# Tips to increase a bike's speed or acceleration?



## chrisrocksusa (Aug 19, 2014)

Hi all, I am new to cycling and have been using a trek SU 1.0 for commuting in Chicago since the weather got nice. I feel it's the perfect bike for getting around the city but it it's pretty slow, riding down a long flat road can get frustrating at times.

I was wondering if there are any upgrades I can try out to help out a bit. I was told I could fit smaller tires and get some lighter wheels for a nice difference. Any truth to this? I don't want to spend too much $, if the upgrades are going to be very costly I think I'd rather just get a proper road bike. 

any advice or helpful direction is greatly appreciated!


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

Pressing harder on the pedals is the way to go faster. Buying stuff for the bike in the vain hopes that it will be faster is mostly a waste of time unless you're ok with spending hundreds to *maybe* gain 0.3mph over 30 miles.


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## brucew (Jun 3, 2006)

Bikes aren't fast or slow. 

Riders are.

Forget buying stuff. Work on the legs and lungs.


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## Randy99CL (Mar 27, 2013)

Mike and Bruce are spot on. 

Start riding for fitness (along with your commuting) to build your body.

Your bike is an inexpensive model that's not worth upgrading; better to save your money and buy a new bike.
You have 26x1.5 tires. You could get some skinnier, higher pressure tires (and tubes) that would reduce rolling resistance and make the bike a little more efficient. But the ride would be harsher and the tires might not be as rugged as what you have now.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

Randy99CL said:


> Mike and Bruce are spot on.
> 
> Start riding for fitness (along with your commuting) to build your body.
> 
> ...


No.Skinnier/high pressure tires will _increase_ rolling resistance. I'm taking it for granted the OP is inflating his current tires to proper pressure.


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## chrisrocksusa (Aug 19, 2014)

brucew said:


> Bikes aren't fast or slow.
> 
> Riders are.
> 
> Forget buying stuff. Work on the legs and lungs.


I will do just that, work on my legs and lungs. I appreciate the input and I hear what you guys are saying, but I when I tried a road bike (diamondback century 1) it felt MUCH faster than my bike.

It was much lighter and the gearing felt very smooth. I felt like I was putting in less than half the effort I would on my bike, and accelerating MUCH faster.

I'm new to this, so I'm not questioning anyone's knowledge or experience here.


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## obed (Jan 12, 2014)

a lighter bike might accelerate faster for you but that is not really going to accomplish much....it will not actually maintain a constant speed that is faster than the heavier bike.
I have a steel bike that is quite bit heavier than my carbon bike, but the top speed I can maintain is pretty close to the same... I can get to that top speed on the carbon bike a few feet sooner and that is it...over any distance they are the same and both limited by my ability.


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

chrisrocksusa said:


> when I tried a road bike (diamondback century 1) it felt MUCH faster than my bike.
> It was much lighter and the gearing felt very smooth. I felt like I was putting in less than half the effort I would on my bike, and accelerating MUCH faster.
> I'm new to this, so I'm not questioning anyone's knowledge or experience here.


Lemme tell you about this. The D/back felt faster probably because it was lighter and therefore has less mass to accelerate up to speed. BUT - those accelerations are just a small part of any ride. AND, a lighter bike slows down faster than a heavy one (let's not compare any possible bearing friction here).

So if you recorded the average speeds over many many rides (dozens, hundreds?) on the two bikes (or two wheelsets or two tire models) and compared them you would see something very interesting - there will be almost no difference between them. And differences will be within the natural variations of all rides - meaning, you could ride hard for two hours on the heavy bike and record the time over the route (and average speed). You could repeat three days later (need time for recovery!) on the lighter bike and be *slower*! Why? Because we don't perform (due to many reasons) always the same way. Maybe the heavier bike "rolls" better (doesn't keep decelerating like the light one every time you back off the gas). Maybe you're more stressed from the job/wife/kids/TV breaking down. Maybe it's more humid.

So to jump in an buy lighter bikes, wheels, tires or anything, with the expectations that they will transform you is sometimes met with disappointment. Buy nice bikes, wheels, tires and other widgets certainly (we all do!) but make sure you buy them for realistic reasons. My fave is "I want it and I can afford it". And that's just fine.

It really i*s* in the legs and lungs though.

Anecdote - I used to do long, hard mountain bike enduros years ago. At the time I was riding a tricked out carbon mountain bike. I remember vividly being passed in two of those enduros, when climbing ungodly hills (and I was decent climber and regular mtb racer) by people on junk bikes that I wouldn't ride to work. One of them even had a freakin' kickstand!! Both had flat pedals (no clip-ins). And there was nothing I could do about it. Lance spoke truth once in his career - "It's not about the bike".


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## chrisrocksusa (Aug 19, 2014)

Mike T. said:


> Lemme tell you about this. The D/back felt faster probably because it was lighter and therefore has less mass to accelerate up to speed. BUT - those accelerations are just a small part of any ride. AND, a lighter bike slows down faster than a heavy one (let's not compare any possible bearing friction here).
> 
> So if you recorded the average speeds over many many rides (dozens, hundreds?) on the two bikes (or two wheelsets or two tire models) and compared them you would see something very interesting - there will be almost no difference between them. And differences will be within the natural variations of all rides - meaning, you could ride hard for two hours on the heavy bike and record the time over the route (and average speed). You could repeat three days later (need time for recovery!) on the lighter bike and be *slower*! Why? Because we don't perform (due to many reasons) always the same way. Maybe the heavier bike "rolls" better (doesn't keep decelerating like the light one every time you back off the gas). Maybe you're more stressed from the job/wife/kids/TV breaking down. Maybe it's more humid.
> 
> So to jump in an buy lighter bikes, wheels, tires or anything, with the expectations that they will transform you is sometimes met with disappointment. Buy nice bikes, wheels, tires and other widgets certainly (we all do!) but make sure you buy them for realistic reasons. My fave is "I want it and I can afford it". And that's just fine.


I hear you that over the course of a long ride it won't make much of a difference, but I ride in Chicago. There's a lot of stop and go and I'd love to have something that will pickup quicker with less effort.


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

chrisrocksusa said:


> I hear you that over the course of a long ride it won't make much of a difference, but I ride in Chicago. There's a lot of stop and go and I'd love to have something that will pickup quicker with less effort.


Then go for it; whatever it is. You're in charge of you. I got a new bike three years ago and it was in no way faster than my old one. I just wanted it.


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## obed (Jan 12, 2014)

yep, sounds to me like he just wants a new bike and is trying to justify it...
I know the feeling, been there, done that.


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## brucew (Jun 3, 2006)

Silly me. 

This being *Road Bike* Review forum, I figured you were asking about a *Road Bike*. Instead, you have a *Mountain Bike*? What's wrong with *Mountain Bike* Review forum?

Your problem is the same, you're expecting a *Mountain Bike* to perform on the *road* like a *Road Bike*.

See how this goes? Road, Road Bike. Mountains, Mountain Bike. If you ever scale the Mountains of Chicago, you have the right bike for that. But for the roads of Chicago, not so much.

That said, I too live in a Great Lakes coastal city. I too bike commute. (I've been car-free since April 1999.) My shortest route to work is 9 miles round trip. There are 47 stoplights or stop signs (and one roundabout) in that round trip, for an average of five stops per mile, or one stop every 1,000 feet. (I go through brake pads like water.)

So I know exactly how you feel. Here's what works, based on my experience.


Work on the legs and lungs.
Dump the Mountain Bike and get a Road Bike. Get something with comtemporary integrated shift levers. These are the ones where the brake levers and shift levers are one. If it has old-school downtube shifters, leave it for some hipster.
Put good, puncture-resistant tires on it. You're really slow if you're stopped to fix a flat. And it's really, really lame to tell the boss you're late (or won't be in) because your bicycle has a flat tire. Really lame. I use Continental GrandPrix 4-Seasons because they're also super-grippy in the wet. But they're also awfully expensive.
Keep the bike and tires in good repair. This means preventative maintenance. (Topic for a different thread.) A broken bike doesn't move very fast.
Switch the cassette (the rear gear cluster) to a close-ratio one. I run 12-23 cassettes on all my bikes. Chicago--like every coastal Great Lakes city--is flat. No mountains, BTW, so you don't need big gears in the back.(You'll notice this is just the opposite of mountain bikes. Road bikes have the big gears in the front and the small gears in the back.)
Lastly, upgrade wheels to something lighter. Not too light because then you give up durability in the city (and become more theft-prone.) But there's a middle ground. Not so light and blingy that they break or get stolen, and not so heavy they belong on an M-1 tank. My weapon of choice, Velocity A23 rims, 32 DT Revolution spokes laced 3X with brass nipples, hub of your choice.
Work on the legs and lungs. Stoplight sprints are my specialty. Start with the rear two clicks higher than what you use for a comfortable start. (Or start in the big ring.) Pedal like mad. Pedal fast. Don't worry about breathlessness or leg burning, you'll get to rest at the next stoplight. Your goal is to beat the cars. A few of those twice daily for a month, and you won't be complaining about the motor any more.


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

brucew said:


> Work on the legs and lungs. Stoplight sprints........Start with the rear two clicks higher than what you use for a comfortable start. Pedal like mad. Pedal fast. Don't worry about breathlessness or leg burning, you'll get to rest at the next stoplight. Your goal is to beat the cars. A few of those twice daily for a month, and you won't be complaining about the motor any more.


The truth. First we do this to get better. In later years we do it to stay at the same level. After that we still do it but we're going slower. But that's the ageing process and it beats looking (and acting) like the average Walmartian.


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## brucew (Jun 3, 2006)

Mike T. said:


> The truth. First we do this to get better. In later years we do it to stay at the same level. After that we still do it but we're going slower. But that's the ageing process and it beats looking (and acting) like the average Walmartian.


That's right Mike! 

Through a series of flukes, I had the day off yesterday. Rode in the morning with a bunch of retired guys in my club. They can, and do, ride all day every day.

Sixty-seven miles and change yesterday. While the whole bunch qualify as "the fast group", I regularly get my ass handed to me by one guy, ten years my senior. (I'm 57.) I can finally beat him on the hills, but he still has me in the flats. It's my goal, once I retire, to be the guy who rips the legs off younger guys.


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

Mike T. said:


> Then go for it; whatever it is. You're in charge of you. I got a new bike three years ago and it was in no way faster than my old one. I just wanted it.


LOL, love this.

I got a new bike a year and a half ago for much the same reason. (Mountain bike.) I wanted it. I thought I might have more fun on it. I could afford it. I enjoy it very much.

I'm faster lately, but I think it's that after a few "rebuilding years," my life makes more sense again and I'm riding more.

If you want to accelerate faster, get out of the saddle and pedal like you mean it. A couple good kicks and some decent technique go a long way.


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

brucew said:


> Rode in the morning with a bunch of retired guys in my club. They can, and do, ride all day every day.
> Sixty-seven miles and change yesterday. While the whole bunch qualify as "the fast group", I regularly get my ass handed to me by one guy, ten years my senior. (I'm 57.) I can finally beat him on the hills, but he still has me in the flats. It's my goal, once I retire, to be the guy who rips the legs off younger guys.


Last week a fella turned down the road I was on, about 300 yards in front of me and he saw me coming. I could tell he started hammering. I reeled him in slowly and sat on his wheel until his shoulders started humping. I knew he was toast. The ol' road racer (me) pulled alongside and with the slight bit of breath I could spare, but with a dead-calm expression, I said "Hey, how's it going. Nice day eh?" He squeaked out an "Ok", popped his cork and went backwards like he threw out an anchor. He was about my son's age - late 30's. I never saw him again. I retired 8 years ago.


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## CliffordK (Jun 6, 2014)

The Trek SU 1.0 is one of those mountain bikes built like a tank. It may have an aluminum frame, but is probably in the 30+ pound range, perhaps even 40+ pounds. 

You could try light wheels and etc... but you'll never make a mountain bike/hybrid into a road bike. And changing wheels would also mean changing brakes and a bunch of other things.

Consider hunting down a good used road bike in the $300 to $800 range, or a new bike in the $500 to $1200 range... or whatever seems appropriate to your needs and budget. 

Your bike will shed 10 to 20 pounds.
Your tires will decrease rolling resistance.

And you will be faster and more nimble on the road. 

Simple toe clips, or cleats and clipless pedals also add a lot of power.


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## Randy99CL (Mar 27, 2013)

cxwrench said:


> No.Skinnier/high pressure tires will _increase_ rolling resistance. I'm taking it for granted the OP is inflating his current tires to proper pressure.


We all respect and appreciate your knowledge CX but I wonder if that statement is _always_ true.
With skinny road tires it's been tested and proven.

But this bike came with 26x1.5 Bontrager Satellite Plus (cheap, heavy) commuter tires. At low pressure they would put a _lot_ of rubber on the road; the contact patch would be wide and long.
There are good 26x1" road tires; if you could run them at close to the same pressure as the others it is hard to imagine that they wouldn't have a lot less rolling resistance.

I understand that things are never as simple as they look at first and rolling resistance is a combination of a number of factors.

On another note, just bought my first 10/22. Stunned to find a stainless, walnut mannlicher-stocked carbine for $315 in a local shop. Shoots great! Ammo is getting easier to find too.


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## DrAstro (Jul 24, 2013)

I agree that working on your engine is best. Upgrades won't do much to improve your speed. However, I disagree that a new bike wouldn't speed you up. I switched from a hybrid to a road bike and can ride both further and faster. You're not imagining that the road bike was faster and easier. It's position is designed for speed, efficiency and comfort for long rides in the saddle. Plus you can't discount the psychological effects of a lighter "faster feeling" bike. If you think it's fast and fun you will ride more and get better. I think you can certainly ride fast on your current bike, but it will be harder work and take longer than if you worked at riding fast on a road bike. People on hybrids pass me all he time when I'm on my road bike, but they are definitely working a lot harder than I am to go that speed.


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## CliffordK (Jun 6, 2014)

I get passed once in a while by a MTB, but I also pass a lot of them, often making them look like they are standing still. Many of the "faster" MTBs are probably only going a mile or two.

An MTB is fine for short rides, but my "commute" often hits 40 miles RT which I would hate to do on an MTB.


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

CliffordK said:


> I get passed once in a while by a MTB, but I also pass a lot of them, often making them look like they are standing still. Many of the "faster" MTBs are probably only going a mile or two.
> An MTB is fine for short rides, but my "commute" often hits 40 miles RT which I would hate to do on an MTB.


I have a few benchmark rides that for many years I have recorded my times on. On my 31 mile paved road route, my fastest time ever was done on my mountain bike. I can't beat that time on my road bike. Both are custom Ti but my mountain bike is fully rigid and weighs just 20lb and has 2.1" semi-slick tires. I guess I was in awful good shape that year.


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