynamic wheels tend to be lightweight, have fewer spokes, and narrow rims. By reducing the number of spokes and decreasing the size of the rims there is less drag on the wheels.
Efficiency
The third major way to improve your bike’s top speed is to increase its efficiency. This means both the efficiency with which the machine runs and also your own body’s mechanical efficiency.
- It is extremely important to always keep your bike clean. The frame and wheels should be wiped down in order to reduce drag, but the drivetrain also needs to be cleaned on a regular basis if you expect to max out the bike’s full speed potential. Cleaning the drivetrain can be done well and thoroughly with a good quality degreaser and a chain cleaning device. Though at first it may seem silly to buy a tool specifically to just clean bike chains, a chain cleaner can really get into every groove, nook, and cranny to ensure all the gunk and road debris that may have got trapped is removed. You may be surprised at how much of a difference doing this regularly can make.
- After cleaning the drivetrain, be sure to properly lubricate everything. More lube is not necessarily better. You want full coverage but not an excess as this will just slow things down and attract unwanted dirt, ultimately slowing you down. Do not settle for generic lubricants either. Muc-off makes some of the best bike chain lube out there. Their basic wet ceramic lube is great for most applications, but if you really want to see a difference and do not mind paying for it, splurge on their limited edition Hydro Dynamic chain lube.
- An easy and free adjustment anyone can do is to make sure their seat is the right height. This might seem like a no-brainer but if your seat is at the wrong height then you may not be utilizing the full power of your legs when pedaling. You should be making a full extension at the farthest pedal position but still have a firm connection between your foot and the pedal. If it feels like you are reaching or on the brink of it, then your seat needs to come down. If your knee is too bent then you should move it up.
- Keep tires inflated to the correct pressure to reduce roll resistance. Having them be either too hard or too soft is detrimental. The ideal pressure can depend on a lot of factors, including your personal weight and riding style, so it can take some trial and error to figure out what works best for you. Start with the manufacturer suggested pressure and make adjustments based on your performance.
Something else you can consider doing is changing up your gear ratio. This ratio is the mathematical relationship between the pedal crank and your rear cog. The higher this ratio is, the higher your top speed can be but it is also harder to accelerate. The opposite is also true. To increase your ratio you can either get a larger crank or a smaller rear cog (only recommended for fixie or single gear bikes). For example, if your bike came with a 44 tooth crank, you can switch it out for a 48 tooth one and increase your potential top speed by several percentage points. If you are starting to experiment with increasing speed this way, do not make too big of a change to start with since you may not be comfortable with the accompanying changes in your ability to accelerate.
There are many things one can do to increase a bike’s speed. Whether you are a racer or just need to get to work faster, see what some of these tips can do for you.
