What's Your Speed Limit.??
04-29-19, 04:04 PM
#101
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Brentwood WLA
Posts: 326
Bikes: 50/34, 11-40, 11 Speed
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 142 Post(s)
Liked 73 Times
in
52 Posts
The fastest that I know I have gone is 53 MPH. As long as the road is one I know and it is in good conditions, straight, and there is minimal chance or better yet no chance of cross traffic I am comfortable going as fast as I can.
It also helps if you can block out of your mind the thought of falling or having a front tire puncture, etc. One way of doing that is trying to go as fast as you can. The concentration of effort keeps your mind focused on that and consequently blocks out fear of what could go wrong and its consequences.
It also helps if you can block out of your mind the thought of falling or having a front tire puncture, etc. One way of doing that is trying to go as fast as you can. The concentration of effort keeps your mind focused on that and consequently blocks out fear of what could go wrong and its consequences.
Last edited by BengalCat; 04-29-19 at 08:22 PM.
04-29-19, 04:48 PM
#103
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Sacramento, California, USA
Posts: 40,865
Bikes: Specialized Tarmac, Canyon Exceed, Specialized Transition, Ellsworth Roots, Ridley Excalibur
Mentioned: 68 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2952 Post(s)
Liked 3,106 Times
in
1,417 Posts
I have cracked 55mph coming down to Northstar from the Brockway Summit on the north shore of Lake Tahoe. Good times.
04-29-19, 05:27 PM
#104
Full Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Southern California
Posts: 492
Bikes: Historical: Schwinn Speedster; Schwinn Collegiate; 1981 Ross Gran Tour; 1981 Dawes Atlantis; 1991 Specialized Rockhopper. Current: 1987 Ritchey Ultra; 1987 Centurion Ironman Dave Scott Master; 1992 Specialized Stumpjumper FS
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 209 Post(s)
Liked 178 Times
in
111 Posts
Check it out at 3:45 - the guy does a little bunny-hop over the lane markings.
I hit 47 once on a big downhill on my old crit bike. It was a little twitchy, and I never quite got up that high again. On my old mountain bike with slicks, I seem to top out at around 37-38 on a big hill on the way home. I caught myself sitting up and taking my hands off the bar for some reason, then realized just what a bad idea that was.
I hit 47 once on a big downhill on my old crit bike. It was a little twitchy, and I never quite got up that high again. On my old mountain bike with slicks, I seem to top out at around 37-38 on a big hill on the way home. I caught myself sitting up and taking my hands off the bar for some reason, then realized just what a bad idea that was.
04-29-19, 06:21 PM
#106
Mad bike riding scientist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 27,342
Bikes: Some silver ones, a red one, a black and orange one, and a few titanium ones
Mentioned: 152 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6200 Post(s)
Liked 4,204 Times
in
2,358 Posts
Oh, I read it alright. The fear was oozing from my screen in fact.
That's why I commented on it - because it's funny that someone suggesting that "learning how to mountain bike" would help with descending on the road while at the same time providing evidence that they lack basic mountain biking skills.
The photos of the mundane descent were just the topping on the fail cake.
That's why I commented on it - because it's funny that someone suggesting that "learning how to mountain bike" would help with descending on the road while at the same time providing evidence that they lack basic mountain biking skills.
The photos of the mundane descent were just the topping on the fail cake.
Wait, you think that you would incur legal liability if someone read your "bomb down that hill" and was such a poor rider that they crashed on that little hill? And you would risk losing your house because your blog suggested that folks "bomb down that hill"?
Wow! I don't know what is worse, your abject paranoia or your lack or understanding of tort law.
__________________
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Likes For cyccommute:
04-29-19, 06:45 PM
#108
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Salt Lake City, UT (Formerly Los Angeles, CA)
Posts: 1,145
Bikes: 2008 Cannondale Synapse -- 2014 Cannondale Quick CX
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 212 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 83 Times
in
54 Posts
50MPH.
It is a lot easier to hit on a bike with slick road tires and drop bars, but I think the continuous 7-11 percent grades descending Little Cottonwood are enough to facilitate someone on any contraption with wheels hitting pretty high speeds if they stay off the brakes.
It is a lot easier to hit on a bike with slick road tires and drop bars, but I think the continuous 7-11 percent grades descending Little Cottonwood are enough to facilitate someone on any contraption with wheels hitting pretty high speeds if they stay off the brakes.
04-29-19, 07:58 PM
#109
Banned.
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 82
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 46 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 7 Times
in
5 Posts
Have you been there? Seen what the hill looks like? Pictures of hills are only 2D representations of a 3D object and they don’t often show what you can see in person. They also don’t convey the remoteness of the location.
Again, have you been there? 16% grades are steep in anyone’s book.
Again, have you been there? 16% grades are steep in anyone’s book.
So yes, you aren't someone to lecture "roadies" about the benfits of learning how to ride mountain bikes.
Yes, I have been sued. No, you don't have a good understanding of torts if you are fearful that recommending someone "bomb down that hill" on your obscure, incredibly low traffic, blog thing opens you to liability that will make you lose your house.
04-30-19, 10:19 AM
#110
Senior Member
On dirt, if it's dry and hard packed, same. Have only gotten 35mph or so, also looking to improve that.
Sketchy dirt, it depends on how loose and how close and trees/rocks/drops-offs are!
04-30-19, 11:40 AM
#111
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Brighton, Michigan
Posts: 661
Bikes: Optima Baron LR, '14 Nishiki Maricopa,'87 Trek 330 Elance, '89 Miyata 1400, '85 Peugeot PGN10, '04 Fuji Ace, '06 Giant Rincon, '95 Giant Allegre, '83 Trek 620, '86 Schwinn High Sierra
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 224 Post(s)
Liked 162 Times
in
106 Posts
45
45 is my safety limit. I"ve been up to 53mph on my recumbent and 51 on my road bike, but didn't feel safe at those speeds. Heck, at 48mph, I nearly bit it on a decent down Whiteface.
04-30-19, 11:45 AM
#112
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Pacific Northwest
Posts: 1,993
Bikes: Argon 18 Gallium, BH G7, Rocky Mountain Instinct C70
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 800 Post(s)
Liked 512 Times
in
306 Posts
My max is 70km/h. And even then I won't sit at that speed for very long.
04-30-19, 12:32 PM
#113
Virgo
I don't have a speed limit per se, but on the flat and no wind I try to keep it around 16-17 mph, less on my hybrid. Once I hit 29 mph that I know of, down a short slight grade with a tailwind. We don't have many hills around here, my commute is 12 miles with 750 feet of climbing.
04-30-19, 04:52 PM
#114
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Central Illinois
Posts: 869
Bikes: 2008 Dawes Haymaker 20XX Leader LD515 TotoCycling Road Bike
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 27 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 30 Times
in
19 Posts
39.9mph was the fastest I ever achieved on flat land. Didn't feel out of control so I have not experienced a limit on flats or up hills. Descents on the other hand make me nervous at times, especially steep ones. Back end tends to feel really light, like it wants to flip over. I would say anything over 30mph feels too fast for me going downhill.
05-01-19, 02:28 AM
#115
Cycleway town
Cruising at 45mph no-handed, the bike's very stable. I have to hold my hands behind my back to cheat the wind, though. Otherwise it's like hugging a bear.
05-01-19, 03:39 AM
#116
velo-dilettante
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: insane diego, california
Posts: 8,315
Bikes: 85 pinarello treviso steel, 88 nishiki olympic steel. 95 look kg 131 carbon, 11 trek madone 5.2 carbon
Mentioned: 26 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1627 Post(s)
Liked 3,113 Times
in
1,683 Posts
62.5 mph on the old palm springs tram road on a heavy steel '88 bianchi before they installed the guard shack about 15 years ago. i gave myself 10 seconds to go for it and whatever speed i hit, i hit. those 10 seconds seemed like an eternity.
after that, it was sit up, unzip the jersey and brakes time. the road then wasn't the smoothest so the chain came off. these days, i get nervous above 40 mph.
on the flats, the fastest i've gone was 37-38 mph which is just above what i can max out pedalling with current gearing. had a (beyond the usual) ridiculous tailwind blowing me back into-you guessed it-palm springs, ca. it was fun not pedalling.
after that, it was sit up, unzip the jersey and brakes time. the road then wasn't the smoothest so the chain came off. these days, i get nervous above 40 mph.
on the flats, the fastest i've gone was 37-38 mph which is just above what i can max out pedalling with current gearing. had a (beyond the usual) ridiculous tailwind blowing me back into-you guessed it-palm springs, ca. it was fun not pedalling.
Last edited by diphthong; 05-01-19 at 03:43 AM.
05-01-19, 08:27 AM
#117
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 71
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 36 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
That's crazy. I think I hit about 30 going down a steep hill last season but it was only to see how fast I could go before I pumped the breaks and I was pretty scared at that speed. I guess if you were pushing rather than cruising it would feel different but still, that's highway speeds for some people.
05-01-19, 09:13 AM
#118
Non omnino gravis
My wife does not like descending at speed. I would guess 35mph is probably her "do not exceed" speed. I've always thought that a big part of that relates to having lady hands and the corresponding lady hand strength. I have ape hands, so I've never felt like I couldn't squeeze the brakes hard enough to stop.
Zero big descents on my route today, so unless I get in behind a truck or happen into a massive tailwind, I don't expect to see a max speed above 31-32mph.
Zero big descents on my route today, so unless I get in behind a truck or happen into a massive tailwind, I don't expect to see a max speed above 31-32mph.
__________________
Likes For DrIsotope:
05-01-19, 10:18 AM
#119
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: northern michigan
Posts: 13,317
Bikes: '77 Colnago Super, '76 Fuji The Finest, '88 Cannondale Criterium, '86 Trek 760, '87 Miyata 712
Mentioned: 19 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 659 Post(s)
Liked 595 Times
in
313 Posts
I haven’t hit my limit yet. Fastest was 50mph but had to start braking for a rather tight curve.
05-02-19, 01:09 PM
#120
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 29,546
Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0
Mentioned: 112 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5223 Post(s)
Liked 3,579 Times
in
2,341 Posts
I can not reach my limit, however I am guilty of going faster than I should (for the situation)
05-06-19, 12:33 PM
#121
Full Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 313
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 123 Post(s)
Liked 83 Times
in
63 Posts
Title poses a question I've been thinking about lately. Last Fall I rode my Schwinn hybrid down a fairly steep hill on a well maintained road. At 29mph I started to give the bike a little brake. In otherwords, I didn't feel safe going over 29mph on that bike.
I have a new road bike and I've topped it off at like 24mph once. I wanted more but the grade didn't allow it. The new bike feels extremely confident in my hands and I am craving a long hill to see how fast I'll go before braking. It's pretty flat in these parts, western NY. Once the temperature warms I'll be riding more country roads outside of the metro population to see how I handle 30+mph.
So anyways, how fast do you go before you begin to get nervous.?? How fast before you start squeezing the brake lever softly.?? The world wants to know.... Ha.!!
This makes me think of Gilbert going over the wall in the Tour De France last year. Geeeeezum....
I have a new road bike and I've topped it off at like 24mph once. I wanted more but the grade didn't allow it. The new bike feels extremely confident in my hands and I am craving a long hill to see how fast I'll go before braking. It's pretty flat in these parts, western NY. Once the temperature warms I'll be riding more country roads outside of the metro population to see how I handle 30+mph.
So anyways, how fast do you go before you begin to get nervous.?? How fast before you start squeezing the brake lever softly.?? The world wants to know.... Ha.!!
This makes me think of Gilbert going over the wall in the Tour De France last year. Geeeeezum....
I can't go 35 on flat ground and I'm sure I never will be able to.
Likes For yukiinu:
05-06-19, 01:28 PM
#123
Senior Member
You +40 mph guys are impressive (or as one poster noted: foolhardy 
). I brake to keep it below 35 or so.
). I brake to keep it below 35 or so.
05-06-19, 01:40 PM
#124
Newbie
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Santa Fe NM
Posts: 2
Bikes: 5
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Speed limit?
Top speed is, of course, a very individual thing. About 10 years ago, after reaching 50 mph many times, I was heading down the Santa Fe Ski basin(ave 6 to 7% grade) and was almost hitting 55 mph when the dreaded "wheel wobble"...or "death wobble" set in. (If you've never heard of it...google it. Interestingly I couldn't find a whole lot online,despite the fact that it is a common phenomenon.)I thought, "I'm dead". Somehow managed to gently pump brakes and get back control. My bike at the time was a 2010 Trek Madone 6.9 Pro. Point being, wheel wobble can happen on the best bikes. The general consensus is: Lighten up your grip on the bars, and....if possible, put one of your knees into the top tube. Anyhoo....I have not gone over 35 or so since. At nearly 75(years old) don't feel like pushing my luck.
PS: A good article about this by Mat Brett on roadcc.com
PS: A good article about this by Mat Brett on roadcc.com
Last edited by anandarider; 05-06-19 at 01:52 PM. Reason: Addition
Likes For anandarider:
05-06-19, 01:50 PM
#125
Sophomore Member
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 2,531
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1628 Post(s)
Liked 1,057 Times
in
631 Posts
Only time I have ever gotten that, is by riding with one hand. And even then, it only happens with certain wheels, when combined with certain frames, which I suspect are the main culprit. Never had it happen at high speeds though, I'm sure that's not much fun.