How fast have you ridden?
11-26-23, 07:52 AM
#26
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An undocumented probably 55. The Stow race over Smuggler's Notch 46 years ago. Our pace car was a local cop. He had to do 60 between corners to stay ahead of us.
That decent made me a total believer in the Fuji Pro I'd has a few weeks. In the wet and drizzle, I couldn't see through my glasses. I hit a frost heave I didn't see until it was 20 feet away. The butt kick I received tossed me 2 feet into the air. Bike came down straight and on it's feet, like a cat. No big deal. (I now have an '83 Pro Miyata. Got to ride some gnarly pavement on the Oregon coast range 2 months ago. Another surefooted cat. And both on the skinny rubber that is - according to the modern word - totally unrideable!)
The Mooney did 49 down a local hill. My nerves were the limit. Hill is steep enough and long enough for faster. I just needed a younger me. Did the less steep sister hill on my TiCycles its first year with a huge tailwind probably faster but no documentation.
I now rarely ride with computers so unless a car pulls up and rolls down the window, ??
That decent made me a total believer in the Fuji Pro I'd has a few weeks. In the wet and drizzle, I couldn't see through my glasses. I hit a frost heave I didn't see until it was 20 feet away. The butt kick I received tossed me 2 feet into the air. Bike came down straight and on it's feet, like a cat. No big deal. (I now have an '83 Pro Miyata. Got to ride some gnarly pavement on the Oregon coast range 2 months ago. Another surefooted cat. And both on the skinny rubber that is - according to the modern word - totally unrideable!)
The Mooney did 49 down a local hill. My nerves were the limit. Hill is steep enough and long enough for faster. I just needed a younger me. Did the less steep sister hill on my TiCycles its first year with a huge tailwind probably faster but no documentation.
I now rarely ride with computers so unless a car pulls up and rolls down the window, ??
Stowe, Streaked Mtn and the Killington Stage Race were my favorite races back in the day.
11-26-23, 10:43 AM
#27
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I ride mountains and steep hills in northern Colorado. 50 mph is included with nearly every ride. The fastest I've done is 57.5 with a big tail wind. Turning around and going back up that 10-12% grade wasn't fun.
11-26-23, 11:06 AM
#28
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I'm doing 50mph+ almost every ride. One hill in particular, I used to sit on the top tube and would approach 60. I've since calmed down a lot and can do, on that same descent, 50-52mph in the seat. I'm doing these speeds on roads with generally good sight lines, I'm a bit more cautious on roads with poorer visibility.
The other limiting factor is the battling winds we sometimes get. They're not such a problem on more sheltered descents, but can be scary when descending into a major river drainage or descending one of the big eastern Sierra passes.
The other limiting factor is the battling winds we sometimes get. They're not such a problem on more sheltered descents, but can be scary when descending into a major river drainage or descending one of the big eastern Sierra passes.
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11-26-23, 11:20 AM
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49.5 fully loaded. Never again.
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11-26-23, 01:03 PM
#31
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It’s a bit like a drinking contest, nobody wins and the people who excell (in this case, I’d say regularly go past 50 mph) understand that it’s not something to be proud of.)
you just need a brave person and a steep hill to go really fast. For every ~10 mph or even less, I’d say the potential expected damage from a crash doubles. The forces involved go to some power of the speed, or some nonsense like that.
So crashing at 30 mph is twice as bad as crashing at 20, and crashing at 40 mph is 4 times as bad as crashing at 20, crashing at 50 is 8 times as bad as crashing at 20 etc.
I’ve had my gps say I’ve gone 50, I don’t like going much past 30 though for the reasons above.
you just need a brave person and a steep hill to go really fast. For every ~10 mph or even less, I’d say the potential expected damage from a crash doubles. The forces involved go to some power of the speed, or some nonsense like that.
So crashing at 30 mph is twice as bad as crashing at 20, and crashing at 40 mph is 4 times as bad as crashing at 20, crashing at 50 is 8 times as bad as crashing at 20 etc.
I’ve had my gps say I’ve gone 50, I don’t like going much past 30 though for the reasons above.
11-26-23, 01:14 PM
#32
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It’s a bit like a drinking contest, nobody wins and the people who excell (in this case, I’d say regularly go past 50 mph) understand that it’s not something to be proud of.)
you just need a brave person and a steep hill to go really fast. For every ~10 mph or even less, I’d say the potential expected damage from a crash doubles. The forces involved go to some power of the speed, or some nonsense like that.
So crashing at 30 mph is twice as bad as crashing at 20, and crashing at 40 mph is 4 times as bad as crashing at 20, crashing at 50 is 8 times as bad as crashing at 20 etc.
I’ve had my gps say I’ve gone 50, I don’t like going much past 30 though for the reasons above.
you just need a brave person and a steep hill to go really fast. For every ~10 mph or even less, I’d say the potential expected damage from a crash doubles. The forces involved go to some power of the speed, or some nonsense like that.
So crashing at 30 mph is twice as bad as crashing at 20, and crashing at 40 mph is 4 times as bad as crashing at 20, crashing at 50 is 8 times as bad as crashing at 20 etc.
I’ve had my gps say I’ve gone 50, I don’t like going much past 30 though for the reasons above.
Not something to be proud of?
11-26-23, 01:35 PM
#33
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An alcoholic would crush any frat guy in a drinking contest, and wouldn’t be proud of it. A pro racer might look at a group of cyclists talking about their max speed in a similar way, like these guys have no idea what they are doing, I’ve gone way faster and am not proud of it. Playing with fire.
that’s just my imagination though
that’s just my imagination though
11-26-23, 06:16 PM
#35
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My fastest ride was 37 seconds. Flat tire. :-D
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11-26-23, 06:34 PM
#36
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I've nudged over 50mph down a hill here in Ohio. The road kind of drops out from under you but it is very straight and you can see a long way. And, it was recently repaved!
On the flip side though, I've climbed it a few times and it is a butt-kicker. You know, one of those where you go from "it's not so bad," to "I don't think I can make it," in a very short time.
On the flip side though, I've climbed it a few times and it is a butt-kicker. You know, one of those where you go from "it's not so bad," to "I don't think I can make it," in a very short time.
11-26-23, 06:46 PM
#37
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48 mph
tried a number of times to hit 50 and was unsuccessful
we had an informal ‘50 club’ - many of the riders in our loose group were members - but not me
tried a number of times to hit 50 and was unsuccessful
we had an informal ‘50 club’ - many of the riders in our loose group were members - but not me
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11-26-23, 08:24 PM
#39
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Holy Freakin' Moly...man it is no joke going that fast on a bike...one screw up and it hamburg city.
When I hit 65 I was on 21mm tires too...but they were sewups so there is that...
Brakes are just a reminder of bad things to come if you hit them hard lol...even feathering is not for the weak spirited but hey if we are going that fast down a hill a weak spirit is not something we have to worry about.
Chapeau to you...
When I hit 65 I was on 21mm tires too...but they were sewups so there is that...
Brakes are just a reminder of bad things to come if you hit them hard lol...even feathering is not for the weak spirited but hey if we are going that fast down a hill a weak spirit is not something we have to worry about.
Chapeau to you...
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11-26-23, 08:48 PM
#40
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It’s a bit like a drinking contest, nobody wins and the people who excell (in this case, I’d say regularly go past 50 mph) understand that it’s not something to be proud of.)
I’ve had my gps say I’ve gone 50, I don’t like going much past 30 though for the reasons above.
I’ve had my gps say I’ve gone 50, I don’t like going much past 30 though for the reasons above.
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11-26-23, 08:55 PM
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11-26-23, 09:46 PM
#42
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I wish I could remember. It was on my first ever (supported) bicycle tour and first bicycle trip out West. We rode from Durango to Steamboat. I remember trying to bomb down each pass. I forget which one I saw 70, probably closer to Steamboat.
Last edited by john m flores; 11-26-23 at 10:04 PM.
11-26-23, 09:54 PM
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Doesn’t feel like I’m really living until the speedo hits 50!
This year it appears that I accumulated ~20min at 50mph and over… makes me happy 😃
This year it appears that I accumulated ~20min at 50mph and over… makes me happy 😃
11-26-23, 10:50 PM
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It’s a bit like a drinking contest, nobody wins and the people who excell (in this case, I’d say regularly go past 50 mph) understand that it’s not something to be proud of.)
you just need a brave person and a steep hill to go really fast. For every ~10 mph or even less, I’d say the potential expected damage from a crash doubles. The forces involved go to some power of the speed, or some nonsense like that.
So crashing at 30 mph is twice as bad as crashing at 20, and crashing at 40 mph is 4 times as bad as crashing at 20, crashing at 50 is 8 times as bad as crashing at 20 etc.
I’ve had my gps say I’ve gone 50, I don’t like going much past 30 though for the reasons above.
you just need a brave person and a steep hill to go really fast. For every ~10 mph or even less, I’d say the potential expected damage from a crash doubles. The forces involved go to some power of the speed, or some nonsense like that.
So crashing at 30 mph is twice as bad as crashing at 20, and crashing at 40 mph is 4 times as bad as crashing at 20, crashing at 50 is 8 times as bad as crashing at 20 etc.
I’ve had my gps say I’ve gone 50, I don’t like going much past 30 though for the reasons above.
11-26-23, 11:34 PM
#45
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Its not how fast but what is too Fast...
I remember in 75 coming down from the mountains through Rossate di Sopra Italy. In those days not all the roads were well paved. We were going way too fast in a drizzle. As my front end got lighter and lighter I noticed smoke or steam coming off my brakes. I was a kid in a group of seven 50+ year old bicyclists who had raced. All slowed down to about 40 Kph. Latter all admitted it was way too fast. At one corner I learned why bicyclists shave their legs.
I was just a 22 year old GI and can't imagine how me with those 50+ year olds made it up those mountains with a 42 @ 28 gear ratio. Could I do it today? Only if you drove me to the top... Ha
I remember in 75 coming down from the mountains through Rossate di Sopra Italy. In those days not all the roads were well paved. We were going way too fast in a drizzle. As my front end got lighter and lighter I noticed smoke or steam coming off my brakes. I was a kid in a group of seven 50+ year old bicyclists who had raced. All slowed down to about 40 Kph. Latter all admitted it was way too fast. At one corner I learned why bicyclists shave their legs.
I was just a 22 year old GI and can't imagine how me with those 50+ year olds made it up those mountains with a 42 @ 28 gear ratio. Could I do it today? Only if you drove me to the top... Ha
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11-26-23, 11:34 PM
#46
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I reached 55 on a couple of Sierra descents: Tioga Pass and Monitor pass.
That’s probably my terminal velocity. Pun intended.
That’s probably my terminal velocity. Pun intended.
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11-27-23, 12:38 AM
#47
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The absolutely most exciting descent was taking the lane on a mile long 8% and developing a speed wobble at 45 MPH when a large truck’s wash (think jet wash) hit me. Took me about 20 hair raising seconds to get stopped. There are apparently disadvantages to running 60mm wheels at speed with opposing traffic doing the same. Now I go for less deep rims when there are long fast descents.
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11-27-23, 10:06 AM
#49
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Wente Road Race, 55 mph on a medium down hill with a strong tail wind.
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