Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Singlespeed & Fixed Gear
Reload this Page >

how "fast" is fast for ya?

Search
Notices
Singlespeed & Fixed Gear "I still feel that variable gears are only for people over forty-five. Isn't it better to triumph by the strength of your muscles than by the artifice of a derailer? We are getting soft...As for me, give me a fixed gear!"-- Henri Desgrange (31 January 1865 - 16 August 1940)

how "fast" is fast for ya?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 03-15-06, 04:25 PM
  #26  
mikorp
Senior Member
 
mikorp's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: hayes
Posts: 677

Bikes: none

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
nope. we tape riders from a scooter. 25 to 30 is the norm. have only seen 40+ once 52X17 and a 6 block downhill. you could see that it was fast even for massan. and yes, he skids 52X17!


Originally Posted by fordfasterr
I went 42 mph downhill yesterday with 40x16 . No bounce. I was amazed what a little tail wind and an overpass can do for speed ! According to the cadence calculator, that is 209 rpms. It is most likely possible that there was a glitch on the cyclocomputer... but who will ever know or care ? LOL

On my own power, on a flat with neutral wind, I have been able to hit 30 mph... ONCE. =)
__________________
mikorp is offline  
Old 03-15-06, 06:08 PM
  #27  
jacobs
Senior Member
 
jacobs's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Boston, MA
Posts: 787

Bikes: https://www.jacobsbicycles.com

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by mikorp
nope. we tape riders from a scooter. 25 to 30 is the norm. have only seen 40+ once 52X17 and a 6 block downhill. you could see that it was fast even for massan. and yes, he skids 52X17!
52x17 isn't that high, it's just a big chainring.
jacobs is offline  
Old 03-15-06, 06:12 PM
  #28  
Gurgus
is as Gurgus does.
 
Gurgus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Otisburg
Posts: 910

Bikes: A whole bunch o' bikes.

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I've hit 40 on my single speed with 27in tires. 52x20.
Gurgus is offline  
Old 03-15-06, 06:18 PM
  #29  
marcelinyc
R900Campagnolo
 
marcelinyc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Brooklyn
Posts: 884

Bikes: track and road

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
pro aussies spin 220 on rollers for training
marcelinyc is offline  
Old 03-15-06, 07:08 PM
  #30  
MacG
don't pedal backwards...
 
MacG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Minneapolis
Posts: 754

Bikes: Surly Long Haul Trucker set up for commuting and loaded touring, old Sekine road frame converted to fixed-gear, various beaters and weird bikes, waiting on the frame for my Surly Big Dummy build

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
For max speed, I haven't been past about 140rpm, which is about 31mph with 74.2 gear inches (and a good downhill).

I actually don't do a lot of riding in heavy traffic, so I don't know what would feel too fast for me in traffic. I like to cruise between 15 and 20mph on the level when I have plenty of space to myself. If I'm feeling competitive for some reason, I've been known to fly at 25 on the level at times.

10mph feels really slow to me.
MacG is offline  
Old 03-15-06, 07:15 PM
  #31  
vomitron
ya'll can't mush me
 
vomitron's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: san diego, ca
Posts: 839
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I hit 40mph+ on a steep downhill towards my house. That's about 200rpm with 48x17. Pretty fun. The trick to not bouncing is to concentrate on your pedal stroke. Folk'll assume that riding a fixie will give you a perfect pedal stroke, but that's not necessarily true. You have to focus on staying "on top" of your gear, as in, applying an even amount of pressure across the whole rotation, rather than just pushing and/or pulling.

Spinning 160-180 for a short amount of time isn't that nuts, though. Most sprints happen at something between 135-145 for longer period sprints, and 155-165 for short period.
vomitron is offline  
Old 03-15-06, 07:26 PM
  #32  
sers
Senior Member
 
sers's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Salem, MA
Posts: 2,188

Bikes: Land Shark, Level Professional, Tsunami singlespeed, Giant Reign 1

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
fast for me must be ludicrous thpeed to others. i get stopped by coworkers regularly who see me during my ride in. they seem to think that I "fly" down the street and through traffic, even though i'd say i'm cruising.
sers is offline  
Old 03-15-06, 07:34 PM
  #33  
humancongereel
live free or die trying
 
humancongereel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: where i lay my head is home.
Posts: 6,999

Bikes: bianchi pista workhorse, cannondale r1000, mountain bike fixed conversion

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
yeah, my gf's mom came by one day to go grocery shopping with her. i was leaving to go somewhere, i don't remember where. anyway, a week later, she told her mom she was getting to where she could ride about as fast as me. her mom said something like "no way! he's like greased lightning! get real!" i never sprint away from the house...just "cruise".

in short, +1 to sers.
humancongereel is offline  
Old 03-15-06, 07:43 PM
  #34  
dosoner
sucker
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: AA is where i should be
Posts: 405

Bikes: Bianchi pista concept

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
i dont acually ride my bike, so, like 10, is pretty fast for me.
dosoner is offline  
Old 03-15-06, 09:42 PM
  #35  
kludge
san francisco nucka!
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 446
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by sers
fast for me must be ludicrous thpeed to others. i get stopped by coworkers regularly who see me during my ride in. they seem to think that I "fly" down the street and through traffic, even though i'd say i'm cruising.

i didnt "get" that aspect of fixed riding when i was on my geared bike and friends of mine on fixed gear bikes would drop me everytime and only barely trying. but now i understand how its possible to shred ass and not try as hard. its great.
kludge is offline  
Old 03-15-06, 09:45 PM
  #36  
Msngr
Senior Member
 
Msngr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: south side, you got a problem with that?
Posts: 993
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
this title should be:
how fast is "fast" for ya?

[crawls back under rock]
Msngr is offline  
Old 03-15-06, 10:23 PM
  #37  
muftek
awesome
 
muftek's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: urbana / chicago
Posts: 198
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
racing a car going the speed limit (25mph on a flat) into a headwind, and beating it...
muftek is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.