How Fast Have You Gone?
- Thread starter drewjc
- Start date
This is my most feared bike handling skill (descending) so I suppose that should be close to my top priority 
I'm a milly going downhill and ride the brakes fairly constantly to hold an honest 30-35 mph tops... My first love on a bike is ascending... My friends think I'm nuts, but it was the same with mountain bikes as well. The descent is just a short break in between ascents.
I'm thinking my problem must be 100% mental... I admit that along with the rush of wind my mind tends to wander toward thoughts such as car doors opening, open manhole covers, people blasting out of their driveways without looking, hitting a really big piece of debris on the road, and catastrophic tire failure at speed.
Not certain why, but I get so much more enjoyment and satisfaction out of climbing than descending, at times its so crazy that I find myself wishing for a reverse bike lift way to get DOWN the hill so I can climb again without putting wear on my brake pads *laughing*
Call me insane
Feanor
I'm a milly going downhill and ride the brakes fairly constantly to hold an honest 30-35 mph tops... My first love on a bike is ascending... My friends think I'm nuts, but it was the same with mountain bikes as well. The descent is just a short break in between ascents.
I'm thinking my problem must be 100% mental... I admit that along with the rush of wind my mind tends to wander toward thoughts such as car doors opening, open manhole covers, people blasting out of their driveways without looking, hitting a really big piece of debris on the road, and catastrophic tire failure at speed.
Not certain why, but I get so much more enjoyment and satisfaction out of climbing than descending, at times its so crazy that I find myself wishing for a reverse bike lift way to get DOWN the hill so I can climb again without putting wear on my brake pads *laughing*
Call me insane
Feanor
My fastest was barely 80 kph( 49.7 mph).. It probably would have been better, but I'd had a minor crash higher on the hill( I took a corner to fast, slammed on the brakes and rolled into a fence..shook me up a bit)..
My fastest on the flats was 32.6 mph( 52 kph). I've never ridden in a paceline though..
Off road, my best is 38 mph..
My fastest on the flats was 32.6 mph( 52 kph). I've never ridden in a paceline though..
Off road, my best is 38 mph..
My fastest speed was 99km/h on my Gardin, screaming down a mountain highway of 10% in British Columbia, using "Profile" areo bars. Then again, who can tell if my bike computer was correct? This road would take 35-40 minutes to climb and 7-10 to fly down...
Memph
I haven't had any problems in a bicycle at speed, but I did blow a rear tyre on a modified Suzuki 1100 at 245 km/h once. Exciting stuff. Managed to stay on though.
The rules are the same whether on a bicycle or motorbike - don't panic, try to put more weight on your footpegs/pedals, slow down gently but DON'T hit the brakes hard.
If you are cornering at the time, it is a bit more difficult. I got spat off a BMW doing 60 km/h around a tight corner when the rear tyre rolled off the rim. Not much you can do there.
I had a double blowout at approx. 44 mph descending a hill! (Double pinch flats). I hit a manhole cover that was recessed in the pavement. I went for the brakes, but thought better of cranking on the front. I did have 2 spare tubes with me, but I was fairly close too home and had my cell phone, so I called for a lift. (Every time I drive down that hill I focus on that manhole cover and think of what might have happened...)
Great stories guys. I haven't gotten near those speeds, but it is fun to go downhill. I pedal around a quad with 2 seats. I don't have a speedo so I have only measured by a following car (40mph). I go faster if there is another person with me, but I haven't found a true speed freak to join me. I feel so much safer on 4 tires and my foam tires (no flats). I don't have to worry about hitting something and flying over the handlebars.
I have never gone over 35mph on a normal DF bike. You guys are gutsy!
I feel so much safer on 4 tires and my foam tires (no flats). I don't have to worry about hitting something and flying over the handlebars.I have never gone over 35mph on a normal DF bike. You guys are gutsy!
The speed wasn't fast by 'how fast have you gone' standards, but I once enjoyed it tremendously when a driver started to notice I was keeping ahead of him in traffic running at about 40-50 kph and it developed into an impromptu race with the driver glancing at me with angry looks.
I won the 'race' to the point where our paths diverged, and it was fun. No downhills, no help with headwinds, just city riding.
A little bit off-topic for this thread, but maybe someone else would like to talk about their favorite, not just top, speed experiences.
I won the 'race' to the point where our paths diverged, and it was fun. No downhills, no help with headwinds, just city riding.
A little bit off-topic for this thread, but maybe someone else would like to talk about their favorite, not just top, speed experiences.
During our summer holiday in 2002 me and the Mrs were going down a very winding mountain road in Italy on our motorbike when we cought up with a truck going slightly slower than us. It took a while but finally we got to a spot where I could overtake safely (truck was doing about 80km at the time, low gear -my a**!). Not so easy as a bike with panniers etc is almost as wide as a small car.
I always check the rearview mirrors before overtaking but didn't spot anything so I started to accelerate and moved left in order to pass the truck when this cyclist came up next to the bike. He must've been doing 90km/h and was clearly planning to pass both us and the truck.
I almost soiled my leathers and the guy on the cycle must've felt much the same when he was being edged towards the sheer drop on the left side of the road...
Fortunately nothing happened as I was accelerating hard and quickly got out of his way.
I always check the rearview mirrors before overtaking but didn't spot anything so I started to accelerate and moved left in order to pass the truck when this cyclist came up next to the bike. He must've been doing 90km/h and was clearly planning to pass both us and the truck.
I almost soiled my leathers and the guy on the cycle must've felt much the same when he was being edged towards the sheer drop on the left side of the road...
Fortunately nothing happened as I was accelerating hard and quickly got out of his way.
I would love to ride in SF. My fave football plays there (has slowly gone downhill since JM retired, lack of good QB). My brother's fave player and besaball team plays there also.
It is in your neck of the woods that has the curvy downhill thru the park that is shown in moves? Also, why are most cop movies taken place in SF????
Memph
Shouldn't we spilt this thread in half... one side for speed reached with the aid of a hill, and another (more important to me) speed reached on flat ground (with no descent involved in getting up to speed and no huge wind at the back). This is a better representation of power in my opinion. BTW: my best speed this summer on flat ground: 39.8mph (64.03km).
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