Originally Posted by pedex
Only races Ive done are alleycats, and if you cant do 30mph for a mile or two in those solo your not gonna make the top 5-10 places at the finish.Best ive done is 10th out of a race with 103 riders.One guy here got 2nd place at the worlds in seattle last year, and one gal got 2nd at the NATS in washDC last year(read im slow).Its flat here, and relatively wide streets and lots of the runs I do are 2miles or more each way, you get fast just from sheer repetition and riding constantly.
No aerobars, dont own any.I do have a set of drop bars I use at a local highschool track sometimes, I have this fascination with my hour time, best ive done so far is just over 26miles in an hour flat.Thats on a fixed gear,drop bars, and a 52/16 gear,no other special equipment, heck the bike cost me about $200.Ive been riding hauling stuff on my back for 5 years, you get quite strong riding a fixie that way all the time.
I was pacing traffic the other day at 30mph, but that was only about half a mile, although it was on a (very slight) incline as well. I don't know what my hour distance is, but I seriously doubt it's over 21 miles. I just got into cycling about 9 months ago, and I'm about a thousand times better than when I started, but you, sir (madam?) are an inspiration. I haven't gotten too caught up in roadie snob blingery yet, but it's always good to be reminded that it is the engine, not the bling, that makes you go.
Kind of makes me want to become a messenger.