Hybrid Bicycles - Speed of a stock Hybrid

For the most part my Trek FX 7.2 is mechanically stock. My daily commute has equal share of hill climes & descents & flat runs. 32 mph seems to be the top speed down hill. After I installed my Areo Bars my average cruising speed went to 15.5 mph on average. it jumped 1 mph immediately. I have yet to go for a higher max speed on a down with the Areo Bars. I have been concentrating on maxing out my average speeds. I just curious what others are getting out of their bikes for speed?

Highest I've seen on my 7.6fx is 31 mph. It doesn't feel overly "stable" at that speed, I would imagine a road bike would be more conducive to that but it's fun to get cranked up going down hills and feel the rush of wind in your face!

I had my 7.3 FX up to 43 mph once going downhill. When I realized how fast I was going it scared me and I began to brake.

Top speed on my stock Trek 7000 was 34 (with me down a hill crouched down).

Trek 7.3 FX here, and I've reached 56 km/h (35 mph) at a downhill stretch on a regular road (speed limit 50 km/h). It's hard to push it above 50 km/h on most roads, though. Perhaps because I now leave my pannier basket on the bike permanently ... ;)

I can push my 7500FX to a little over 30 on a flat area and I hve no problem doing 35-40 down hill with it. This time of the year all I have on it is pouch under by seat and fenders.
When the weather gets colder then I put my Topeak trunk on it.

I did 40+ going uphill on Rhode Island Avenue NE hanging onto the back of Mayor Barry's "mobile city hall" RV.

On flat ground with no wind, I'm typically traveling about 32-35 km/hr (20-22 mph) on my Kona Dew FS without a huge amount of effort. If I put effort into it, I can get close to 50 km/hr (30 mph) but can't hold that speed for very long.

I've had my FS up to 65km/hr (40 mph) on a downhill and that's pretty much the limit of the gearing. I'm seriously considering changing the 48 tooth front cog to a 52.

I swapped out to an Ultegra 52-39-30T crankset. The improvement was noticed immediately. It's a worthy upgrade over the 48T that came stock.

On my stock 7.2 FX I had --

I would average about 10mph but these were 25 mile rides. Top speed was 26mph downhill - had to brake because there was a turn ahead and although I could have taken it, i did not want to risk my life to find out ;]

on pure flats though, i can get it up to 22mph but it will stay there only a few seconds... then it goes down to 18, then 15, then usually stays between 10-13mph...

i am 29, 6'1", 180 pounds. i run often but i really have to work on my 'cycling muscles.'

I swapped out to an Ultegra 52-39-30T crankset. The improvement was noticed immediately. It's a worthy upgrade over the 48T that came stock.

My top is 35.3 MPH........ Being old, and slow, 48-11 is as big a gear as I can turn. My normal cadence is usually around 80 RPM. At over 100 RPM, my feet fly off the pedals, even cliplesssssss ----- LOL

My top is 35.3 MPH........ Being old, and slow, 48-11 is as big a gear as I can turn. My normal cadence is usually around 80 RPM. At over 100 RPM, my feet fly off the pedals, even cliplesssssss ----- LOL

Don't feel bad. I would be very surprised if 007 could spin out a 48x11 for more than a minute, except on a steep downhill.

Geeze - who banned the naysayer? What did he do? - oops, never mind. I found out. Anywho - I can't think of anyplace around here where I could try to grind out a 12/52 gear. But I'd love to try.

Bikes don't have speed riders have speed. When I got my road bike the most I could go on my mountain bike was 16-18 mph. I took it for a ride last sunday and hit 25 on the flat and 35 downhill I found out it not about the bike. Any bike has the maximum downhill speed determined by gravity and the wind. The skill and mostly courage of the rider matters most, any bike will spin out, even 53X11 on a fast downhill.

Bikes don't have speed riders have speed. When I got my road bike the most I could go on my mountain bike was 16-18 mph. I took it for a ride last sunday and hit 25 on the flat and 35 downhill I found out it not about the bike. Any bike has the maximum downhill speed determined by gravity and the wind. The skill and mostly courage of the rider matters most, any bike will spin out, even 53X11 on a fast downhill.

Maybe in your neck of the woods, like up in the mountains..... LOL

I live in the flatlands of Northern Illinois, and a serious part of that equation is missing here..... for me, anything over 35 is really flying.:D

On my hybrid a fast flat cruise is about 20-25 MPH. Downhill I can get above 40. Quite stable at that speed, though I wouldn't take my hands off the handlebars. For some reason I can't ride this bike without hands, while the 10-speed of my youth was no problem.

^ lol, i have the same issue with my bike - i cannot ride it without hands. i think it's because the headset is so nice and loose, that the slightest amount of wind pushes the handles bars to one side or the other... it just doesnt seem to stay straight. i tried doing this sooo many times on my 7.2 fx when i had it but i never got more than a couple of seconds of no-hands riding...

Once I get up to around 16 or 17mph on my hybrid - I am going fast enough for what I consider the biggest attraction of this type of bicycle: The panorama - viewing everything around me. Of course, I live in Vermont, and this panorama is generally quite beautiful. If you like nature and wildlife and such, which I certainly do. Often I'll slow down on purpose for this reason.

In the next few days I hope to get some nice pictures of one of my favorite birds - the Great Blue Heron. Those guys mean business - they will lock-on your eyes and stare you down.

Hybrid averages 12-18 on the flats, my fuji road bike with the 52 tooth big chain ring and 11 tooth small cog averages 25-30 same terain. down hill braked the fuji around 48. hybrid wobbles above 45.

Flat, no headwind, probably 16-17 average mph on my hybrid. I've seen better than 34mph downhill. of course headwinds kill on a hybrid, no drops mean no place to get down out of the wind. I've seen 30mph on a flat, but I was cranking it up because there was traffic behind and a hill ahead.

On my hybrid a fast flat cruise is about 20-25 MPH. Downhill I can get above 40. Quite stable at that speed, though I wouldn't take my hands off the handlebars. For some reason I can't ride this bike without hands, while the 10-speed of my youth was no problem.

your cruise is 20-25 mph? I seriously doubt that:rolleyes:

these always turn into pissing contests.

Chad

your cruise is 20-25 mph? I seriously doubt that:rolleyes:

these always turn into pissing contests.
Only because people like yourself who can't believe that anyone can peddle faster than you come into these threads and make these ridiculous statements.

20-25 mph is definitely achievable on a fast hybrid. I get speeds of 20-22 mph on flat ground. And I often get 40+ mph going down hills. Generally, at the end of a ride, my average speed is around 12-15 mph.

I don't ride for your sake, and I've no reason to not be truthful here.

If you don't believe it, who cares?

Is that pissy enough for you, Chad?

Chill kids.

I'm plenty chilled. And don't call me a kid. :lol:

OMG - someone break out the champegne - this is the first beef in the hybrid subforum!

jk everyone. LOL.

I can easily cruse at 20 mph on my FX 7.2 I do it all the time with a loaded trunk bag. The bike is stock with areo bars. I know it is very possible

Only because people like yourself who can't believe that anyone can peddle faster than you come into these threads and make these ridiculous statements.

20-25 mph is definitely achievable on a fast hybrid. I get speeds of 20-22 mph on flat ground. And I often get 40+ mph going down hills. Generally, at the end of a ride, my average speed is around 12-15 mph.

A good time trial rider can keep a speed of over 20mph going ***for 12 hours***. And he'll be riding on - not in - his drops, which is no more aerodynamic position than a rider will be in on one of the faster hybrids - a Sirrus, Cotic Roadrat, maybe a Kona Dew. Keeping 20mph going for half an hour on the flat (which seems a reasonable definition of cruise speed) on one of these bikes is far from a superhuman achievement - I'd expect anyone who seriously trains for cycling to reach this level.

(Otoh commuting at a sustained 25mph for an hour each way, day after day, would REALLY impress me - for a start the power needed to sustain 25mph is almost twice as high as 20mph.)

I can easily cruse at 20 mph on my FX 7.2 I do it all the time with a loaded trunk bag. The bike is stock with areo bars. I know it is very possible

There's a reason that aero bars are universally used in any race that they are not banned from - they add about 3mph to top speed. Otoh the braking position is awful - you either have an idyllic commute or you're insanely brave.

My commute is 10 miles each way, 20 miles a day. I cruse at 20, clime at 12, down hill 26 & 32 if I am cranking & I average 15.5. The roadies leave me in the dust so why would anyone think that is unrealistic. My Areo bars gave me 1 mph. I hit my fastest down hill with a flat bar

^ i would be shi++ing bricks doing 35mph on drop bars or aero bars........ thats just me personally. im far from a racer. the only races i have been in are races to my fridge.

^ i would be shi++ing bricks doing 35mph on drop bars or aero bars........ thats just me personally. im far from a racer. the only races i have been in are races to my fridge.

I was under the impression speed is what you are looking for out of your bicycle.I have hit 32 mph with just the flat bars. I haven't gone for a max speed with the Areo bars, I have been working on maximizing my average speed on my commuting rout & that requires not exhausting myself.

My 10 mile commute has hills & flats both directions. The roads I use are 35 mph country roads that are heavily bicycle ridden. I spend 75% of my ride in the Areo bars. You need a good helmet mirror for 1. Most of the time I am out in the lane at speed usually 22 - 27 mph. I am very comfortable in the areo bars and find them very stable. I am certainly no racer by any means. I definitely can not keep up with the local carbon

=]

I am looking for speed. specifically, i'd love to average anything around 15mph and have a top speed - on downhills - in the 35mph area. but that's just a short few seconds. i definitely do not have the guts or the experience to feel comfortable doing 35mph the entire time.


the ~25 mile jaunts that i have done, i have averaged about 10-12mph and my top speed was 26mph on a downhill. i think the average speed has something to do with the bikes ability to roll quickly... i think with a better wheelset and thinner tires, i would be able to achieve this on flat bars. but again, i need more experience/endurance riding.

If there is nothing wrong with your wheels - there is nothing wrong with your wheels!

However, within reason, thinner tires, and "slicker" tires, will make it much easier. The less aggressive the tread, the better it will be on pavement. Even real "slicks" (no tread pattern at all) are very good for traction on wet pavement. And, keep your tire pressure near the top recommended on the sidewall.

I often hit 60kmph (37mph) on my 7.7FX going downhill. I can reach 50kmph (31mph) on flat terrain in a sprint. I think my top speed would be higher on a road bike, but my average speed for long rides would be about the same since that depends more on the engine than the bike.

My 7.5 FX is not really stock anymore, although I believe the only real speed-mod I made was putting 700x23 tires on. Also ditching the riser bar for a flat probably improved aerodynamics slightly. And clipless pedals improve efficiency.

I just finished a 50 mile ride on a paved Wisconsin trail a couple of days ago at an average speed of 17.2mph. I stopped at the halfway point for a few minutes but I believe my Cateye V2c does not count stopping time in the average. It was not too hilly, and in any event was out and back on the exact same route, so no net elevation change. Overall I consider this a representative average for the speed of my bike at my current fitness level. I agree with everyone who says the rider matters more -- if I rode more often then I'm sure I would be able to cover the same route at a faster average speed.

Over shorter distances (i.e. <15 miles) on this bike I will average 19.6-19.9, depending on how I feel.

I live in a very flay part of the country so I don't have any great downhill speed records to share. My current max speed is 34.7 mph. The Cateye computer caught it, I don't even recall when it happened. I've never felt unstable or worried about excessive speed on my 7.5.

I have heard that road bikes are a lot faster and more comfortable over long distances - I've never ridden one but am considering purchasing one used on Craigslist as a low-risk way to try it out.

If it weren't for cross-traffic at the ends of the local hills, I'm sure I could squeeze 40+mph out of my Trek 7.5 frame. The wheels wouldn't mind in the least. As stands, I don't wish to leave a lasting impression - in the side of someone's car.

My 7.5 FX is not really stock anymore, although I believe the only real speed-mod I made was putting 700x23 tires on. Also ditching the riser bar for a flat probably improved aerodynamics slightly. And clipless pedals improve efficiency.



I think you said in another thread that you have both 23 and 28mm tires and that you use the 28s for commuting...

how is the ride on the 28s over pavement? do you think i could get away with 25s for ~20 mile bike path rides or would the ride be too harsh? the bike i think im getting comes with 28s.

thanks,
- s.

I average about 15-16 mph on hilly terrain on my Trek 7.3FX. On the flats, it'll easily give me a sustained 22+, and I chicken out and hit the brakes before it gets to it's top end on a steep downhill (my max was about 40).

When I replaced the stock pedals with clipless, I immediately picked up about 1 mph average on my usual routes.

I've never averaged more than about 14 mph on my Trek 7500. That's for a 25-mile ride on relatively flat ground, er, road. For comparison, I was a solid 17 mph average on my road bike, and my recumbents average anywhere from 17 mph to 23 mph for the same terrain and distances.

average speed on my 7.5 fx- commuting- is 16-17 mph
i've ridden it a few times on the local paved trail- 19mph- it averages out to 17-18
due to the number of stop signs and lights i hit

I think you said in another thread that you have both 23 and 28mm tires and that you use the 28s for commuting...

how is the ride on the 28s over pavement? do you think i could get away with 25s for ~20 mile bike path rides or would the ride be too harsh? the bike i think im getting comes with 28s.

thanks,
- s.

Yes, I have 700x28 on the stock Bontrager SSR wheels, and a set of 700x23 on a pair of Mavic Ksyrium Elite wheels I bought used off of CL. The 700x28 tires are a nice ride and I believe make quite a difference over the stock 700x32, even if the wheels are not the best. But you keep saying you're looking for speed, so I seriously suggest you try out your 7.2 with a set of 700x23 before you take the plunge on a new bike having made the decision based on specs rather than trial. I suspect that if you get a bike with 700x28 tires you will end up going with something thinner soon anyway to satisfy your desire for a "fast" hybrid bike.

BTW I just did a 50 mile ride on the 700x23s and have done 200 this week while on vacation in Wisconsin, and I did not find the ride too "harsh" whatsoever.

thanks for the info matt, ps, i sold the fx 7.2 a couple of days ago.... :-D LOLOL....

i have like 90% made the decision to get the 7.9 but am worried that if i spill once, the frame might have to be junked...... i only do bike path rides and never came close to spilling on the 100+ miles i put on my 7.2... but im still worried.... so it's either between the 7.7 or 7.9..... and at the same time i dont want to get the 7.7 and then have those 'what if' questions....

i am getting a really good price on the 7.9 - literally for the price of the 7.7 plus tax so im sorta leaning in that direction.... regardless of the bike, im going to have the shop swap out the 28s for the 25mm tires....