20 mph on a bike..
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Memphis, TN
Posts: 87
Bikes: KHS Urban Express
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
20 mph on a bike..
Is anyone able to do 20+ mph sustained on a flat bar road bike? How long did it take to build up to that speed?
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Long Beach,CA
Posts: 1,410
Bikes: Kona Ute, Nishiki 4130, Trek 7000, K2 Mach 1.0, Novara Randonee, Schwinn Loop, K2 Zed 1.0, Schwinn Cream, Torker Boardwalk
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Catch a good tailwind and you will fly in no time.
#3
Fresh Garbage
Sustaining over 20 may be hard with flat bars but staying around 20 shouldn't be too bad. You can still tuck and get aero if you have to, but it isnt as comfortable as with drop bars. I guess age and fitness will determine how fast it takes to get fast.
#4
Not safe for work
Plenty of people have whizzed by on their bikes at that speed right past me. Unfortunately I only manage 20 miles per hour going downhill. But I call them kilometres so 20 miles would be about 32 km. I sigh as I pedal my meagre 14 km as they tear by me on every kind of bike there is. Even unicycles -- maybe not at that speed but definitely speedy.
#5
I am a caffine girl
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Bay Area
Posts: 1,815
Bikes: 2012 Stumpjumper FSR Comp...2010 Scott CR1 CF...2007 Novara FS Float2.0...2009 Specialized Hardrock Disc...2009 Schwinn Le Tour GSr
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Heck I have trouble substaining 18+mph (on 25+ miles ride) on my drop bar road bike on a windless day on a paved trail. Now on a commute bike with drop bar and with all my bags and stuff, I'll be lucky to even get 18 mph on the flat for longer than a few miles at a time.
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: San Francisco!
Posts: 909
Bikes: 2010 Surly LHT (main rider and do-everything bike), 2011 Bike Friday NWT (back-up bike and multi-modal)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Works for me
I cannot hold more than about 17-18 MPH on flat land without a good tailwind. I can reach 20+, but then I tend to drop back to the 15-18 MPH range when my lungs and legs get tired. And this is on a drop bar bike! Down hills on the other hand...
I cannot hold more than about 17-18 MPH on flat land without a good tailwind. I can reach 20+, but then I tend to drop back to the 15-18 MPH range when my lungs and legs get tired. And this is on a drop bar bike! Down hills on the other hand...
#7
DON'T PANIC!
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Capital District, NY
Posts: 497
Bikes: Fuji Absolute 3.0
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Back into cycling for two months after 15 years and a lot of weight. Today I rode my flat bar commuter 18 miles averaging a little over 14mph with one pannier and two bottles over pavement with some inclines. I max out at over 26 down a hill and on the flats without a headwind I can easily do 16-18.
#8
on your left.
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Blacksburg, VA
Posts: 1,802
Bikes: Scott SUB 30, Backtrax MTB
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
i've TTed on a flat-bar road bike when I had nothing else, so yes. I was a lot lot lot more fit then than i am now.
#9
Fresh Garbage
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 276
Bikes: 2012 Venge, 2011 Transition, Surly Troll
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I struggle to keep 16 mph and it's only a 9 mile commute... Great god I'm out of bike shape.. I can run the 9 miles there easier
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Edgewater, CO
Posts: 3,213
Bikes: Tons
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
#16
Stealing Spokes since 82'
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Boy-z, Ideeeho
Posts: 1,875
Bikes: The always reliable kuwie
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
i usually average about 20 to 22 mph while i can some parts of my daily commute just isnt really able to handle that with lights and forced sidewalk riding but i def can pace 20+ for a few miles at least i run a 1x8 setup right now with a 50t front with flat bar here soon when i put the drops back on i can and have paced 25 my way to work at 5 am with no people out
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,952
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
I did 20+ mph on flats a $100 used mountain bike with a nonlockout front fork, knobby tires at 40psi for a good 2 hour ride with roadies once , when I thought a bunch of roadies were going to go easy at 17-18mph, but it ended up being pulled faster by some guys going 21+ on all the flats. Although this was clearly a draft-assisted effort, which is huge considering the upright position of a mtn bike.
I'd actually be fairly certain that nearly all racing road cyclists who can keep up with the club "B" ride would be able to do 20mph for an hour on a flat-bar road bike.
I gotta admit as well - I'm not a hugely experience road cyclist, but I've ridden with a wide range of guys, and pretty much all the guys I know who are in racing clubs, were able to do 20+mph on a road bike very quickly after getting on their first road bike. Like within a few weeks once they got used to their bike.
I'd actually be fairly certain that nearly all racing road cyclists who can keep up with the club "B" ride would be able to do 20mph for an hour on a flat-bar road bike.
I gotta admit as well - I'm not a hugely experience road cyclist, but I've ridden with a wide range of guys, and pretty much all the guys I know who are in racing clubs, were able to do 20+mph on a road bike very quickly after getting on their first road bike. Like within a few weeks once they got used to their bike.
Last edited by agarose2000; 05-23-10 at 07:41 PM.
#18
Fresh Garbage
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Waynesboro,PA
Posts: 301
Bikes: 08 LHT and 13 giant defy 2 composite
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
#20
Arizona Dessert
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: AZ
Posts: 15,030
Bikes: Cannondale SuperSix, Lemond Poprad. Retired: Jamis Sputnik, Centurion LeMans Fixed, Diamond Back ascent ex
Mentioned: 76 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5345 Post(s)
Liked 2,169 Times
in
1,288 Posts
Took about 3-4mo. from when I started riding regularly. Soon after that I got a new bike.
#21
The Fat Guy In The Back
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Sioux Falls, SD
Posts: 2,532
Bikes: '81 Panasonic Sport, '02 Giant Boulder SE, '08 Felt S32, '10 Diamondback Insight RS, '10 Windsor Clockwork, '15 Kestrel Evoke 3.0, '19 Salsa Mukluk
Mentioned: 92 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 320 Post(s)
Liked 174 Times
in
115 Posts
There's a section of my commute that is flat for about 1/2 mile and in a little valley that is usually sheltered from the wind. On that section I regularly hold 20 mph +- 1 mph when I ride my hybrid.
The rest of the commute I'm happy if I keep it between 15 - 17 mph. If it's windy or I'm tired then it's less.
The rest of the commute I'm happy if I keep it between 15 - 17 mph. If it's windy or I'm tired then it's less.
__________________
Visit me at the Tundra Man Workshop
Visit me at the Tundra Man Workshop
#22
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Cooper City, Fl
Posts: 765
Bikes: Cannondale CAAD9 R5
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
we have a guy in our weekly nightly group ride that keeps up pretty easily and does pulls on his flat bar mountain bike avg speed is 23-25mph
all flat.
Chad
all flat.
Chad
Last edited by Nimitz87; 05-23-10 at 09:04 PM.
#23
aka Phil Jungels
#24
Senior Member
I can do it on my road bike easily, but I doubt I could on my MTB/Commuter with 1.5 slicks. It just doesn't spin up as easily.
#25
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Cooper City, Fl
Posts: 765
Bikes: Cannondale CAAD9 R5
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I did 20+ mph on flats a $100 used mountain bike with a nonlockout front fork, knobby tires at 40psi for a good 2 hour ride with roadies once , when I thought a bunch of roadies were going to go easy at 17-18mph, but it ended up being pulled faster by some guys going 21+ on all the flats. Although this was clearly a draft-assisted effort, which is huge considering the upright position of a mtn bike.
I'd actually be fairly certain that nearly all racing road cyclists who can keep up with the club "B" ride would be able to do 20mph for an hour on a flat-bar road bike.
I gotta admit as well - I'm not a hugely experience road cyclist, but I've ridden with a wide range of guys, and pretty much all the guys I know who are in racing clubs, were able to do 20+mph on a road bike very quickly after getting on their first road bike. Like within a few weeks once they got used to their bike.
I'd actually be fairly certain that nearly all racing road cyclists who can keep up with the club "B" ride would be able to do 20mph for an hour on a flat-bar road bike.
I gotta admit as well - I'm not a hugely experience road cyclist, but I've ridden with a wide range of guys, and pretty much all the guys I know who are in racing clubs, were able to do 20+mph on a road bike very quickly after getting on their first road bike. Like within a few weeks once they got used to their bike.
yeah no not "everyone" can do that a few weeks after getting their bike very few actually.
Chad