mph vs km
04-17-09 | 11:47 AM
#26
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 632
Likes: 0
I live in the USA. We use miles. If the rest of the world doesn't like it, keep in mind that WE'VE actually used a nuclear weapon before. 
Since I've spent my whole life talking in MPH, that's what I use. When I watch a bike race, I just multiply the speed times .6 in my head to get a good estimate. Here's a snapshot: When I hear "The peleton is averaging right around 45 km/h", I can quickly figure out that 6x4=24 and 6x5=30. So 45kph is halfway between 24 and 30, or about 27mph. You'll also notice that I drop the decimal point from .6 and just deal in 10's of kphs....i.e. .6x40=6x4. The actual answer, by the way, is 27.9mph, so I'm off slightly, but I'm ok with an error factor of +/- 1mph since it's safe to assume that the announcers are probably similarly inaccurate.
Since I've spent my whole life talking in MPH, that's what I use. When I watch a bike race, I just multiply the speed times .6 in my head to get a good estimate. Here's a snapshot: When I hear "The peleton is averaging right around 45 km/h", I can quickly figure out that 6x4=24 and 6x5=30. So 45kph is halfway between 24 and 30, or about 27mph. You'll also notice that I drop the decimal point from .6 and just deal in 10's of kphs....i.e. .6x40=6x4. The actual answer, by the way, is 27.9mph, so I'm off slightly, but I'm ok with an error factor of +/- 1mph since it's safe to assume that the announcers are probably similarly inaccurate.
04-17-09 | 11:49 AM
#27
Over the hill
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 24,601
Likes: 1,364
From: Los Angeles, CA
Bikes: Pinarello Nytro, Momentum Transend
04-17-09 | 11:53 AM
#28
Recovering mentalist
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 2,810
Likes: 2
From: On the Edge
Bikes: Too many
I live in the USA. We use miles. If the rest of the world doesn't like it, keep in mind that WE'VE actually used a nuclear weapon before.
Since I've spent my whole life talking in MPH, that's what I use. When I watch a bike race, I just multiply the speed times .6 in my head to get a good estimate. Here's a snapshot: When I hear "The peleton is averaging right around 45 km/h", I can quickly figure out that 6x4=24 and 6x5=30. So 45kph is halfway between 24 and 30, or about 27mph. You'll also notice that I drop the decimal point from .6 and just deal in 10's of kphs....i.e. .6x40=6x4. The actual answer, by the way, is 27.9mph, so I'm off slightly, but I'm ok with an error factor of +/- 1mph since it's safe to assume that the announcers are probably similarly inaccurate.
Since I've spent my whole life talking in MPH, that's what I use. When I watch a bike race, I just multiply the speed times .6 in my head to get a good estimate. Here's a snapshot: When I hear "The peleton is averaging right around 45 km/h", I can quickly figure out that 6x4=24 and 6x5=30. So 45kph is halfway between 24 and 30, or about 27mph. You'll also notice that I drop the decimal point from .6 and just deal in 10's of kphs....i.e. .6x40=6x4. The actual answer, by the way, is 27.9mph, so I'm off slightly, but I'm ok with an error factor of +/- 1mph since it's safe to assume that the announcers are probably similarly inaccurate.
04-17-09 | 12:52 PM
#31
light years is a measure of distance.
04-17-09 | 12:57 PM
#32
Carpe Diem
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 13,149
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From: MABRA
Bikes: 2007 CAAD9; 2014 CAADX; PedalForce CG1
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"When you are chewing the bars at the business end of a 90 mile road race you really dont care what gear you have hanging from your bike so long as it works."
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"When you are chewing the bars at the business end of a 90 mile road race you really dont care what gear you have hanging from your bike so long as it works."
ΛΧΑ ΔΞ179 - 15% off your first Hammer Nutrition order!
04-17-09 | 12:59 PM
#33
04-17-09 | 01:21 PM
#35
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 406
Likes: 0
From: Ottawa, ON, Canada
km/h. because I lived in Hong Kong, and now in Canada. Also, I don't like to remember crazy magic constants like 12 in to a foot, 5000 some odd foot in a mile - this is factoring my propensity to remember silly magic numbers like my bank/credit cards, IP addresses, and other computer related constants (or at least the way to recalculate it).
04-17-09 | 01:26 PM
#36
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,639
Likes: 0
I've gone totally metric while on my bicycle. Not only do I weigh less now (only 98 vs 215), I ride much faster (25 vs only about 15 while using the English system).
It was a no-brainer really. It might also explain why I was paying so much for gas.
It was a no-brainer really. It might also explain why I was paying so much for gas.
04-17-09 | 02:10 PM
#37
well hello there
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 15,488
Likes: 388
From: Point Loma, CA
Bikes: Bill Holland (Road-Ti), Fuji Roubaix Pro (back-up), Bike Friday (folder), Co-Motion (tandem) & Trek 750 (hybrid)
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Two wheels good. Four wheels bad.
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Two wheels good. Four wheels bad.
04-17-09 | 02:10 PM
#38
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 2,522
Likes: 7
