God's Own Locomotive...
04-30-17, 02:14 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Posts: 5,147
Bikes: 2015 Charge Plug, 1997 Nishiki Blazer, 1984 Nishiki International
Mentioned: 53 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1112 Post(s)
Liked 839 Times
in
406 Posts
God's Own Locomotive...
That's what it felt like I was riding on the way home from lunch. 17mph+ tailwinds, flat roads and a slight downhill gave me a sustained speed of 33mph for blocks and blocks and blocks on my 32lb, 26x1.86 slick-tired, custom high-geared, extra long crank, aero-barred 1997 Nishiki Blazer. So much mass, so much speed, so much stability. At 56 I was yelling like a nine-year-old on Mountain Dew and Pixie Sticks!
I love cycling!
I love cycling!
04-30-17, 03:11 PM
#5
Tortoise Wins by a Hare!
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Looney Tunes, IL
Posts: 7,201
Bikes: Wabi Special FG, Raleigh Roper, Nashbar AL-1, Miyata One Hundred, '70 Schwinn Lemonator and More!!
Mentioned: 21 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1451 Post(s)
Liked 743 Times
in
400 Posts
Did you get to ride the other way, into the wind?
04-30-17, 03:58 PM
#6
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Posts: 5,147
Bikes: 2015 Charge Plug, 1997 Nishiki Blazer, 1984 Nishiki International
Mentioned: 53 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1112 Post(s)
Liked 839 Times
in
406 Posts
Originally Posted by oldnslow2
More like Issac Newton was your co-pilot.
04-30-17, 04:00 PM
#7
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Posts: 5,147
Bikes: 2015 Charge Plug, 1997 Nishiki Blazer, 1984 Nishiki International
Mentioned: 53 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1112 Post(s)
Liked 839 Times
in
406 Posts
Originally Posted by AlmostTrick
Did you get to ride the other way, into the wind?
04-30-17, 04:13 PM
#8
The Infractionator
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 2,202
Bikes: Classic road bikes: 1986 Cannondale, 1978 Trek
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 875 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
Heavy tailwinds are funny things; the more upright you sit, the faster you go.....
Last time I rode 3 miles into a heavy headwind, I struggled to average 10 mph....in the drops! On the return? Averaged 28 (and that was only because of traffic on the MUT.
Last time I rode 3 miles into a heavy headwind, I struggled to average 10 mph....in the drops! On the return? Averaged 28 (and that was only because of traffic on the MUT.
04-30-17, 05:10 PM
#9
Veteran, Pacifist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Seattle area
Posts: 10,598
Bikes: Bikes??? Thought this was social media?!?
Mentioned: 237 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2627 Post(s)
Liked 1,333 Times
in
792 Posts
....and I thought this thread was about Winning Town Line Sprints (or at least staying ahead of the photographer).
04-30-17, 05:58 PM
#10
Me duelen las nalgas
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Texas
Posts: 12,271
Bikes: Centurion Ironman, Trek 5900, Univega Via Carisma, Globe Carmel
Mentioned: 186 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3946 Post(s)
Liked 1,706 Times
in
1,098 Posts
Yeah, that feeling of no-effort cruising is nice. I check the hint.fm/wind/ site before some rides before deciding on a route, so I can pick some fun areas with tailwinds.
Last week we had steady 20 mph wind out of the south, perfect time to crack the Strava top 10 on a little known nearby northbound segment. There's a slight uphill grade for a few hundred yards followed by a long gradual downhill for a couple of miles. Not many riders have tackled that route yet and the current KOM did it at 33 mph.
My fastest time on the downhill section was 35 mph, so I knew there was no chance of breaking his record. But I figured the tailwind would get me into the top 10.
I rode 19.4 and 19.6 mph on different days that week, enough for 8th and 10th places on the segment. Riding my 1992 mountain bike with riser bars for a more upright position, I just loafed through the uphill bit at 12 mph, then kicked into the big chain ring and smallest rear cog for the downhill.
For now. It won't last long. By the end of the year I'll be back where I belong, around 537th place. It's the main road through a new housing development that just opened last week. As soon as more riders learn about the segment the top 10 will be stacked with 33 mph overall averages, each a tenth apart from the other.
Last week we had steady 20 mph wind out of the south, perfect time to crack the Strava top 10 on a little known nearby northbound segment. There's a slight uphill grade for a few hundred yards followed by a long gradual downhill for a couple of miles. Not many riders have tackled that route yet and the current KOM did it at 33 mph.
My fastest time on the downhill section was 35 mph, so I knew there was no chance of breaking his record. But I figured the tailwind would get me into the top 10.
I rode 19.4 and 19.6 mph on different days that week, enough for 8th and 10th places on the segment. Riding my 1992 mountain bike with riser bars for a more upright position, I just loafed through the uphill bit at 12 mph, then kicked into the big chain ring and smallest rear cog for the downhill.
For now. It won't last long. By the end of the year I'll be back where I belong, around 537th place. It's the main road through a new housing development that just opened last week. As soon as more riders learn about the segment the top 10 will be stacked with 33 mph overall averages, each a tenth apart from the other.
04-30-17, 06:30 PM
#13
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Posts: 5,147
Bikes: 2015 Charge Plug, 1997 Nishiki Blazer, 1984 Nishiki International
Mentioned: 53 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1112 Post(s)
Liked 839 Times
in
406 Posts
Originally Posted by Crawdaddy
Looks like a nice set up to ride in anything mother nature throws at you. May the wind always be at your back
Originally Posted by wgscott
What is with the horizontal bottle with the hose coming out of it?
https://deltacycle.com/airzound-horn
05-01-17, 06:12 AM
#14
Bikes are okay, I guess.
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Richmond, Virginia
Posts: 6,330
Bikes: Waterford Paramount Touring, Trek 510 city build, Giant CFM-2, Raleigh Sports 3-speeds in M23 & L23, Schwinn Cimarron oddball build, Marin Palisades Trail dropbar conversion, Nishiki Cresta GT
Mentioned: 52 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1841 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 583 Times
in
416 Posts
Only 32 lbs. for that bike? As pictured?
05-01-17, 06:38 AM
#15
Senior Member
Funny that the direction of the wind can make or break your ride some days. No one else pays as much attention to the wind as us cyclists...except maybe sailors.
05-01-17, 06:55 AM
#16
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Posts: 5,147
Bikes: 2015 Charge Plug, 1997 Nishiki Blazer, 1984 Nishiki International
Mentioned: 53 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1112 Post(s)
Liked 839 Times
in
406 Posts
Originally Posted by thumpism
Only 32 lbs. for that bike? As pictured?
05-01-17, 08:04 AM
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 28,754
Mentioned: 197 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 12495 Post(s)
Liked 4,603 Times
in
2,374 Posts
Do you know Ms. Prant?
05-03-17, 07:14 AM
#19
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Posts: 5,147
Bikes: 2015 Charge Plug, 1997 Nishiki Blazer, 1984 Nishiki International
Mentioned: 53 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1112 Post(s)
Liked 839 Times
in
406 Posts
Originally Posted by Blanbrineson
take that bad boy on any sweet ramps?
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
nymtber
Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg)
0
06-20-10 01:19 PM
