Were those crashes in the pro-event? Cause I was their for the Mens 1/2/3 and their were no crashes. The womens at the start line was the only one I had seen and that was just a mess. Anyway man that is a good speed and in the mens 1/2/3 I could tell they were booking it but was not sure how fast. The pace car was flooring it during one part because the leaders came up on him quick. Anyway that is a good speed to be moving at, I am averaging about 15mph right after my ride yesterday so I got a little to do before im their.

I am kinda a speed freak so doing the 39+ gets my heart going in excitement. However in some of the roads around here I would not go any faster then that since their not in the best condition and I could only think what it would feel like f I hit a huge crack.

I cant believe I was going that fast and yeah without a engine ha. Well I guess my legs are the engine lol.

Yup, it was the pro race; I didn't arrive until the kids' races. I don't know for sure what happened in each crash, but I think that they were both single-rider wrecks, one very early and the other in the last corner on the last lap.

Enjoy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kZSzB4kEE8

Embrace the hill -- you know you want to. Wallow in the long glorious down hill, then enjoy the challenge of getting back up again.

Just think of the overwhelming sense of accomplishment you'll get when you conquer your nemesis. Then it'll be, "hmm, wasn't so bad. Now, when can I do that again, and how can I do it in a bigger gear?"

Today I had my mountain bike going 30mph (with maxxis off road tires). I was trying to hang with a pack of road bikes........after about 2 miles I was exausted and had to drop off the pace. I'm in decent shape but I'd have to say that was too fast for me. Would it make a huge difference if I changed to road tires?

I did 39 coming down a bridge and through an off-ramp on I75 (northbound lanes were closed). I wish I could have hit 50, fun stuff.

Everyone else has weighed in about the 39 mph on a hill. If you dialed in the correct circumference of your tires when you set up the cyclocomputer, it's probably giving you accurate numbers. A simple test of the calibration is to ride side-by-side with another cyclist and compare the speed readings.

This reminds me of the time when my friend and I were riding up a quite steep hill that had those "your speed is ____" machines. We were struggling up the hill going about 8 mph joking about the machine thing, when it starts flashing slow down. I think it picked up a car far away, but it was really funny at the time.

Also, I hit 46 mph on a descent last week. Was braking, so sometime I want to try it without touching the brakes.

he's not very knowledgeable in the way of physics then.

39 is fast. Fast enough to make sure you're looking down the road far enough and are anticipating trouble.

For me anything in the 40-45mph range is "everyday fast" where I'll top out on most of my normal descents.

Anything above 45 is "holy ****" fast. I cracked the 50mph mark a couple weeks ago. I looked down during a 3 mile steep decent and I was holding steady at 48mph...then I went back to watching the road. Went through a nice long left hand sweeper that goes 180 degrees, and I'm pretty sure that's where I cracked 50. I went from holding the inside line to hanging on to the right side of the road. For about 3 seconds I was pretty freaked out.

39 is good times.

I live in Illinois. It is very, very flat here. Pancake flat. Not as flat as Florida, but between the highest and lowest spot in the entire state is about 900 feet. There ain't much yet I still can hit 50-55 mph on a half mile hill. I think the gradient hits 20% for a small stretch.

that might be one of those tricks you can only do once!

Yes.

OR drive to the bottom of the hill ride back up and glide back down to the car. That way you pay before you play.

Down steep hills I usually do between 40-50mph but I don't hit 50mph often unless I'm pedaling at a good clip.

Incorrect.

For example in 2006 Cancellara rode 50.8km in 1:00:11.75 at Worlds. That's well over 30mph. If I'm not mistaken all the guys in the Top 20 were above 30mph (that's on the road).

Please correct me if my math is wrong.

+1 One of the drills I work on during my ride returning from the grocery store is I juggle 5 oranges while sprinting out of the saddle at 45...sometimes a bit less into a stiff breeze or if raining and riding uphill. Try it...great for balance.

Always wondered what the stopping distance was for a bike doing 30, 40, 50 mph? Downhill and on the flat.

I can tell you from experience that the stopping distance for a bike doing 50mph downhill is pretty far...

My fastest "ride" was 26-something for 45 minutes in a crit. Other than crits, I did an 80 mile road race in just over 3 hours for 25.something (ok, so it was one way and there may have been a little wind but there was also a net elevation gain), and 43 mile rolling/slightly hilly road race at 23.4. I think those were pretty fast but not nearly as fast as the guys who won, or the higher categories. FWIW, I was blown out of the water when I found out that the winners of the elite nationals road race did 120 miles at over 26mph.

55mph on a downhill is my personal best, although there is a guy I ride with that has done well over 60 on the same hill. I've tried to get his wheel the last few times we've gone down it together but if he starts from behind me, he goes by so fast that I can't accerlate on. I have to start with him next time.

Sliding distance, likewise.

I fortunately have not found that one out, but I can tell you that running into the side of a mountain at 30mph stops you pretty fast
And that it is not fun when the brake cable breaks at the bottom of said 50mph descent...

I don't care who you are, that there is FUNNY!!

I've hit 44 mph then I get sketchy and shut it down. I've already had one crash on a downhill (shale popped my tire) and that's enough for me.

What impresses me more are people going 30+ on flats, that's fast.