w2brdbkr

I didn't work today, had an eye appointment & dentist appointment so when I was done I decided to go do a hill climb since it sounds like I'll be doing that Weds evening & this next weekend.

I did this same trip a month ago but it was so windy I had to pedal downhill just to get some type of speed. Well tonight there was no wind & I didn't have to worry about going fast.

OMG Carter Lake on the north end is scary steep & at the bottom there is a curve, which I wasn't to worried about but when I got closer I noticed some gravel.

I had looked to make sure there was no one coming so if I needed I could go into the other lane, which ended up being a good thing. Made it thru the curve without any trouble, since I was using my brake a little closer to the turn then I wanted to I did get a little shimmy in the bike.

After I got thru the turn & up the little hill to the next road I looked to see what my max speed was. The fastest I've done before tonight was 41 mph but I finally broke 50 with 52.4 mph!!!!

I do remember thinking to myself coming down the hill; self if you crash at these speeds it is REALLY going to hurt. I know this old man won't heal like he used to.

Anyway had a good time & yes I'll probably do it again.

Yen

Only if you live to tell about it!

tsl

Good on ya! I did 48.6 on one of the longest hills around here. I figure that out in your neck of the woods 55 is a given. See you in August!

Yen

Actually, after thinking about it a while longer... I was doing 34 down a hill yesterday so 50 probably doesn't feel THAT much faster than that..... does it?

Louis

I hit over 50mph a couple of times. Scary stuff. Too many things can go wrong.

Louis

To me it felt MUCH faster.

Jet Travis

Is it legal to say OMG on the 50+ forum?

Louis

OMHP is politically correct nowadays.

Catweazle

Every bit as legal as using fluorescent text font colours!



I haven't approached anywhere near these speeds yet. This thread makes me want to chuck the bike in the back of the truck and go find a REALLY big hill!

Timtruro

A little over 30mph has been my top speed and I though that was scary.

Beverly

++++++1

On the Michigan trip last year we were coming down a hill and I was approaching 40mph when I got hit by a gusty crosswind The bike seemed to skip across the road a little and I hit the brakes. I like my skin and bones too much to take unnecessary chances anymore.

dave.henri

The fastest I've ever done (at least I'm aware of) is 42. Yes, there is a huge difference between 40 and 35. The wind drag is incredible. I can imagine what 50 is like! - Now I have to try it.

thePig

The fastest I have been is 54mph. It was in the pyrenees mountains in Spain on the longest straightest descent you can imagine. It was quite fun on a loaded tourer cruising down at speed with 3 of my friends.

It was actually pretty safe because the road was perfect - in normal riding I don't get to go anywhere near this fast.

Allegheny Jet

I've got over 50 several times. Last year I got a real eye opener. My son and I were finishing up a ride in Western PA were we have a cabin along the Allegheny River. The hill leading back down the valley is long and steep allowing for the 50+ speeds. On this day the sun was out and the trees were casting shadows on the road in patches. Both of us were in the drops and keeping as low and areo as possible when we hit a 2" deep area were the top layer of asphalt was missing. I thought for sure I would get a "pinch flat" at 50 mph and was relieved that the bike stayed straight. We both ended the ride thankful the pothole did not take any toll on our skin. A couple days later when I was unloading the bike, at home,I made the discovery that I broke the handle bar! There was a "smile" in the aluminum bar next to the stem and the bar was bent out of shape. I will still attempt to hit 50, or even my age at 55, but will be a little more careful and look down the hill while staying as areo as......

Spinz

I routinely hit 43-45 mph not far from my home but never 50. Full speed ahead with the afterburners at full throttle!!! Lp

speedlever

Fortunately, I haven't found any hills that steep in my area. I've hit 46.9 once. Hills that steep have to be climbed too! (and I realllllly need to work on my hill climbing ability... amongst other things).

BlazingPedals

I hit 37.5 mph last week in the final sign sprint. Earlier in the same ride, I'd hit 40.0 on a mid-ride sprint, and didn't have enough left for the last one. Both sprints were on flat ground with no significant wind.

stapfam

Have a chat with jppe- TKT or Yen- They find hills to climb. Its the flat bits that worry them.

But Highest speed so far was 53.8mph---Offroad---On the Tandem. Still trying to get the Road bikes over 51mph- but I have to get rid of the square hole in the saddle before I try it again. That Tandem is stable at speed.

John E

I concur. This is one reason I do not bother with any gears above the mid-to-high 90s -- I can spin a 96 gear-incher to just over 32mph / 50kph, and that is fast enough for my tastes. I am much more interested in maximizing my uphill speed, which has a much bigger (and safer) impact on my total travel time over a given route.

Don't forget that kinetic energy, and therefore the likelihood of serious injury, increase with the square of speed, which makes riding at 70kph twice as dangerous as riding at 50kph.

Rick@OCRR

My top speed was right at 60 mph dropping down off Point Dume road in the Santa Monica mountains, back in 1978.

50 mph is pretty much as fast as I go anymore. Tucking and getting as aero as possible is a big help (knees against the top tube, hands right next to the stem, chin v.close to the stem, elbows in as much as possible)!

Rick / OCRR

thePig

After following this thread I have gotten curious as to what is the record speed a cyclist has done.
Check this link out - https://www.metro.co.uk/sport/oddball...&in_page_id=46

How does 130mph sound? Although I wouldn't be surprised if this guy is dead by now. Absolutely CRAZY!

Tom Bombadil

I'm in your camp. As a teenager, I topped 50 a couple of times and thought it was a blast.

Since coming back to biking about 20 months ago, the fastest I've gone is 29 and that was too fast for me. I was going down an 8% grade at that speed, got uncomfortable, and started using my brakes to get it back down to 26-27.

BSLeVan

I like fast. I like roller coasters, motorcycles, fast downhill bike rides, etc. Fast it good.

With that said, stupid fast is not good. I've given up motorcycles (at least until all the kids have completed college... wife says if I want to kill myself, wait until their education is done), and I only let fly on downhills that I've just ridden up and seen the danger spots. Also, I never, ever take the first ride on a coaster for any given day. Because, while I like fast, I dislike pain even more.

maddmaxx 

As a teenager I crashed at better than 40................I assume that a great deal of luck was involved because in 59 we hadn't even heard of helmets. I think, (based on the scars because I was out cold after the first bounce and never really remembered what happened) that it was sort of a high speed laydown. For some things, Levi's may be better than Lycra.

I still go fast though..

oilman_15106

Hit a bit of smooth newer pavement last weekend, fairly flat, hit 25 mph for about 2 miles. Much more thrilling to me. Add there was a slight tail wind.