Loaded and Coasting - How Fast?
Just out of curiosity - when you have been loaded down on a trip and had a down-hill coast for a bit - how fast have you been? At what point do you shave off some speed?
I don't like anything in the upper 20mph range or more on my touring bike, even though I have the gearing to handle that and more. I am not sure what the max speed is I've been (unfortunately I lost my log records I had for several years so I can't check) but I presume well in to the 30's+, if not around 40mph.
On my folding bike I don't do well north of 20mph - its just too much more twitchy than the bigger bike (20" on the folder vs 700c on the touring bike).
On either bike I find a comfortable "fast" pace of 18mph. Depending on road/trail conditions, load, weather, and my stamina at any given point my average pace is around 10-12mph on flat ground. Heavier and more miles and I've been known to drift off to 8-9mph, in fresh shape and smooth pavement and I'm 15mph or so.
I realize down hill is my opportunity to make up for lost time on the climbs and in the flats, but I just don't feel comfortable letting things loose on the down hills.