vinuneuro

Just wondering, when descending, at what speed do you stop pedaling and just tuck as best as possible?

(not that we do much of it here in Chicago)

ccinnz

When my legs can't keep up!... Which is not necessarily a fast speed for me.

exRunner

For me, running a 53-11 as my biggest gear, and spinning out around 120 rpm, would mean 45 mph or better to not be able to tension the chain.

Otherwise, if I can put power to the wheel I keep pedaling.

brianmcg123

Anything over 20mph

Doge

I think down hill, pedaling much over 40MPH brings other issues. Better to pedal to speed, coast, pedal to speed.
That is if going faster = better.

Dan333SP

Did some riding in the mountains today. Found that I stopped pedaling and went full tuck at around 35 mph, biggest gear is a 50-12.

Tycho Brahe 

Never, I only stop pedaling on curves. That said, I have issues cracking 40mph nowadays. Biggest gear is 53-11.

DrIsotope

I am a mere mortal, so usually if the grade is -4% or greater, I don't bother pedaling. I got up there, gravity can get me down. Speed is whatever the speed is. If I'm not working for it, it doesn't matter much. High 20s - low 30s, probably.

Carbonfiberboy 

On our tandem, we're faster if we stop pedaling at ~36. Legs out of the wind and upper body lower is more watts than we'd make pedaling.

canklecat

Had to check my recent fastest downhills where I knew I tucked for about 100 yards. With a 52/13 big gear, looks like I'm tucking and coasting around 35 mph, peaking around 40 mph briefly on the -6% section.

Before switching to clipless recently I was tucking and coasting a bit earlier, around 30-32 mph. With clipless I can spin a bit longer before I'm risking losing efficiency to imbalanced pedaling. If my pedaling was smoother I might hang in a bit longer, but I've only been using clipless for a month. The fastest part of that downhill crosses some bricks so I usually stop pedaling to concentrate on balance.

Another downhill maxes out at -4%. I don't quit pedaling there. Smoother pavement, no bricks, so I'm able to continue pedaling peaking at 38 mph so far.

Balance feels a bit wonky, even with clipless -- although, again, I've been using clipless only a month, although I used toe clips and cleated shoes decades ago. My spinning isn't that smooth yet.

So I might consider another freewheel if I can find one, 11-24 or 12-24, if those are still available anywhere. Choices are limited with old 7-speed stuff. Or maybe a 53T chainring. Might suit my spare 13-25 freewheel.

FWIW, I suck on climbs. So I try to make up for it on downhills. Love the speed. I just can't get faster on climbs.

Dean V

On our tandem the cut off point is quite a bit faster than that. Probably around 50mph. But only worth the effort if we are in a hurry

jpescatore

With 50 x 11 as my top gear, seems like 28 mph is about the top speed where I'll keep pedaling. Going any faster than that I'm more concerned with potholes/gravel/squirrels/deer on the downhills around here than I am going faster - I don't think I've broken 35 mph very often in years.

thehammerdog

I was read that at 30mph your better off not spinning as it is less aero thus thats what I do unless I am feeling crazy strong and silly.

sdmc530

You can stop? Usually on curves and when I am geared out. But other than that never

WhyFi

Plaid.

kcblair

At my age, 18-20mph, is the limit. KB

generalkdi

~70kph with a 52/11

bruce19

If I hit 110-120 rpm and feeling little or no resistance on the pedals I tuck and coast.

Bob Ross

Coasting is for wussy!

Iride01 

If my legs stop moving, it's probably because I'm really tired. Even if I'm not contributing to my speed, I still move them at a comfortable cadence. On long rides I think I suffer more when I don't keep them moving. They just don't want to pedal uphill if I let them have a rest going down the previous.

kbarch

Yes, this!
Also, with extended coasting, it's too easy to lose track of what gear one needs to be in when it comes time to start pedaling again.
My answer is: I've never gone that fast. Max. to date is 43 mph, I think, or not over 40 for more than a few seconds, so sustainable, cadence-wise, with fairly standard gearing options.

McBTC

Anything over 70 rpm is considered spinning so up there in high 80s already seems pretty neat but... 100+ rpm just 'cause I'm going downwhill seems too much like whipping a horse for no reason.

canklecat

Ditto. Our most challenging local routes are roller coasters. If I stop pedaling for more than a couple of seconds my legs go dead. So I at least soft-pedal downhills.

I'm guessing the blood pools quickly toward the feet or something when we stop pedaling. Be interesting to read some science behind that. Sure doesn't take long for my legs to feel dead if I stop pedaling for more than a few seconds. And after even a short rest break it takes me another 5-10 minutes to warm up again. So groups that start fast after a short rest break drive me nuts. I'd rather just keep going than rest, unless we're gonna allow another warmup.

Makes group rides tricky with the local fast club. Even their B-group is fast for me. I usually hang in the back since the other riders don't know me well, nor I them. Which means I end up coasting a lot from drafting. And they don't blast downhills, which I'd prefer. So when we hit the climbs my legs are dead and a gap opens. After 10-20 miles of that accordion type riding I'm cooked and usually drop off and ride my own way.

therhodeo

So you spin out at 80rpm?

79pmooney

Completely depends on the bike (and gearing) I am riding. On most of my bikes, it is 2 mph or less. (Faster than that, I always pedal - they're fix gears.) Other bikes have top gears anywhere from 52-14 to 53-12. If I have been riding the fix gears a lot and am on the 53-12 bike, I may pedal going very fast. (50 mph in that gear is only 140 RPM.) So far I have no record of going over 50 but I have done 49 and that wasn't my faster. (Many years ago, the police car pacing our race down Smuggler's Notch had to do 60 between turns to stay ahead of us. Now we weren't braking and he was. But I was also in a 54-14 and it was going to be miles before I would pedal. I"m guessing we were doing close to 55.)

I often pedal at high speeds simply to steady the bike. I am sure I have bested 45 pedaling. In a big high gear, it just isn't that big a deal. (And I haven't ever ridden the absurdly big gears having yet to own an 11.)

Ben