I saw "Breaking Away" today for first time

[grampy bone]

I don't know how I missed this movie as a kid since I grew up and still live 25 miles from Bloomington, IN (yes, I am a real "cutter"). I probably ride on some of the same roads. Maybe since I wasn't interested in cycling at the time I just ignored the movie.

A question for anyone who has seen the movie. The scene where Stern is following and racing the semi. The speedo on the semi showed 60 MPH. I realize that this is just a movie, but my friend who was watching with me said that its impossible to go that fast on the flat. I explained that the semi was acting as a wind shield and that it was possible given the right gearing. Any opinions? Has anyone raced a semi?

 

[Cyclist14]

It is possible, thats how the people who set land speed records do it. They draft behind a car.

 

[BanditManDan]

I've done 45MPH drafting behind a bus and my gearing was 53x11 (but only for a few seconds). I was spinning pretty fast but I didn't check my cadence. According to a Sheldon Browns Gearing Calculator a 53x11 @ 120 RPM will produce 45.2 MPH. If you have a 60x11 @ 120 RPM you would be going 51.2 MPH. This is assuming a bike with 700x23 tires and 170mm crank arms.

I guess if you put on a something bigger than 60t ring and increase your cadence going 60 MPH would be possible but not likely.

 

[ryan_velo]

Yes I would say it is possible, and I really do love that movie. I have seen it probably 10 times

 

[sprintmonkey924]

The next time you watch it, notice what gear he's in when they do the close-ups. It's more even more impressive that he can do 60mph in the little ring.

 

[ryan_velo]

Yes I noticed that he wasnt in high gear, and are you sure he wasnt going 70?

 

[BanditManDan]

Ok now, I haven't seen this movie but are you are trying to tell me that he was going 60 or 70 MPH in his little ring? Come on now, his cadenace would have to be super human to reach that kind of speed. In fact his cadance would have to be about 200 RPM using a 42x11 combination just to reach 60 MPH. I don't know about you but I can't maintain that high of a cadance for an extended period of time. I wonder what a persons would look like pedaling that fast?

 

[RC2]

So we shouldn't believe everything we see in movies? Huh?