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How fast is fast?

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Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

How fast is fast?

Old 05-06-09, 01:49 AM
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Faster than yesterday
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How fast is fast?

I know that a cyclists' speeds aren't directly indicative of the power they put out, given the myriad of other variables (weight of rider, weight of bike, wind, etc.). Let's admit it though: speed's what we like. I don't care if you're way stronger than me and 200 lbs. I just had an appendectomy, lost 15 lbs (I've gained back 5, to 155) and move like a mofo despite being weaker than ever.

All this being said, I was just wondering what a good top speed is. How fast can top riders maintain on flats? Good recreational riders? Just curious, and looking for a goal.
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Old 05-06-09, 01:55 AM
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In before ludicrous speed.
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Old 05-06-09, 03:46 AM
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400w
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Old 05-06-09, 03:49 AM
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Don't ask, it'll just depress you how much faster than you the pros can ride, and for how long.
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Old 05-06-09, 03:53 AM
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oh boy.
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Old 05-06-09, 04:08 AM
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Originally Posted by botto
oh boy.
Yeah, these threads are the absolute best....

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Old 05-06-09, 04:08 AM
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over9000
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Old 05-06-09, 04:10 AM
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Old 05-06-09, 04:57 AM
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Serious answer: Break an hour for 40k without spending 40k on equipment to do so.

Funny answer: You're talking speed in the road cycling forum. Everybody is fast here. Out on the road, not so much.
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Old 05-06-09, 05:00 AM
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faster than everyone else
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Old 05-06-09, 05:09 AM
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2200 miles in 21 days, average speed 25mph.

That will win you the TdF.
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Old 05-06-09, 05:54 AM
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If you're faster than me, you're fast. If you're not, you suck.

I think that everyone uses this rule.
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Old 05-06-09, 06:08 AM
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88 mph
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Old 05-06-09, 06:28 AM
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I'm so fast I can ride through a car wash and not get wet!
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Old 05-06-09, 06:37 AM
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As long as you stay in front of everyone else, it doesn't matter how fast you're going.
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Old 05-06-09, 06:47 AM
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Originally Posted by blazingpedals
if you're faster than me, you're fast. If you're not, you suck.

I think that everyone uses this rule.

+1
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Old 05-06-09, 06:51 AM
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Originally Posted by MongoosePaver
"fast-paced criterium race in the Pro ranks here in the US is only in the upper 20's, and that's for an hour."
go away.
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Old 05-06-09, 07:24 AM
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Originally Posted by MongoosePaver
"fast-paced criterium race in the Pro ranks here in the US is only in the upper 20's, and that's for an hour."
I don't know what you think you are "quoting", but I've seen 90 minute pro/1/2 crits average in the low 30s...

Heck, I was in a crit (tailgunning) that was 29mph for almost an hour.

And about a month ago did 3 crits nearly back to back that together was over 60 miles at 27 mph.
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Old 05-06-09, 07:35 AM
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Last night we were doing 21-25mph for about 12 miles. I thought we were going sorta fast, until I hear a little "ding ding!" on the left, and the two of us on our road bikes got totally blasted by a dude on a foldie.

Then I felt slow. Extraordinarily slow.
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Old 05-06-09, 07:44 AM
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Originally Posted by MongoosePaver
"fast-paced criterium race in the Pro ranks here in the US is only in the upper 20's, and that's for an hour."
LOLz .. Try mid 30s for an hour. And that was at a crit I did that only contained 1/2 dozen of ex US pro's a few weeks back. I bet a full NRC caliber and higher field would do mid 30s for an hour like you do a warm up.. easy.
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Old 05-06-09, 07:53 AM
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Originally Posted by botto
go away.
+1
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Old 05-06-09, 07:59 AM
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Originally Posted by EventServices
Serious answer: Break an hour for 40k without spending 40k on equipment to do so.
I concur. I like this answer.

In general I look at speed this way - If you're riding with the people you want to ride with and you are leaving it all out on the road and you're able to stick in, be competitive and mix stuff up every now and then - then you're fast enough for what you want to do.

There will ALWAYS be someone faster out there.

In my case there will always be tons of faster people out there...
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Old 05-06-09, 08:03 AM
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Originally Posted by MongoosePaver
As you do more miles that average goes down. I think the TDF averaged 25mph. I find that more remarkable considering the climbing they go through, and considering the miles they run, like 2200 total or something.
Werd. Averaging 25mph isn't THAT big of a deal around here in the land of the flat, but considering how much climbing they do, its crazy how fast they are. Remember, they're scaling 2 mountain ranges.


Short answer to whats fast?: 13 mph....up a 10% grade....for 8-10 miles....after 16 days of riding = 1800 miles.
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Old 05-06-09, 08:05 AM
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Originally Posted by MongoosePaver
2009 Tour of California UCI America TourRace details / Dates February 14–22 2009 / Stages 8 & Prologue Distance / 780.44 mi (1,256 km)Winning time31h 28' 21" (24.798 mph/39.909 km/h)
You realize that was uphill right? What are you trying to prove?
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Old 05-06-09, 08:09 AM
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Originally Posted by MongoosePaver
As you do more miles that average goes down. I think the TDF averaged 25mph. I find that more remarkable considering the climbing they go through, and considering the miles they run, like 2200 total or something.
So I completely discounted your previous post and you reply with something irrelevant. Bottom line is even a cat 5 crit will likely be in the mid-to-high 20s. The elite nationals road race last year was I believe 26 mph for over 100 miles and that's on a hilly course without any pros.
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