[chibibike]

So this is like the fourth time since I bought my bike I took it out riding. I went a total of 10 miles trying out different speeds and gears and just testing out how the seat position feels and brakes and things. I adjusted the brakes and ended up making my seat even higher than it was. When I look at my bike it looks crazy high, it's like almost a foot from the stem but when i'm on it it feels just right and very comfortable. In fact toward the end of my ride I put it a little higher than I had it before and it was so much more comfortable and it didn't feel as hard to get up to a good speed so I felt a lot more powerful. Is that normal? Anyways, I did have trouble going above 21MPH though but I didn't try it with my new seat hight though, maybe that will make a difference? I don't know what gear I was suppose to be in though to go as fast as I can. First I was in the highest gear and I was able to get to 20MPH but it really made my thighs sore then someone else that was on a road bike told me to try to find the easiest gear that will allow me to go the speed I wanna go so I tried that I was able to reach 20MPH on a much easier gear and I was not sore at all. So I was thinking, well if I can reach 20MPH then I should be able to go faster if I push myself more right? but I didn't really try much else cause that was toward the end and my friend wanted to go home. I just noticed that at my seat hight right now it's a little past the marker on the seat post that says min insert or whatever it says so that cant' be good but my friend has a longer seat post on her bike she'd switch with me but doesn't wanna take mine cause mine has a shock on it and she pushes her seat all the way down so I was thinking do you think I could take my seat post and trade it for a used one at my LBS or something? I know I could just buy a cheap one like the one I have just without the shock for like 20 dollars and then trade that with her for her longer one but if I can get one for free I'd like that better. Does anyone know how I can get above 20MPH? Would aerobars help?



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[Industry_Hack]

Is your frame too small? Your seat needs to be high enough to get proper leg extension, otherwise you won't be using your full potential. As far as speed, that generally comes from spinning, which uses your lungs, rather than mashing, which uses those muscles that are now sore.

 

[chibibike]

no the frame is just right. I have a 32in inseam and my bike is a 19in. when i stand over the top bar there's about an inch clearance so that's what all the sizeing charts say and what i went off of and my last bike was a 18 inch and i felt a little bit small. so i'll be able to go faster with some training on a stationary bike? I should take spinning classes?

 

[chibibike]

my leg extends almost all the way when I'm on the down stroke but it feels a lot better.

 

[DirtyBobbysBikes]

Spin faster

 

[chibibike]

how fast do i need to spin? i thought i was spinning fast. so do i need to be in the hardest gear to go the fastest?

 

[rola643]

Find a cadence that feels good and go, don't worry about speed. That's the beauty of a 9 speed, so many options to choose from!

 

[georgec]

First you put on road bike tires and added what looks like drop bars now you are worried about going over 20mph.....I'm thinking you should have bought a road bike...just saying....

 

[chibibike]

but i don't only wanna ride on the road and with a road bike I'd be limited to that mainly. so i'm trying to make a dual purpose bike and this bike was listed as a dual sport

 

[Industry_Hack]

Spin faster

That looks like a comment I might have made before my first cup of coffee.

 

[Xela]

20 mph is a pretty good pace, even for a road-bike on the flats. You have to remember, you do have a dual purpose bike that's going to sacrifice speed for functionality. Plus, not only is the frame stronger and heavier than a road bike, but you have all the necessities for your commute on there such as lights, lock, gps, etc. All this extra weight is working against you as you try for more speed.

Also, can and do you lock your front fork? Even a little bobbing when pedalling is going to rob you of precious energy if you goal is to go faster on smooth stuff where you don't really need that shock to be working anyway.

 

[SprocketGirl]

larger gear in the front and smaller in the rear is faster. i think your bike came with a 48,36,28 ring gear set up and a 11-32 9spd cassette
so- 48 ring in the front and 11 in the back and spin as fast as you can/ that is your top speed.
48-11 harder to pedal but fastest
28-32 easiest to pedal but low top speed
now when you are in the 36 ring you can actually find a gear that is repeated in the 48 and the 28
your gearing does have a top speed....
my road bike has 52 chain ring thus when i am in the 52-11 my bike can go faster than the 48-11 will allow you to.
ultimately this is not the biggest factor of speed however.
example: Mark Cavendish a pro rider who some would say is the top sprinter in the world rides a bike with a 53 tooth front ring... there are other riders who ride with a 54 but he still beats them. when he does it is because of riding ability team work and strength.
example 2: i can out sprint (go a faster speed) than my dad on my specialized that has a 48 tooth front ring when he is on his Pinarello with a 52... his bike is nicer, better geared and lighter(even in a larger frame size) but i ride more and have better endurance and can spin faster longer. thus, my bike goes faster....

all this being said, top speed does have to do with gearing and the rest of the bike set-up... i can hit and hold a higher speed on my Wilier road bike than on my Kona mountain bike. bigger ring is one of the reasons but not the only.

Would aerobars help? you asked...
of course with aerobars you can get in a more aerodynamic position, but they are honestly not made for sprinting and you stated you did not get a road bike because you wanted versatility. thus, don't get aerobars... i would not even put them on my road bike because they are very limited in design and purpose. you can not climb as well with them and you can not steer or handle the bike as well with them.

 

[SprocketGirl]

Find a cadence that feels good and go, don't worry about speed. That's the beauty of a 9 speed, so many options to choose from!

the post above(the one i wrote) is about speed... but i totally agree with rola!
get on the bike and spin.... put on enough miles to wear out your new rubber!

 

[chibibike]

so if i wanted could i change out my gears for the faster ones you were talking about? how would I do that? what do i need to buy?

 

[SprocketGirl]

it is a little tricky because it has a mountain bike crank on it and it is hard to find anything larger than a 48 chain ring that will bolt to the crankset. most often road stuff is bigger than mtb stuff (chain ring size) because you generally don't go as fast off road. you have a 4 bolt 104mm bolt pattern outer ring... if you find anything that size(and the right speed) larger than a 48tooth it will bolt right on. then you just have to adjust the derailleur
to change to a road crankset you would have to change the rear cassette, chain, shifters and maybe the bottom bracket.. lots of bucks but worst of all you would be taking perfectly good parts off your bike.
honestly, it is hard to have a bike that does it all... fast, durable, off road, on road, commute and look good...
you have a nice bike! it will get faster as you get fitter(not saying you are not fit just the more you ride the fitter)... keep the versatility over gaining some top end speed.

most of us went through or go through a speed stage and then for most i have found it passes. but rarely do we not want to be able to go where we want to when we want to.

 

[chibibike]

i just wanna be able to go 30 - 40 MPH and i'll be happier. I'm willing to spend whatever amount of money, that's not a big issue. I know it won't be that expensive on shifters cause I'd just get more trigger shifters, I just don't like the road bike kind that are intergrated and I know those can be expensive. so If I can make a conversion for 500 or less, i wanna do it. so i wouldn't have the change out the front gears? The bottom bracket? isn't that just have to do with the pedals?

 

[SprocketGirl]

i just wanna be able to go 30 - 40 MPH and i'll be happier. I'm willing to spend whatever amount of money, that's not a big issue. I know it won't be that expensive on shifters cause I'd just get more trigger shifters, I just don't like the road bike kind that are intergrated and I know those can be expensive. so If I can make a conversion for 500 or less, i wanna do it. so i wouldn't have the change out the front gears? The bottom bracket? isn't that just have to do with the pedals?

no, you would have to change out the front gears(chain rings)... but to do so i believe you would have to change out the crank arms that go from your bottom bracket to your pedals... thus, you may find a crankset that fits your bottom bracket but you may have to change it.
basically you need a front ring larger than a 48 tooth(i do not think anyone makes them in a 104mm 4bolt pattern, so you have to change your cranks)... to have a higher top end speed. they come all the way to 55 tooth. what will fit on your bike? i can't say. see if DirtyBobbysBikes, he is a member here, can help you with that. he is a bike repair/shop guy.

 

[SprocketGirl]

by the way, any speed over 35 mph on a flat road is going to be really hard to do on almost any bike! (road and track racing bikes excluded)

 

[chibibike]

what about this one?

Race Face Cadence 53T Chainring : Bike Chainrings From Performance Bike

 

[SprocketGirl]

what about this one?

Race Face Cadence 53T Chainring : Bike Chainrings From Performance Bike

that is a 5 hole bolt pattern... for a road bike. i think your bike has a 4 hole pattern...
many road cranks hold the Chain ring on with 5 bolts while many mtb cranks use 4 bolts....