How fast on the flats?
 

Just curious what speed fast riders can get up to without being wind aided or going downhill. I have a mile flat stretch at the end of my 35 mile loop, and always try to hit 35mph, have only made it once though. It is fun trying though. I am hoping with my new bike it comes easier this spring.

39 nobody believes 40

I think I'm only in the low 30's. But it's really hard to know if you're on a slight decline or have any wind in the mix. Slight declines can look and feel flat and wind under 3 mph is hard to detect whilst moving on the bike. Still I think that trying to gauge your top (flat) speed is a good way to get stronger and faster.

Low 30's

The way to know for sure would be to do a pass in both directions and take the average. Wind could still be a factor though.

just to put a dose of reality in here. I'm a decent, not terrible, not great Cat 4 sprinter.

Yesterday I won a prime sprint. I was actually leading out our designated sprinter, but my lead out was fast enough he couldn't come around me. Last week the one prime I went for I got second by a wheel length.

Final sprint, I was 3rd, and 8th, in the 2 races, both, with pretty large fields and both ending in field sprints.

I did not go over 33.5 mph for any of those sprints.

When people who do not race, tell you they do high 30's solo, without a leadout, take it with a grain of salt.

with proper gearing, some strong track riders could theoretically hit 60mph.

I'm a paltry 32 on a good day.

i posted 33.9 sprinting for a line during a race ride last week. crossheadwind ~5-10 mph.

I hit 32 for a few seconds alone with no appreciable tailwind one night on a flat stretch. I think when people answer they may mean "I hit that speed for a very, very short time, and then died." At least that's what happened to me (I don't race).

I appreciate that there is a big difference between 32 and high 30s, though.

uhm, cough, cough, bull****, cough, bull****.

Even with the benefit, of dropping down the banking, or a madison sling, you're not hitting 60 mph (setting aside motor pacing.)

There's a whole lot of theory in that theoretically.

http://bicycling.suite101.com/articl...stest_bicycles

My personal best with 0 wind is 33

32 on flats ...living on the great plains we have plenty!

i had an incredible lead out one time and my speedo comp read 40 mph when i came around for my sprint. and i have led lead out trains for my team where i've pulled at 33 mph for the final town line sprint on our training rides. i know these numbers are high, and i really don't have any way to prove them, but i have hit these numbers.

32 mph is not paltry.

Just doing sprint workouts by myself I'm right around there.

Based on BF threads over the years I shoud be OTB. However, I've found a way to win a few primes, city limit sprints on trianing rides, and a few decent placements in my low category.

If I believed the sprint speeds posted on BF (not necessarily so much in this thread but in may others) I would have concluded it was impossible for me to even stay in contact with the back of a Cat 4 field sprint.

Well, theoretically that's impossible if you mean they'd be riding an unfaired upright track bike. Air drag is just too much to overcome unless they're assisted by gravity or are drafting another vehicle. The first bike to ever hit 65 mph on flat ground was a fully faired Easy Racers Gold Rush recumbent in 1986, ridden by Freddy Markham. Here's a picture:
http://www.speed101.com/images/sept/...y_Colorado.jpg

When I ride in group rides, I often hover around 30-35mph for a good distance (flats) but many know that riding a group is significantly different because of the "group work/pack" that helps with the wind. When I do solo rides I usually push 25-27 mph on flats.

About 55kph is my record. I guess that's about 33 or 34mph. I can only sustain that for 40-50 seconds.

Here is an interesting calculator. http://bikecalculator.com/veloUS.html

I would have to hold 1000 watts to reach 35 mph and 1500 watts to hold 40 mph. I am 50 years old but my Powertap has only seen 4 digits on a trainer for a few seconds (not having to worry about balancing the bike).

think how fast he could go today with a carbon fiber fairing...

I gave it my all today on the flattest stretch of road one is likely to find around here and could only manage 29.8 (my excuse: cyclocross tires at 50 psi). I did learn one thing for sure - 48/12 at 90rpm is plenty of gearing for me, ha! I also learned that my gps unit is actually very accurate and tracks speed almost instantly since it was lock step with my bike computer the whole way on speed and distance.

I live in CO. What is this "flat" of which you speak?:(

My top speed on the road with no wind, no slope, etc. is 28.7 mph. Just tried today again after a medium ride just to reset my cyclometer since interference had my max say 90.5 and I topped off at 26.7 with slight cross wind and taking the same patch road in two passes back and forth Good thing I don't race...

On the flip side, I can do a ridiculous 47 mph on rollers with a 42x12 gear (my largest). I dismount by falling :) If I can do that on the road, I will go challenge Tom Boonen.

i hit 37mph on this http://img103.imageshack.us/img103/3180/img00037va3.jpg

with the mirrors folded in.

The current record is 82.33 mph, set by Sam Whittingham in Sept. '08.

well thats why its theoretical. its more so in theory of power output and gearing ratios, disregarding wind and such.