runbikeharley1

Before I invest any money in a new bike I would like to know if its my bike or me that is so slow. I average 12 mph, I kid you not, you need to average 14-16 just to stay with the bike club. I've been biking for 4 years, 11 centuries, I have a giant cr2, I'm female 5'5 and weigh 112 lbs, so weight is not an issue. Bascially will investing in a carbon fiber bike make me at least stay with the group, really tired of not getting faster.

jolly_ross

If you buy a bike expecting it to make 20% difference on an already reasonable bike then you're going to be disappointed.

You should buy the bike because it's beautiful and you would enjoy riding it.

And ride more - that's all that can be done.

Oh and run less. Running is bad for you.

jimc101

Best advice your going to get, riding a carbon bike won't make you faster, you need legs for that.

For the club riding, are there any local to which have a female only section, or slower group you can go with till your speed increases?

RT

My jolly friend is right. Keep with the group and try to improve your pace within the group ride each time (assuming no-drop).

Phil_gretz

How rapidly do you want to improve? Have the top riders in the club recommend another racer or personal trainer for you. Begin a training regimen focused on gaining speed...

Or research the topic yourself, set a time table, write down the plan and make a contract with yourself to follow the training plan.

Many members on this forum race, and will undoubtedly chime in on what it takes to make significant speed gains, such as the ones you're described in your post.

big chainring 

Best advice ever.

gsa103

It really depends. The wheels on my old bike were toast and causing VERY high drag. I picked up at least 15-20% with a new bike, but I'm sure I could've gotten most of the that with a new wheelset.

If you're already on a relatively lightweight Aluminum road bike in good condition, you'll likely only see ~5% moving to a lighter carbon frame. If you're trying to keep up on an old hybrid, the bike will make all the difference.

The only way to tell is to try out new bikes. If possible, borrow a spare from a friend a try it for a group ride. See it allows you to hang.

lsberrios1 

Man, I can see how your position could be frustrating. It usually takes me about a month an a half to go from low season average speed (12-13mph) to high season 17-18mph averages and I am close to 200 pounds and been riding for one year. 4 years is a very long time. I did notice a 1mph average increase in speed when I went from my Felt z85 to my current Carbon Roubaix but that said I think it was probably a mental thing where I was pushing like hell out of excitement. So my 2 cents is that you will most likely pick up an extra 1mph but that wont get you in a comfortable 15mph zone. Also, fit is textremely important and now that I think about it, that could have been the reason for the 1mph increase. The roubaix fits me worlds better than the Z did.

Good luck, with all your hard work you deserve a new bike

tagaproject6

Get that new carbon fiber toy just because it is more awesomer! Just make a point not to expect faster speeds and being able to keep up with the group magically and be disappointed with the equipment. Your speed, however, is going to take a little more work. Invest on a new training regimen specially if you've been riding for over 4 years and not improving.

RT

I've been golfing for 40 years and have only shaved a few strokes off my game. Brand new, expensive clubs might shave a stroke off of my game, but the only way to make progress is to play more rounds.

Ride that thing, improve the engine.

buckwheat987

Have you check to see if your present bike fit is OK for you? Maybe a few adjustments will help make your riding more efficient.

nastystang

Interval training and ride more. Not knowing how much you ride now I suspect it's not frequent enough. A new bike my ignite a new flame and get you out more but may not increase speed unless something is seriously wrong with current bike. I like to chose places in a ride where I will really push myself hard and follow it with a moderate pace to rest up. I will do this a lot during a ride. A year and a half ago I averaged 14mph and now can be as high as 20 but usually 18. Intervals work. Give it a try.

Zuzus pedals

As long as it's in good working order, it's probably not the bike. Those things will go just about as fast as you can pedal 'em. Of course, if your routes are hilly, a lighter bike does help a bit and lower gearing can keep you in a more comfortable cadence for any given speed and out of trouble on hills. But for basic speed on flats or gentle slopes, it's pretty much about how much power you're delivering and how aerodynamically efficient you are. I've got a 1980 31-pound steel clunker and a 2012 20-pounder with thinner tires. It's no surprise that it's a real gruntfest to mash that old clunker up an 8.5% grade for a mile and a half. But somewhat surprisingly, I can make it go within 0.2 mph of what I can do with the lighter, newer model on flats or gentle up-and-down slopes of @ 2% grade. On longer, comfortably-paced rides (15-18 mph) that avoid the really big hills, there's no perceptible difference in effort when on one bike vs. the other. You've just gotta keep plugging away at it and regularly get out of the comfort zone with some harder-paced intervals to get faster. It does get easier the more you work at it.

jerrycan42

You're just too little to push even a 15 lb frame around.

PatrickGSR94

I've ridden nearly 2,000 miles since I got back into cycling, much of that from commuting these past couple of months. When I was first thinking about commuting 15 miles one way, I estimated it would take me about 80 minutes. But then I surprised myself when I did it in around 65 minutes, 62 being my best time (14.4 MPH average). I'd love to get that time under 60, or even 50, but it just hasn't happened yet.

I'm on a Felt Z85, and I ride all year even through the winter. But I don't have any sort of stationary trainer, or equipment to measure HR, cadence, etc. How do you do interval training on public roads with traffic, stop signs and lights at intersections, etc.?

runbikeharley1

Hah, Jolly been running since 1973 and decided to take up biking in the summer.

runbikeharley1

no Jimc, nobody is slower than me, big people on mountain bikes on the bike path passes me.

PatrickGSR94

Same here. Dudes on hard tails and even FS bikes doing like 20 on the MUP, just mashing along. Got passed by a girl on a MTB once, while on my road bike.

runbikeharley1

gsa I have 23 cm gator tires.

runbikeharley1

Nastystang my quick short rides average 35-40 miles and longer rides on the weekend 60-80.

Beau210

How often/far do you ride?

PatrickGSR94

35-40 is short?? Damn my longest ride to date is 44 miles.

DiabloScott

There must be some big reason you're not telling us about how you can be doing this and still can't hold 14-16mph in a group.

goldfinch

How old are you?
Do you do intervals?
Have you tried any training programs to increase you speed?
Do you do long slow distances?
How many miles do you ride in month/year?

I am 58 and have been riding a couple of years. I have put nearly 3000 miles on my bike this year. To work on my speed I have done intervals. I have done long slow distances. Yet I am barely faster than you are and often not at all faster. Yesterday I rode 60 miles and averaged in the heat and the hills less than 11mph. My fastest metric was 13.8mph. On organized rides I am usually the last person to make it up the hills. And I am a lightweight like you. I also can't hang with a group doing 14 to 16mph average. Maybe it surprises some people here, but some of us love to bike but just don't have the juice. Maybe you do, maybe you don't.

I blame years of no exercise at all. I just can't undo 50 plus years of sitting on my rump.

My lightweight carbon bike is barely faster than my steel Terry which also has a more upright position. It feels faster though.

Mountain Mitch

Getting a great new bike is the remedy.

It may not magically make you faster (although it can't hurt) but it will perk your interest in the sport and give you a ride that will make you want to ride more and harder.

Aside from that - try the hard stuff like spin classes; improving your overall physical conditioning; riding more often and for longer distances. But get the bike!