J-McKech
03-08-04, 10:06 PM
In the tour de france or in any mountain climb, they have to come down it at some point and i was wondering what speeds they hit...i have heard anywhere from 45mph up to 80+ mph....so what is it? whats the speed?
Road Cycling - How fast to do the pros go?
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travis200
03-08-04, 10:27 PM
Really depends on the hill I've heard more like 60+/- mph is the avg.
BigFloppyLlama
03-08-04, 11:15 PM
What about in the actual climb of hills? In the video's I've seen of the L'Alpe d'Huez they really seem to be cranking along considering the grade of the climb.
forum*rider
03-08-04, 11:15 PM
my uncle told me it was between 65-75mph +/- a few mph.
pletcgm
03-08-04, 11:48 PM
my uncle told me it was between 65-75mph +/- a few mph.
You are right on track.
You are right on track.
J-McKech
03-09-04, 12:30 AM
thats CRAZY, i almost wanna soil myself going down hill at like 35!
pletcgm
03-09-04, 12:35 AM
thats CRAZY, i almost wanna soil myself going down hill at like 35!
The fastest I have ever been is 53 mph and that was down a very steep hill, but it was a rush!!!!
The fastest I have ever been is 53 mph and that was down a very steep hill, but it was a rush!!!!
DTM
03-09-04, 01:52 AM
I dont know how they manage it, its not a fear thing with me its just a speed problem. Whenever I want to get up a real speed on a downhill, I seem to get to about 40 mph and things just seem to stop there, whether its the wind resistance or something, I just seem to max out at that speed, regardless of my pedaling efforts.
Is it just because the descents that they go down are steeper or something ? There has to be a max out speed on a bike that cannot be exceeded whether you want to or not ! Mine just seems to be between 40 - 45 mph. Is it weight or wind or mechanical resistance ?
I am always on the look out for a descent where I can reach my goal of 50 mph. I know my cycling goals should me more sensible, like better cadence, higher average speeds, better hill climbing etc which I do try for as well, but there is the voices of me at 14 years of age inside my head who justs wants to do 50 !!!!
Is it just because the descents that they go down are steeper or something ? There has to be a max out speed on a bike that cannot be exceeded whether you want to or not ! Mine just seems to be between 40 - 45 mph. Is it weight or wind or mechanical resistance ?
I am always on the look out for a descent where I can reach my goal of 50 mph. I know my cycling goals should me more sensible, like better cadence, higher average speeds, better hill climbing etc which I do try for as well, but there is the voices of me at 14 years of age inside my head who justs wants to do 50 !!!!
roadwarrior
03-09-04, 03:09 AM
What about in the actual climb of hills? In the video's I've seen of the L'Alpe d'Huez they really seem to be cranking along considering the grade of the climb.
18 miles an hourish...
the average cyclist could wait at the bottom of a climb like that and meet a pro who was ridden a hundred so miles and still not get to the top first.
of course the best climbers are like the size of a jockey.
18 miles an hourish...
the average cyclist could wait at the bottom of a climb like that and meet a pro who was ridden a hundred so miles and still not get to the top first.
of course the best climbers are like the size of a jockey.
ImprezaDrvr
03-09-04, 08:49 AM
Part of speed on a downhill is making sure that you're in the best tuck you can pull off without crashing- arms in narrow resing on top of the bars, head just above the stem, butt on the nose of the saddle and legs holding on to the top tube (aero, yes, but it adds some stability at speed, too). Then, it's your weight and the grade and wind that you have to deal with, and you can't control the last two at all.
I can't imagine climbing that fast. Hell, I don't ride that fast a lot of the time on flat stuff. Just nuts.
I can't imagine climbing that fast. Hell, I don't ride that fast a lot of the time on flat stuff. Just nuts.
auricpoe
03-09-04, 09:32 AM
Dont mean to butt in on your thread HammerTheHill, but i must ask....how fast do the pro's go on flatlands, on average??
bugman
03-09-04, 10:17 AM
Speed down a hill is a function of:
- rider weight (heavier better)
- hill angle
- aerodynamics
Wind resistance is the dominant factor in determining how fast a given rider can go down a given hill.
I have a hill nearby where I can consistently hit 85km/h (53mph). If I don't tuck carefully (back flat, head down, elbows in, feet at 3/9) I only hit about 75-80. Interestingly, I can get up to almost the same speed on my mountain bike (2" slicks) as I can on my road bike, so rolling resistance is negligible at speed.
- rider weight (heavier better)
- hill angle
- aerodynamics
Wind resistance is the dominant factor in determining how fast a given rider can go down a given hill.
I have a hill nearby where I can consistently hit 85km/h (53mph). If I don't tuck carefully (back flat, head down, elbows in, feet at 3/9) I only hit about 75-80. Interestingly, I can get up to almost the same speed on my mountain bike (2" slicks) as I can on my road bike, so rolling resistance is negligible at speed.
roadwarrior
03-09-04, 10:19 AM
Dont mean to butt in on your thread HammerTheHill, but i must ask....how fast do the pro's go on flatlands, on average??
On flat Tour and Vuelta stages where there is little wind..close to 30mph.
On flat Tour and Vuelta stages where there is little wind..close to 30mph.
roadfix
03-09-04, 10:40 AM
Fact: Did you know that the overall average speeds of recent Tour de France winners have been just under 25 mph or 40 kph?
George
George
geneman
03-09-04, 10:53 AM
Fact: Did you know that the overall average speeds of recent Tour de France winners have been just under 25 mph or 40 kph?
George
Not surprising when you see the topo map. Also, can't forget that most of the last stage is a parade.
-mark
George
Not surprising when you see the topo map. Also, can't forget that most of the last stage is a parade.
-mark
ImprezaDrvr
03-09-04, 10:57 AM
Now, bear in mind that a Cat IV, V group can carry close to 25 on a flat course for 100 miles in the right conditions.
Not that the pros aren't crazy fast. At the end of sprint finishes the whole peloton is cruising at, what, nearly 40 before the real sprinters go out? And the average speed for a stage takes into account slowing for feed zones, etc. And then, of course, is the speed those guys carry through individual time trials. I can sprint to the speed they average over 35km. Nuts.
Not that the pros aren't crazy fast. At the end of sprint finishes the whole peloton is cruising at, what, nearly 40 before the real sprinters go out? And the average speed for a stage takes into account slowing for feed zones, etc. And then, of course, is the speed those guys carry through individual time trials. I can sprint to the speed they average over 35km. Nuts.
roadfix
03-09-04, 11:32 AM
Also, can't forget that most of the last stage is a parade.
-markMostly true......but not when you're only a few seconds ahead of the second place guy....
-markMostly true......but not when you're only a few seconds ahead of the second place guy....
brent_dube
03-09-04, 11:39 AM
Riders like Armstrong, Mayo, and Pantani could ride up l'Alpe d'Huez quicker than I ride on flat roads.
ImprezaDrvr
03-09-04, 11:41 AM
Well, Pantani could before he OD'd, of course. :(
Cycling_Karp
03-09-04, 12:06 PM
How fast do they actually ride uphills?
Csson
03-09-04, 12:22 PM
And then there was that three hour century (http://www.cyclingnews.com/results/2001/vuelta01/results/results_stage_9.shtml) in the 2001 Vuelta...
Fact: Did you know that the overall average speeds of recent Tour de France winners have been just under 25 mph or 40 kph?
Yes, last year's TdF was actually the fastest ever at 40.94 kph. The slowest ever was back in 1919 with an average speed of just above 24 kph (but their fifteen stages averaged 370 km).
Alpe d'Huez is about 13 km, and Pantani's record is 37m35 which gives (if my math is correct) an average speed of 20.75 kph.
Mont Ventoux is 22 km, Armstrong's record is 58m, or an average speed of 22.75 kph.
/Csson
Fact: Did you know that the overall average speeds of recent Tour de France winners have been just under 25 mph or 40 kph?
Yes, last year's TdF was actually the fastest ever at 40.94 kph. The slowest ever was back in 1919 with an average speed of just above 24 kph (but their fifteen stages averaged 370 km).
Alpe d'Huez is about 13 km, and Pantani's record is 37m35 which gives (if my math is correct) an average speed of 20.75 kph.
Mont Ventoux is 22 km, Armstrong's record is 58m, or an average speed of 22.75 kph.
/Csson
ImprezaDrvr
03-09-04, 12:25 PM
Of course, in 1919, did they ride geared bikes over the dirt road mountain passes? Talk about hard core. Get yourself a fixed gear and do 350km stages day after day with no support. Theyr'e faster now, but most of them would probably cry at the thought of such a race.
J-McKech
03-09-04, 01:20 PM
That is sick!...18mph up l'Alpe d'Huez ...thats just disgusting...i ride at like 13-14mph on flat road! and drop to like 8mph on climbs ...wow i feel like crap now haha
Xtrmyorick
03-09-04, 01:52 PM
It's actually about 12.9 MPH for the record up l'Alpe d'Huez, not 18.
auricpoe
03-09-04, 03:15 PM
oh man....i better start training harder.....
ImprezaDrvr
03-09-04, 03:39 PM
It's actually about 12.9 MPH for the record up l'Alpe d'Huez, not 18.
Yeah, but it's still the Alp.
Yeah, but it's still the Alp.
BigFloppyLlama
03-09-04, 09:45 PM
It's actually about 12.9 MPH for the record up l'Alpe d'Huez, not 18.
Wow, and I was happy to have sprinted up a 1/2 mile 9% hill at about that speed today. And it was only after 20 miles (trying to break a 20mph average over my usual 20 mile route). These speeds seriously impress me, the professional field just gets further and further beyond belief every time I read about the latest accomplishment.
Wow, and I was happy to have sprinted up a 1/2 mile 9% hill at about that speed today. And it was only after 20 miles (trying to break a 20mph average over my usual 20 mile route). These speeds seriously impress me, the professional field just gets further and further beyond belief every time I read about the latest accomplishment.