Improving Top Speed

[HundredthIdiot]

amnesia V6 said:

I don't see why 35mph on the flat isn't easily achievable

35 mph = 56.33 kph

Wikipedia said:

At the 2010 UCI Road World Championships in Melbourne (Geelong), Australia, Cancellara won a record fourth elite men's world time trial championship, blazing around the 45.8 km course in 58min 09.19sec, more than a minute ahead of his nearest rival, David Millar of Great Britain.

45.8 km in 58min 09.19sec is 47.25kph.

This is Cancellara on his bike:



This is Mr 35mph's bike:



Furthermore, even if all equipment and position was equal, the extra 9kph requires 63% more power.

So, in short, the idea that you can ride at 35mph on the flat, on a hybrid, for any length of time without the mother of all tailwinds is completely absurd.

[robsti]

Are you sure thats not Okgo riding through Landan mate!

[okgo]

[The Walrus]

robsti said:

Are you sure thats not Okgo riding through Landan mate!

I don't think so that front chain ring is far too small

[Koing]

mchammer89 said:

Pah! 49.96 kilo for me

Edited by mchammer89 on Sunday 6th March 22:11

You've done that on a turbo trainer in a fixed gear or a velo?

I've never done any real speed on the roads as it's probably too dangerous and I don't have my mates fixed gear bike anymore and I don't fancy it's chances on the road.

Koing

[mchammer89]

Koing said:

You've done that on a turbo trainer in a fixed gear or a velo?

I've never done any real speed on the roads as it's probably too dangerous and I don't have my mates fixed gear bike anymore and I don't fancy it's chances on the road.

Koing

At Rollapaluza, similar to a turbo using a fixed, but it's a tournament.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXzC_PwNZQg

[Koing]

mchammer89 said:

At Rollapaluza, similar to a turbo using a fixed, but it's a tournament.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXzC_PwNZQg

I think you were the one that mentioned Rollapaluza. I'll have to see when they are doing a meet next. I don't really cycle (10mins commute to the station :P) but I have power in my legs and hips as I compete in olympic lifting.

Their cadence looks really fast. I'm suprised the big cog isn't bigger? But I think I read it's all standard bikes and setups that you ride.

Hmmmm...how come they clock in such a fast time for for the 1 kilo? I thought my 1:28.xx was pretty good but it's been seemingly crushed.

Koing

[mchammer89]

Yeah i've mentioned it before, the gear is pretty close to what you'd be running at the track, so the cadence is really high as the speeds are much higher with the lack of wind resistance. There's a calendar showing when the events are happening here http://www.rollapaluza.com/comming-soon-callendar-...

If you're going to go to one of the London ones, get in touch, they're always an awesome night out.

[HundredthIdiot]

Koing said:

I think you were the one that mentioned Rollapaluza. I'll have to see when they are doing a meet next. I don't really cycle (10mins commute to the station :P) but I have power in my legs and hips as I compete in olympic lifting.

Their cadence looks really fast. I'm suprised the big cog isn't bigger? But I think I read it's all standard bikes and setups that you ride.

Hmmmm...how come they clock in such a fast time for for the 1 kilo? I thought my 1:28.xx was pretty good but it's been seemingly crushed.

Koing

The Rollapaluza-type competitions I've been to are not about power, they're about cadence.

There really isn't very much resistance at all. You just need to be able to pump your legs round at 180rpm or whatever without vomiting, in between pints of Guinness.

I tried it once and vomited.

Or at least, that's how they're done around these parts.

[mchammer89]

Remember, power is torque times speed (in this case, cadence).

Saying that cadence is important does not mean that power isn't important.

Done properly, it's an excellent measure of sprinting ability.

[Koing]

mchammer89 said:

Remember, power is torque times speed (in this case, cadence).

Saying that cadence is important does not mean that power isn't important.

Done properly, it's an excellent measure of sprinting ability.

Agreed but you can gear a bike to suit a particular rider. Otherwise we'd have that guy that can beat Chris Hoy beat him in the Velo, but granted on the Velo you'd have a f0ck load of wind resistance and that requires much much more power to sustain. The guy that beats Chris Hoy has a better caddence then Chris Hoy, but Chris Hoy can turn over a higher gear against wind resistance with more power.

I can't go on the 25th. I have a competition the following day at Crystal Palace. I looked at the events and nothings on but I guess it gets updated? I'm well keen to go! Definitely going to go to the next one.

May get a fixed bike at home on a turbo trainer just to smash it up...

Booked my flights and I'm out to San Franciso in a months time to train can't wait

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ug2GtmX01xE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCpA8u2D75E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sy8IfSiEBNo

HundredthIdiot said:

The Rollapaluza-type competitions I've been to are not about power, they're about cadence.

There really isn't very much resistance at all. You just need to be able to pump your legs round at 180rpm or whatever without vomiting, in between pints of Guinness.

I tried it once and vomited.

Or at least, that's how they're done around these parts.

I also throw up after a 28s 500m on the turbo trainer. I spent 20mins on the floor feeling TERRIBLE...then sat upright and had to run to the sink to throw up.

Koing

[mchammer89]

Oh i'm not suggesting that it's a good measure of how someone will perform on the track, my comment was in a respone to someone saying it's just about pedalling fast. Obviously they have never tried it!

Also, in response to the Chris Hoy comments, he's not too bad at it:

Rollaplauza's fastest riders:

1 Matt Crampton 17.90
2 Craig Maclean 18.94
3 Chris Hoy 19.44

Matt Crampton should've won a prize for having the most apt name also

[Kermit power]

mchammer89 said:

Rollaplauza stuff

I'd never heard of that before reading this thread. It looks fun, in a sort of "why would anyone want to do that to themselves" sort of way!

[mchammer89]

Kermit power said:

I'd never heard of that before reading this thread. It looks fun, in a sort of "why would anyone want to do that to themselves" sort of way!

Indeed, I think this best sums it up. There was one at the place I work at a few months back, the two guys in the final (remember that they've had to qualify and go through all of the knock out rounds) got the exact same time, to the nearest hundredth of a second, so they had to race again. They both threw up afterwards. Understandable I guess

[Koing]

mchammer89 said:

Indeed, I think this best sums it up. There was one at the place I work at a few months back, the two guys in the final (remember that they've had to qualify and go through all of the knock out rounds) got the exact same time, to the nearest hundredth of a second, so they had to race again. They both threw up afterwards. Understandable I guess

lol

Next event I am going to go for it

Koing

[hondafanatic]

This topic is kinda funny in a tragic way.

This is just my take on it...

- OP starts his thread
- Couple of responses about cassette size
- OP gets dragged over hot coals and outted as a billy bullstter
- Someone mentions 'Rollaplauza' and the threads turns into a 'look over here at something completely different' thread.
- OP not seen since...despite being a memeber for 39 months.

I just find it all very odd and a bit on the harsh side.

[okgo]

He hasn't come back as he was talking toot. He either got his miles and kilometers mixed up or his speedo is wrong. As pointed out, the best time trialers in the world are not constantly at that speed and they're on time trial bikes. And world class athletes.

It's not harsh, it's just pointing out the obvious.

[hondafanatic]

okgo said:

It's not harsh, it's just pointing out the obvious.

That's a matter of opinion though. I think it was way over the top, but then I'm sensitive soul.

[Zingari]

I got 17mph out of my 3-speed Brompton the other day. I thought I was doing rather well