The biking thread
- Thread starter Bram Turismo
- 4,856 comments
- 262,283 views
- 29,891
- Thailand
25k is not a short ride! And 30km and hour is what I do at a really high pace after a summer of training!
Mongoose, as far as I know make good BMXs, my brother had one. I don't know what other types of bike they make.
Are you sure you cycle 30kph for 25km? That's a really pro level to ride at, ya know? Maybe you miscalculated?
- 2,095
- Norwich, UK
- madmike1986
A friend of mine is similar, he claims that he hit 31mph going down this hill in our town...he is 14 and rides a spesh Hardrock....
Another friend of mine who is 38 and rides a road bike and has done for many years, can only hit 24mph even when pushing hard (it's not a steep hill at all)
He thinks nothing of a 40mile ride on a sunday morning either.
Friend number 1 has a speedo which is blatantly set to KPH instead of MPH, which I have explained to him but he won't have it....kids!
On the subject of ludicrous speed claims, when I were a lad I had a Cateye computer thingy on my bike and once saw 38mph going down "big hill" on dedicated see how fast you can go trip. I'm certain it was set to mph not km/h but I probably cocked the wheel circumference up and input it as Penny Farthing size 
The road is steeper than it looks but even so I have me doubts I went that quick as according to Endomondo my max speed on other hills near me is 28mph! Also just in case our 12 year old friend is checking to see if he won I'm averaging 22km/h over 20km but then I am old and fat.
The road is steeper than it looks but even so I have me doubts I went that quick as according to Endomondo my max speed on other hills near me is 28mph! Also just in case our 12 year old friend is checking to see if he won I'm averaging 22km/h over 20km but then I am old and fat.
ExigeEvan
Premium
- 17,192
I've had a friend hit 38 mph on a downhill road which I pretty much killed a set of V-brakes on (single track tarmac access road changes to single track unpaved road). I'm quite sure he'd have his computer set properly (he works in a bike shop) so a sub-40 mph doesn't strike me as bizarre.
- 657
- Texas
- XizangM1
I managed to hit 30 mph at least twice on my bike. It's all about waiting for a powerful wind gust storm to blow on a flat, concrete street. 
bluemoon_19
Premium
- 1,177
- England, Yorkshire
- bluemoon_19
I remember once on my old bike i was doing a ride and i had a really strong back wind. I decided to push it and see what i could do. The gearing wasn't great but i managed 30 MPH for a few seconds but my feet were going round at a crazy pace. I paid the price tho on the way back as i got a strong head wind 
- 29,891
- Thailand
I'm sure on my new bike today I was hitting speeds I've never hit before. The torque from the gear set just kept on going until my legs gave out, for the first time on a bike.
Traffic laws state a down hill at 50kph here and I was over taking cars this morning. That may be the reason for my brown long-Johns, or that a load of road filth was thrown up and Neal had persuaded me my surf boards weren't a good idea on the new bike!
Either way, the staff had a right laugh about the colour of my long-Johns when I hung them out to dry!
Traffic laws state a down hill at 50kph here and I was over taking cars this morning. That may be the reason for my brown long-Johns, or that a load of road filth was thrown up and Neal had persuaded me my surf boards weren't a good idea on the new bike!
Either way, the staff had a right laugh about the colour of my long-Johns when I hung them out to dry!
I've managed to hit 40 mph on the road bike, but that was only on one particular hill that just had some tail wind and I was racing a friend (slipstreamed him)...
On some of the more local hills, 30+ mph is quite common, depending what you do. Its solid at speed, the road bikes and it doesn't really move around unless there is a sudden loss of pressure in the tyres or something has gotten loose.
Car drivers are and will always, be something to watch out for.
And yes, M3HS, you do need those mud guards. Seen some pro-am riders about they they have them during winter months. Turns out that it helps with visibility at high speeds.
Omnis, don't you mean an Allen screw?
Does anyone actually know the best streamlined position to get into, for downhills? Some of the pro riders have INSANE positions during the Tour races (being a part of the frame stuff)... but I don't want to be like that suicidally insane.
On some of the more local hills, 30+ mph is quite common, depending what you do. Its solid at speed, the road bikes and it doesn't really move around unless there is a sudden loss of pressure in the tyres or something has gotten loose.
Car drivers are and will always, be something to watch out for.
And yes, M3HS, you do need those mud guards. Seen some pro-am riders about they they have them during winter months. Turns out that it helps with visibility at high speeds.
Omnis, don't you mean an Allen screw?
Does anyone actually know the best streamlined position to get into, for downhills? Some of the pro riders have INSANE positions during the Tour races (being a part of the frame stuff)... but I don't want to be like that suicidally insane.
ExigeEvan
Premium
- 17,192
Don't over torque them, I've seen people crack stems before and it doesn't make the situation any better! Perhaps consider some loctite, maybe just drop it into the bike shop you got it from and ask for a dab.
Seems I need to fit a computer so I can join the top trumps!
In terms of aero position, I just get my head down, tuck my elbows in close and put the pedals level.
I over tightened the bar clamp on my wife's bike and broke a bit of the stem off :strengthofthebear: That's why I got a torque wrench for Christmas. Loctite (blue) is a very good idea on most bolts on your bike, not only does it stop them coming loose it can stop creaks and lubes the threads during assembly. Also I wouldn't worry too much about stuff needing adjusting and tightening, it's bound to happen on a new bike.
I've just been for my first successful ride of 2012 which felt good and was a decent pace but my calves were cramping up a bit, I've been out of the saddle for too long.
That's why I got a torque wrench for Christmas. Loctite (blue) is a very good idea on most bolts on your bike, not only does it stop them coming loose it can stop creaks and lubes the threads during assembly. Also I wouldn't worry too much about stuff needing adjusting and tightening, it's bound to happen on a new bike. I've just been for my first successful ride of 2012 which felt good and was a decent pace but my calves were cramping up a bit, I've been out of the saddle for too long.
- 388
- Edinburgh
- daft_biker
Am I winning with 46mph?
......as top speeds on push bikes go that should be pretty easy to beat on a road bike. There was a guy up north clocked by the police at 70mph on a descent on a public road with a 60mph limit a few years back IIRC.
The bike I said I had 46mph on has a 46 tooth large ring and 11 tooth sprocket for it's highest gear.....a big gear for an off-road bike but a relatively small gear for a road bike, even more so if you consider the bigger wheels on a road bike make the gears even longer.
Most of my bikes have had 42 tooth outer front rings and I pretty much always run with a 28-11 tooth cassette on the back.....several different speedos on several different bikes have all told me I pedal out at 42.1mph while seated with that gearing. It always freaked me out a bit getting the same seemingly exact figure from different bikes and computers but I think there's something like 0.3mph between the numbers the computers could display.....I feel better knowing that even if I set up the computers perfectly the indicated 42.1mph could be between 41.95mph and 42.25mph....or something
It's been a few years since I pedalled a bike out in the highest gear though.....had more energy in my 20's
Injuries used to heal a lot better too! Before I had testicular cancer (over a decade ago) I used to do a lot more miles in the saddle but that kind of put me off the sitting down kind of cycling. I don't use a computer and measure rides in miles anymore. (I've done 70 miles on a full suspension MTB with nobbly tyres before....once was enough!)PS Aldo, you going to GT this Sunday? I'll probably be kicking around the freeride area about lunchtime....I'll look out for you if you'll be there too
- 5,494
- Melbourne, Living the dream
- Aldo_GTP
PS Aldo, you going to GT this Sunday? I'll probably be kicking around the freeride area about lunchtime....I'll look out for you if you'll be there too
Yeah I should be. Just look for the odd one out in amongst a load of people with better bikes than me...
- 38,906
- Application hell
- MP-Omnis
Had my first bite today. Took the apex way too early and too fast going from the parking garage to the walkway ramp. Pulled the rear brakes and tried to turn but I didn't want to get wobbly and possibly head over the handlebars so I kinda side-swiped the wall and came to a stop shortly after. Good thing my bar stem can get loose because my handlebars got knocked to the left but the wheel stayed straight. Guess that kinda saved my ass. I'm also glad the ramp barrier is solid concrete and not made of brick or metal bars because my handlebars would have gotten caught and I'd be screwed.
Guess that kinda saved my ass. I'm also glad the ramp barrier is solid concrete and not made of brick or metal bars because my handlebars would have gotten caught and I'd be screwed.
- 13,827
- Down under
Yep, that feeling entering a bend of "oh crap, speed...too much". It does get the heart beating.
Also, my new pedals arrived. Will get em fitted this week:
Also, my new pedals arrived. Will get em fitted this week:
- 29,891
- Thailand
Certainly raises adrenalin levels! I have those moments about once a month when I get a bit brave and feel like Lance Armstrong and think I can take a hairpin down a mountain at 40kph. Scary stuff.
- 388
- Edinburgh
- daft_biker
It's worse when your bike weighs 40 lbs and you're 7 times heavier. I need to get some brembos.
Dunno how common these are over the pond but I reckon Hope make the best brakes for cycles....
WARNING: This link contains shiny things - clicky
.....they're my favourites at least
Suspect most of the disk brakes over there are Hayes, Avid, Shimano......the usual stuff that gets fitted to stock bikes. Hope are more of a small UK brand specialising in the good stuff....should be good for pose value over there:tup:
To ride a bike is to have squeaky bum moments 
Brad, don't forget the none drive side pedal thread is clockwise to remove and grease the threads so they don't seize.
http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/pedal-installation-and-removal-pw-3-pw-4-pw-5-hcw-16
Hope stuff looks awesome, my brother's old Orange was covered in it 👍
Brad, don't forget the none drive side pedal thread is clockwise to remove and grease the threads so they don't seize.
http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/pedal-installation-and-removal-pw-3-pw-4-pw-5-hcw-16
Hope stuff looks awesome, my brother's old Orange was covered in it 👍
