Commuting - The need for speed

What's your real world top speed during your commute? Do you try and beat it sometimes? What bike? Today on my way to work going down the hill from my house I hit a modest 30.4mph. This is on a 2 bill diamondback setup for commuting. I shall make attempts to top that.

On my commutes I've been as high as 57.4km/h. I also once clocked 48km/h going up a hill (wasn't much of a grade so I got bored).

32 mph on the flat last year, I used to do better but, I'm heading into oldfartdom.

Ride as long as you can

pat

Originally posted by pat5319
32 mph on the flat last year

Imagine how fast you'd go with your tyres pumped up!

For me - 96km/h down a very steep, very straight road. On the flat: 79km/h, but I was drafting behind a truck.

Originally posted by Allister
For me - 96km/h down a very steep, very straight road. On the flat: 79km/h, but I was drafting behind a truck.

I had a chance to try that drafting thing today. I got onto the back of what appeared to be a substantial vehicle, then realised it was a police paddy wagon. I dropped off quick smart.

34 mph downhill on my commuter, 20 mph uphill but momentum assisted.
I think about 23mph on the flat under my own steam, but I haven't taken a spirit level to the road ;)

Richard

I'll bite. <g>

On my racing bike, when I'm in shape, I can motor at around 60 km/h for a while, but that's on a slight downhill where I can wind it up a bit.

I'm really more concerned about average speed, and not loosing too much time to lights, and hills. When I am really crusing, and I hit the lights right, I can cover my 34.4 km commute in a best time of 58 minutes or so. Not too tacky, when one considers that I stop for red, and have some big hills.

Ride SAFEly, at ANY speed!

cheers,
Tom

P.S. the max speed I've had on a bike was back when I was racing (and dropped due to chain problems) and I hit around 65 mph in Spokane. Sends shivers up my back just thinking about it these days...

Thank God for Palm or i'd never figure out those metric miles. The dewey decimal system still confuses me. Probably why I go to bookstores instead of libraries.

Anything over 40mph is just plain nuts especially on a 23mm tire. I look forward to trying though.

41.3 MPH on a mountain bike during my commute to work. I drop 450 ft. in elevation on a mile long hill so it's easy to do. But most mornings I use my brakes and hold it to around 30. The bad part is I have to climb it going home.

My max speed on my commute is 28-30 mph down a short hill.

Funny thing is, I changed my gearing last year so that instead of having a 52-12 combo as top gear (which I only ever used if on a flat with the wind behind me or dropping from a hot air balloon) to a 48-14 top gear. At same time I changed to a 36 inner ring for a wider spread of gears.

This means I actually use most of my available gears and for my commute am generally on the outer ring 90% of the time.

The downside is that top is a 96 inch or so, so I can spin it out if really trying. However I've got 52-12 on the Scot if I fancy popping my kneecaps.

re: drafting...

The most interesting draft that I have had living here was shortly after we got married, when I was out training, and managed a nice draft behind a APC. The tailgunner kept waving me away, and I kept riding, smiling all the while. I wasn't going that fast, but boy, I really had a nice big wind shadow!

ride safe,
Tom

Although I have some steep hills, they contain sharp bends with outside cambers, and usually. cars cutting the corners, so I always need some traction in reserve.

Ive had one draft worthy of note. I needed to ride a 2 mile section of busy main road, in thick fog. I found a milk float (an electric milk delivery vehicle) doing the route, so i stayed behind it, travelling at about 20moh, with almost no effort, and no danger.

On our ur local century ride (The Hastings 106.6km ride) many people come from all over the UK and Europe to ride our steep little lanes. There are always peole who go a little too fast, then meet some horse dropping, a sharp corner, and maybe an oncomming car, all at the same time, and take a spill.

$1200 does wonders for my speed. My Terry hybrid with 24 X 1.75 tires got me to work reliably at 12 mph ave, 34 max on a steep downhill. I just got back from a 25 mile ride on my new Symmetry, at an average speed of 14 mph. Actually, I have to question my computer, because it listed my Vmax as 62. I think I would have noticed if I hit 62mph on a downhill! Anyway, I know the Symmetry is much faster than Flora.

Actually, I have to question my computer, because it listed my Vmax as 62.

That's interesting, I have seen my speedo give out a reading of 50+kph while the bike is stationary in the house?

I am guessing strong magnetic fields are messing with the computers brain. I have also seen my speedo drop to 0kph when
riding on stretch of road near a hospital.

With mobile phone towers everywhere, I suspect that all these radio waves are clashing sometimes.

Oh... and my maximum speed to work is about 74kph/46mph, downhill of course.

CHEERS.

Mark

Originally posted by chewa
My max speed on my commute is 28-30 mph down a short hill.

Funny thing is, I changed my gearing ... to a 48-14 top gear.
The downside is that top is a 96 inch or so, so I can spin it out if really trying.

48/14 (93 gear-inches) is perhaps a bit low, but on my mountain bike I happily use a 96-inch (26" x 48/13) top, which I can spin to 32mph = 52kph, which is as fast as I care to go under any circumstances. My road bikes go up to 100 (27" x 52/14 or 48/13) or 104 (50/13) gear-inches, which is plenty for me. When I carried a top gear of 88 (52/16) on my commuting Peugeot, I did sometimes wish for something higher when merging into traffic on a mild descent. (For reference, a typical English 3-speed would have a high gear of around 90 inches.)