Originally Posted by
big john
Of course NASCAR drivers put out effort but it's not the same as a pro cyclist or a downhill skier. I have seen a NASCAR driver being lifted out of the car due to exhaustion. When a downhill skier is tucked they are still absorbing the terrain and aren't resting.
And I would have to see evidence that a cyclist went 75 mph. I'm not saying it's impossible but it might be, especially in a turn. And whatever effort a cyclist puts out to coast is dwarfed by their climbing effort. Maybe a little strenuous for those that sit on the top tube.
I read an article by road racing great Kenny Roberts and he said the hard part of racing Moto GP was staying at attention constantly throughout the race. Not an aerobic effort or a strength thing but super high attention and perfection of movement and reaction wears you out.
I also read that Supercross riders typically have their heart rate north of 175 bpm during the race and they rest while in the air over jumps, the only rest they get.
From TDF:
Katusha-Alpecin’s Nils Politt – a top-five finisher at Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders this year – became the first rider to break the 100kph barrier according to the Tour’s official data feed, hitting a mind-boggling 101.5kph on a section of the descent with a negative 7 percent gradient.
Excellent Post!!!
As a former motorcyclist it was well known to my group of riding friends that concentration was a huge factor regarding whether you had a great ride or you didn't. Growing up in Wisconsin, we had incredible hidden back roads to almost anywhere. You just had to know where to find them. How to connect some of them. It wasn't always about speed but it was always about concentration. I suppose having a large and active deer population also heightened our senses. ( had a few of my riding buddies cream deer back in the day. Very resilient animals, by the way)
Then I got into Vespas. Old and modern. Quite the trick to go "fast" on ten inch tires. Sixty plus mph on my old LX150. We all did it and thought nothing of it. I swear, scooters are far more fun than any big bike I've ever ridden. But the death wobble at a scooter's top speed next to a semi on a country four lane divided? I don't intend to have that experience again.
I wish I could say I'd ridden some of the speeds quoted in this thread but I don' have a speedometer of any kind. All I know is I ride what feels safe to me. Probably slower than most. And I'm pleased to read you folks feeling the liberty to seek out your own limits and relate those stories here. It's what it's all about.