RE: PH Blog: pedal power
Discussion
Cotic said:
I picked up my new carbon framed Mekk on Tuesday.
Took it out for its first run on Wednesday night, and a car pulled out in front of me and I hit it side-on at speed. My nice new carbon frame is now in two pieces, and I have significant bruising to my upper chest and face.
The bike had done less than 0.2 miles....
Yikes that sucks! Glad you are okay, hope the Mercedes driver doesn't give you too much insurance hassle.Took it out for its first run on Wednesday night, and a car pulled out in front of me and I hit it side-on at speed. My nice new carbon frame is now in two pieces, and I have significant bruising to my upper chest and face.
The bike had done less than 0.2 miles....
I've got a Kona Dew Hybrid and a Bianchi and I must admit in the winter I stick to the Kona - dressed like Mr Motivator with more lights than Blackpool
velocgee said:
Clinton Baptiste said:
joshxs said:
Racing down a rocky descent at 60mph in the evening twilight is also very good for your concentration levels.
60mph off road on a mtb? No chance i'm not having that!love mtbing but just not accessible for me at the mo so the late 90s kona holds the off road fort. deposit down on a new wilier gt frame. but my current favorite is the Brompton s2l. fantastic bike and everyone should have one.
upsidedownmark said:
pablo said:
60mph on a mountain bike with regular gearing would work out at something like 200 rpm!
Only if you're pedalling. That's what gravity is for..I could jump off beachy head with my bike and hit 120mph but I couldn't call it cycling.
Gizmoish said:
If you're not pedalling, it's not really anything you can claim as your own achievement is it.
I could jump off beachy head with my bike and hit 120mph but I couldn't call it cycling.
Thus speaks a climber I rather suspect I could jump off beachy head with my bike and hit 120mph but I couldn't call it cycling.
Takes serious cajones to descend on the limit at big speed - and in a racing context can make some serious time.
Crippo said:
I've got a kit car and I manage to carry my bike.
Not quite as extreme as a Phoenix, admittedly, but I used to have a Quantum 2+2 as my daily driver. People would watch in amazement as a full size mountain bike emerged from its interior - frame stowed behind the seats, wheels in the boot. I had a bike rack for it too, but very rarely got used.
upsidedownmark said:
Gizmoish said:
If you're not pedalling, it's not really anything you can claim as your own achievement is it.
I could jump off beachy head with my bike and hit 120mph but I couldn't call it cycling.
Thus speaks a climber I rather suspect I could jump off beachy head with my bike and hit 120mph but I couldn't call it cycling.
Takes serious cajones to descend on the limit at big speed - and in a racing context can make some serious time.
There is no fire road from my experience in the UK which is steep enough to get you up to a gravity assisted 60 mph. You would need the reactions of a ninja to stay upright at that speed too.
I've ridden a few trails/fire roads in the lakes which are quite wide and open but you can still only get to about 35 mph before having to brake for a corner or you spin out and have to just tuck in and hold on. The DH races these days are more technical than those in the past that I remember, back then they used fire roads with only a few sections of singletrack, now the courses seem to be tighter, narrower and feature more man made obstacles so speeds are lower? possibly.... not sure!....
pablo said:
60 mph on a fire road is still impossible without a massive gear or a massive drop, even descending the big cols of le tour, the pros are only managing 50-55 mph and thats on skinny tyres in an aero tuck position which far exceeds anything you can attain on an mtb.
There is no fire road from my experience in the UK which is steep enough to get you up to a gravity assisted 60 mph. You would need the reactions of a ninja to stay upright at that speed too.
I've ridden a few trails/fire roads in the lakes which are quite wide and open but you can still only get to about 35 mph before having to brake for a corner or you spin out and have to just tuck in and hold on. The DH races these days are more technical than those in the past that I remember, back then they used fire roads with only a few sections of singletrack, now the courses seem to be tighter, narrower and feature more man made obstacles so speeds are lower? possibly.... not sure!....
I'm not convinced it's likely, but it's not impossible. As to the roadies / le tour, I think you'll find a bit higher than that. Sure I saw someone clocked at 120kph last year, and from what I recall, pantani at 79mph on the way down tourmalet some years ago.There is no fire road from my experience in the UK which is steep enough to get you up to a gravity assisted 60 mph. You would need the reactions of a ninja to stay upright at that speed too.
I've ridden a few trails/fire roads in the lakes which are quite wide and open but you can still only get to about 35 mph before having to brake for a corner or you spin out and have to just tuck in and hold on. The DH races these days are more technical than those in the past that I remember, back then they used fire roads with only a few sections of singletrack, now the courses seem to be tighter, narrower and feature more man made obstacles so speeds are lower? possibly.... not sure!....
As an 18 year old apprentice, I used to take my bike to club time trials on this..
both wheels off, in my old paper round canvas bag, bungeed the lot to the rear seat (I used the std dual seat for that); rucsac with my cycling shoes, shorts top fruit cake and water bottle in; anything is possible if you are keen/mad!!
both wheels off, in my old paper round canvas bag, bungeed the lot to the rear seat (I used the std dual seat for that); rucsac with my cycling shoes, shorts top fruit cake and water bottle in; anything is possible if you are keen/mad!!
Agree - no chance 60 on an MTB.
After doing a lot of road biking all over europe and UK, my GPS measured top speed is 63mph on a roadbike, on a very specific road (descent to Malaucene on Ventoux) that drops off steeply enough with no side junctions or corners with smooth tarmac and in full tuck position.
And at that speed wind resistance is by far the biggest factor. It's hard to go that fast. One leg out is like a parachute.
Add in rough terrain, wide knobbly tyres, flappy clothing and suspension etc, be lucky to get 50. And that would be really scary.
After doing a lot of road biking all over europe and UK, my GPS measured top speed is 63mph on a roadbike, on a very specific road (descent to Malaucene on Ventoux) that drops off steeply enough with no side junctions or corners with smooth tarmac and in full tuck position.
And at that speed wind resistance is by far the biggest factor. It's hard to go that fast. One leg out is like a parachute.
Add in rough terrain, wide knobbly tyres, flappy clothing and suspension etc, be lucky to get 50. And that would be really scary.
0836whimper said:
Add in rough terrain, wide knobbly tyres, flappy clothing and suspension etc, be lucky to get 50. And that would be really scary.
I'll just leave this here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UH9NX9R8c8k
Yeah, and a roadbike can go 110+.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkJA6Fi6CaU
But we don't regularly do that on an evening after work..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkJA6Fi6CaU
But we don't regularly do that on an evening after work..
upsidedownmark said:
pablo said:
60 mph on a fire road is still impossible without a massive gear or a massive drop, even descending the big cols of le tour, the pros are only managing 50-55 mph and thats on skinny tyres in an aero tuck position which far exceeds anything you can attain on an mtb.
There is no fire road from my experience in the UK which is steep enough to get you up to a gravity assisted 60 mph. You would need the reactions of a ninja to stay upright at that speed too.
I've ridden a few trails/fire roads in the lakes which are quite wide and open but you can still only get to about 35 mph before having to brake for a corner or you spin out and have to just tuck in and hold on. The DH races these days are more technical than those in the past that I remember, back then they used fire roads with only a few sections of singletrack, now the courses seem to be tighter, narrower and feature more man made obstacles so speeds are lower? possibly.... not sure!....
I'm not convinced it's likely, but it's not impossible. As to the roadies / le tour, I think you'll find a bit higher than that. Sure I saw someone clocked at 120kph last year, and from what I recall, pantani at 79mph on the way down tourmalet some years ago.There is no fire road from my experience in the UK which is steep enough to get you up to a gravity assisted 60 mph. You would need the reactions of a ninja to stay upright at that speed too.
I've ridden a few trails/fire roads in the lakes which are quite wide and open but you can still only get to about 35 mph before having to brake for a corner or you spin out and have to just tuck in and hold on. The DH races these days are more technical than those in the past that I remember, back then they used fire roads with only a few sections of singletrack, now the courses seem to be tighter, narrower and feature more man made obstacles so speeds are lower? possibly.... not sure!....
Someone better than me at maths could calculate the exact slope that would be necessary to freewheel a 100kg combination of Bike + Billy Big Balls Bullsh!tter (wiki says CdA 0.7) at 60mph - and the maths would assume a perfectly smooth surface...
Great article, i am guessing that there are many PHers out there who started cycling at a time in their youth when it was as close as they could get to driving. There is still that sense of freedom and escape that a decent drive gives you.
Still enjoying it, although the older i get the less inclined i am to take the risks i used to. The road/track/tree/other solid object looks like it will hurt more than it used to!
On the subject of speed achievable. My record is 56mph on a road bike several years ago down a slight decent on a dual carriageway. Legs going too fast having run out of gears and very unstable.
Still enjoying it, although the older i get the less inclined i am to take the risks i used to. The road/track/tree/other solid object looks like it will hurt more than it used to!
On the subject of speed achievable. My record is 56mph on a road bike several years ago down a slight decent on a dual carriageway. Legs going too fast having run out of gears and very unstable.
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