Every once in a will I read about guys going 30 MPH, 40 MPH or faster on a bike. I haven’t seen any riders on the trails (or road) don’t go that fast. I guess you could hit those speeds during a sprint but most these post I’ve read it sounds like guys are maintaining these speed of length of there ride. Can people actually go this fast (especially off-road) or is all BS?
DirtCrash
fast and slow
the fastest I've gone on a bicycle is 65 mph on a MTB tandem with Ground Controls howling down a big pavement descent. Probably 55 or so on a single road bike on descents. Been upside down and sliding on gravel and dirt at around 45 mph on an MTB, it ain't fun, still have some gravel in my shoulderblades. Also been sliding on pavement at better'n 50 mph, also not recommended. Of the two, pavement crashes hurt worse, feels like a blowtorch, I think the rougher surface of MTBing destroys nerve endings, while road crashes leave them intact and hurting big time. A good thing to remember when you're tempted to let it hang out is that physics says the Ouch Factor increases with the Square of the Speed. So, if you go twice as fast, you're looking at Four Times the Pain and Injury when you hit a tree or otherwise part ways with your bicycle. Three times as fast, Nine Times the Ouch. So if you're tempted to let off the brake and hit 30, Nine Times the Ouch as if you go 10 mph. Me, I go slow, crashing sucks.
When I raced track I could hit about 45 mph in an allout sprint, for a few long seconds. On the road, time trialists can hold well over 30 mph for the length of the race, I think I recall that LeMond's average speed when he won the '89, i think it was, Tour de France over Fignon by 8 seconds was like 34 mph.DirtCrash said:
the fastest I've gone on a bicycle is 65 mph on a MTB tandem with Ground Controls howling down a big pavement descent. Probably 55 or so on a single road bike on descents. Been upside down and sliding on gravel and dirt at around 45 mph on an MTB, it ain't fun, still have some gravel in my shoulderblades. Also been sliding on pavement at better'n 50 mph, also not recommended. Of the two, pavement crashes hurt worse, feels like a blowtorch, I think the rougher surface of MTBing destroys nerve endings, while road crashes leave them intact and hurting big time. A good thing to remember when you're tempted to let it hang out is that physics says the Ouch Factor increases with the Square of the Speed. So, if you go twice as fast, you're looking at Four Times the Pain and Injury when you hit a tree or otherwise part ways with your bicycle. Three times as fast, Nine Times the Ouch. So if you're tempted to let off the brake and hit 30, Nine Times the Ouch as if you go 10 mph. Me, I go slow, crashing sucks.
Fastest I've hit was 55 MPH on a paved road on my MTB. Pretty scary. It's rare that I even hit 30 MPH. It's hard to get up to any real speed on an MTB. The gearing isn't setup for top speed. After 25-30 MPH, an MTB just runs out of useable gear ratios, so you really need a long descent to attain any more speed. If you want flat out speed, you need to be on a road bike. They have gear ratios geared toward high-end speed.
I regularly hit 30 mph on a local fireroad, but it has a straightaway section thats long and flat with a downhill grade (a buddy of mine, an expert class racer, has hit 48 mph on this section, and I believe him because I've seen him fly down it). I'm also very familiar with that section of fireroad. The speeds you are talking about aren't usually on level ground, and usually not on singletrack trails. But its not difficult in the right place. Its also scary. That same buddy fell once going 38 mph in standard XC attire, i.e. lycra and a little XC helmet. Talk about road rash!DirtCrash said:
Also, the speeds you mentioned cannot be sustained on an MTB unless its a downhill grade. The gearing just isn't there. Even the best racers cannot maintain 40 mph on level ground.
There's much BS about speeds. Here are some facts. The gear ratios on my mtb will allow me to top out pedalling at about 36mph downhill. So, where someone above says mtb's have no usable gears for fast speeds that's BS too. Yes the fastest road time trial of all-time was LeMond's in the TDF (just a few short km) and it was like a 34mph average. So If I had the legs (which I don't and no-one does) I could ride the fastest TT the world has ever known on my mtb gearing.DirtCrash said:
A decent roadie on a road bike can average about 20-22-24 mph on a good training ride. Race averages are about 24mph and the TDF guys average that for three weeks of the TDF for 100mls/day. Fast, shorter races will average up to 30mph.
Good national caliber road time trialers will average up to (and maybe a touch over) 30 mph. That's for like 15-40km distances. The time trialers in the UK (where TTs are very common) will average 27-28mph for 100 miles.
I'm old enough to be your dad and on my mtb I average about 17mph on a packed dirt road training ride of 24 - 30 miles. That's a big effort for me. Of course on trails that's down to about 9-12mph depending on terrain.
I've no idea but I'll bet I could get up to 25mph on a dirt trail. It would have to be smooth & flat and I wouldn't be doing it for more than a few seconds.
Stronger, younger rider's results may vary.
Real world!
I thought that LeMonds record fell. Didn't Boardman maintain 37mph in the prologue a few years ago?
I used to be able to sprint- on pavement - on my mountain bike up to 35 mph, that was many years ago and like was said before it was only for a long second. My road bike I never checked in a sprint - they are just too damn scary!
I posted my fastest descent coming out of Rock Mountain National Park at 62. Down hill with slip stream/slingshot from a car in front of me. (and I would rather do that then be in a pack sprint anymore!)
If you program your computer to the exact roll out of your tire you can get a very accurate speed. If you use the numbers your computer provides this will be close - close enough for the average Jolene.
What is really amazing is the speed pro can maintain and for how long.
Mike,Mike T. said:
I thought that LeMonds record fell. Didn't Boardman maintain 37mph in the prologue a few years ago?
I used to be able to sprint- on pavement - on my mountain bike up to 35 mph, that was many years ago and like was said before it was only for a long second. My road bike I never checked in a sprint - they are just too damn scary!
I posted my fastest descent coming out of Rock Mountain National Park at 62. Down hill with slip stream/slingshot from a car in front of me. (and I would rather do that then be in a pack sprint anymore!)
If you program your computer to the exact roll out of your tire you can get a very accurate speed. If you use the numbers your computer provides this will be close - close enough for the average Jolene.
What is really amazing is the speed pro can maintain and for how long.
It Depends
On pavement with a decent down hill I can hit 34 MPH according to my Cateye that is calibrated for my tires. The gearing on my mtn bike is such that is about maximum velocity for my bike, me with flapping bike shorts, a camel back and rumbling tires.
On packed and wide trails I can get up to the low to mid 20 mph for a short distance, but on regular single track with logs to hop, hills to climb, streams to cross and mud to wallow through I honestly average 7.5 mph but can push this a little higher. Biting insects like mosquitos, deer flies and horse flies can only fly at around 5 mph so if you are getting bit, pick up the pace.
On pavement with a decent down hill I can hit 34 MPH according to my Cateye that is calibrated for my tires. The gearing on my mtn bike is such that is about maximum velocity for my bike, me with flapping bike shorts, a camel back and rumbling tires.
On packed and wide trails I can get up to the low to mid 20 mph for a short distance, but on regular single track with logs to hop, hills to climb, streams to cross and mud to wallow through I honestly average 7.5 mph but can push this a little higher. Biting insects like mosquitos, deer flies and horse flies can only fly at around 5 mph so if you are getting bit, pick up the pace.
Pretty Much BS....
Only time you could get over 30 (pedaling) is a flat fire road. MTB generates enough drag and rolling resistance to slow down even the fastest.
OTOH, going downhill you can easily go over 30. My max ever was 37mph on a smooth downhill fire road. And it scared the shift out of me.... On the same ride and trail few miles ahead I was doing 30 when I saw a nasty big bad tree and a "S" on the trail sorrounding the tree that meade me leave a skid of about 60ft long (the terrain had like one or two inches deep mud over hardpack and I was really scared).... on a Wallmart Bike... no discs brakes there.
So, ride hard and don't believe tales. When someone brag about how fast could he/she go make them race against you 10 to 20 miles... no more bragging after that you'll see....
Only time you could get over 30 (pedaling) is a flat fire road. MTB generates enough drag and rolling resistance to slow down even the fastest.
OTOH, going downhill you can easily go over 30. My max ever was 37mph on a smooth downhill fire road. And it scared the shift out of me.... On the same ride and trail few miles ahead I was doing 30 when I saw a nasty big bad tree and a "S" on the trail sorrounding the tree that meade me leave a skid of about 60ft long (the terrain had like one or two inches deep mud over hardpack and I was really scared).... on a Wallmart Bike... no discs brakes there.
So, ride hard and don't believe tales. When someone brag about how fast could he/she go make them race against you 10 to 20 miles... no more bragging after that you'll see....
Crazy or otherwise...
I recently found out how fast I could go on my trusty hardtail down what started as a singletrack descent that widens up into a fireroad and then leads to a scarier road descent (Penn. State).
The singletrack portion - 28MPH
The fireroad portion - 32MPH
The road portion - 39MPH
By far the scariest portion for me was the fireroad portion. My mentality was, I can't believe I survived and kept up with my friend (on a full suspension no less) down a helluva singletrack without flying off the side of the mountain. Then I got to the fireroad and despite the calmness of it beyond the singletrack, I didn't realize how easily some of the gravel just slid from under you at certain patches making you skid time from time if you hit the brakes at the wrong spots.
By the time we hit the road, I wasn't scared, just unbelievably stupid and really curious how well I could handle it.
Oh and I wanted to beat my buddy down.
I recently found out how fast I could go on my trusty hardtail down what started as a singletrack descent that widens up into a fireroad and then leads to a scarier road descent (Penn. State).
The singletrack portion - 28MPH
The fireroad portion - 32MPH
The road portion - 39MPH
By far the scariest portion for me was the fireroad portion. My mentality was, I can't believe I survived and kept up with my friend (on a full suspension no less) down a helluva singletrack without flying off the side of the mountain. Then I got to the fireroad and despite the calmness of it beyond the singletrack, I didn't realize how easily some of the gravel just slid from under you at certain patches making you skid time from time if you hit the brakes at the wrong spots.
By the time we hit the road, I wasn't scared, just unbelievably stupid and really curious how well I could handle it.
Oh and I wanted to beat my buddy down.
Well, I'll throw my .02 in as well...
I once did 58 on my road bike drafting a tandem down a nicely paved mountain road, and didn't think it was too scary. I once did 54 down a hill on my road bike where the road wasn't so well kept and all I could think of was not flatting until I got to the bottom and stop. On a mountain bike on a paved road I got up to 42 once and that was kinda scary when the road curved a bit. On a mountain bike on a fire road I got up to high 30's a couple of times and some were scarier than others. I've never really measured a section of singletrack for speed. I'd have trouble thinking of any singletrack I could really get going on...but I'll be thinking about that next coupla times out.
I once did 58 on my road bike drafting a tandem down a nicely paved mountain road, and didn't think it was too scary. I once did 54 down a hill on my road bike where the road wasn't so well kept and all I could think of was not flatting until I got to the bottom and stop. On a mountain bike on a paved road I got up to 42 once and that was kinda scary when the road curved a bit. On a mountain bike on a fire road I got up to high 30's a couple of times and some were scarier than others. I've never really measured a section of singletrack for speed. I'd have trouble thinking of any singletrack I could really get going on...but I'll be thinking about that next coupla times out.
speed depends on riding path type
Mostly I ride my mtn bike on pavement. Usually I ride 15-27 miles a day depending on my mood. (By the way I like mtn biking instead of road biking because of the greater resistance and greater effort required to maintain speed etc. Simply more of a workout for me....hehe). My avg speed on flat pavement/sidewalks is 20.5 MPH to 22 MPH. Slight uphills drops me down to 17 or 18 MPH and steep hills I can avg 5-8 MPH. Downhills I've gone around 36 MPH with slight downhills avg 24-25 MPH. I personally ride almost entirely with my gearing on 3-8 (or largest front cog and second to smallest rear cog). I'm to the point now where 3-7 or lower simply feels way to easy to pedal. I'm also a large rider at 6' 1" 207 lbs (3 mo. ago I was 232 lbs....man I hate Michigan winters). When I actually ride off road my computer says I avg. 12-15 MPH depending on the trail. I think that trail riding is so dependant on the type of terrain you're riding. But I do know this, ride often and you will get plenty faster.
Mostly I ride my mtn bike on pavement. Usually I ride 15-27 miles a day depending on my mood. (By the way I like mtn biking instead of road biking because of the greater resistance and greater effort required to maintain speed etc. Simply more of a workout for me....hehe). My avg speed on flat pavement/sidewalks is 20.5 MPH to 22 MPH. Slight uphills drops me down to 17 or 18 MPH and steep hills I can avg 5-8 MPH. Downhills I've gone around 36 MPH with slight downhills avg 24-25 MPH. I personally ride almost entirely with my gearing on 3-8 (or largest front cog and second to smallest rear cog). I'm to the point now where 3-7 or lower simply feels way to easy to pedal. I'm also a large rider at 6' 1" 207 lbs (3 mo. ago I was 232 lbs....man I hate Michigan winters). When I actually ride off road my computer says I avg. 12-15 MPH depending on the trail. I think that trail riding is so dependant on the type of terrain you're riding. But I do know this, ride often and you will get plenty faster.
Instead of what feels harder or easier count your cadence - the number of times your legs come around in a minute. A good cadence is between 75 and 85 rpms. Road racers often will be at about 100 rpms. A track sprinter will get up to 120 or higher (one gear - no shifting!)jabpn said:
This might seem hard and to "easy" for a while but soon you will get used to it and you will find that you are riding farther with less effort. You will also find that you will shift your gears more to keep at the same cadence - that is why bikes have so many gears.
If you think of yourself as a car engine, and the cadence the tachometer, you might get the idea. If you try to start moving a car in 5th gear the engine chugs, and judders, and dies. If you try to do 60 mph in first gear the engine revs way too high and will eventually over heat and burn out. Well, even the best bicyclist in the world don't generate 1 horsepower. Not even close. I believe I read that Marty Nothstein, world champ track racer will only put out 1/2 horsepower.
So back to the real world. Since on a good day you might be putting out 1/8 horsepower wouldn't it be best to keep the engine (you) in a range where it is running best? Once you get used to a faster cadence (spinning) you will find that you shift more to keep in that range.
You can find your cadence speed easy: set you computer to stop watch and count when one leg peaks for 15 seconds - mulitply by four and you will have your rpms. Many years ago, before the age of bicycle computers, I learned to count cadence and to this day I can still tap out a beat of 100 rpms. The count becomes my mantra on those long road rides!
Pedal On!
Yup... agreed...
Just watch out for your revs (cadence) not going over 80 in altitudes over a mile high. Your lungs are struggling for getting oxygen... make them work faster will lead you to generate lactic acid which will eventually lead you to aches.
I guess some track racers can put out very close or more than 1HP... but for less than 90 seconds... I'm lucky if I get 1/16th!!!!
Just watch out for your revs (cadence) not going over 80 in altitudes over a mile high. Your lungs are struggling for getting oxygen... make them work faster will lead you to generate lactic acid which will eventually lead you to aches.
I guess some track racers can put out very close or more than 1HP... but for less than 90 seconds... I'm lucky if I get 1/16th!!!!
welllll... how do account for Lance keeping a 100rpm up the Alps? Ok, so he is a finely trained athlete (I won't get into the latest accusations).
I was never anywhere near a Lance but I would try to maintain my cadence even on long Rocky Mountain climbs - on dirt or off dirt. A good friend of mine and a former pro would dance up climbs easily turning 100 rpms.
I only offer this as hearsay evidence. I have not been coaching for a couple of years now, but I still try to keep up on research. I have not ever seen any hard evidence that high rpms build lactic acid. I really think it is how you condition your body. If you are used to pedaling at 80 rpms and then try to push 110, at any altitude, your legs are going to scream in pain. Your muscles are not going to be used to pumping blood around at the speed which they contract and lactic acid will build up.
Warp, no offense meant, I just need the research.
Cheers!
I was never anywhere near a Lance but I would try to maintain my cadence even on long Rocky Mountain climbs - on dirt or off dirt. A good friend of mine and a former pro would dance up climbs easily turning 100 rpms.
I only offer this as hearsay evidence. I have not been coaching for a couple of years now, but I still try to keep up on research. I have not ever seen any hard evidence that high rpms build lactic acid. I really think it is how you condition your body. If you are used to pedaling at 80 rpms and then try to push 110, at any altitude, your legs are going to scream in pain. Your muscles are not going to be used to pumping blood around at the speed which they contract and lactic acid will build up.
Warp, no offense meant, I just need the research.
Cheers!
No offense taken here also...
And I would like to hear the truth from someone with your experience.
I live in Mexico City (well above the mile high at 1.37miles) and some of our trailheads start at 2800m and then climb. I've ridden up to 3750m (+12,000 ft) and I wish I could put out 80 at that high at any gear but as you said I'm not a trained athlete but a sunday warrior.
The reasoning comes from that to push the same gear at the same cadence (same power) at higher altitude your HR goes a bit higher as the oxygen collected by the lungs (air volume) is lower and hence the heart compensates by giving out more bpm's and that can put you into anaerobic. It's just a matter of self control I think. I understand some athletes can climb at incredible paces... but they are "hot-rod's". Human Machines specifically shaped for performance.
If you find out something let me know.... this is just interesting.
And I would like to hear the truth from someone with your experience.
I live in Mexico City (well above the mile high at 1.37miles) and some of our trailheads start at 2800m and then climb. I've ridden up to 3750m (+12,000 ft) and I wish I could put out 80 at that high at any gear but as you said I'm not a trained athlete but a sunday warrior.
The reasoning comes from that to push the same gear at the same cadence (same power) at higher altitude your HR goes a bit higher as the oxygen collected by the lungs (air volume) is lower and hence the heart compensates by giving out more bpm's and that can put you into anaerobic. It's just a matter of self control I think. I understand some athletes can climb at incredible paces... but they are "hot-rod's". Human Machines specifically shaped for performance.
If you find out something let me know.... this is just interesting.
And that is why you can ride so much better if you come down to see level - your body is used to running on less oxygen. And you reasoning is right on. What is your usual leg speed? And what type of climbing are you doing - on or off road?
I don't want to capture this thread totally so if you want e me at tad at bodyscanningcrm.com
Peace!
I don't want to capture this thread totally so if you want e me at tad at bodyscanningcrm.com
Peace!
777...
Don't worry about top speeds... what really counts here is average speeds.
Anyway... it's normal. I've hit on a flat leveled road like 32.5mph on a MTB. Incredibly enough my top speed on a downhill is only 37.4mph which is on the very slow side.
Don't worry about top speeds... what really counts here is average speeds.
Anyway... it's normal. I've hit on a flat leveled road like 32.5mph on a MTB. Incredibly enough my top speed on a downhill is only 37.4mph which is on the very slow side.
On my mountain bike with the 11 tooth cog in back and the 46 tooth ring in front I spin out around 35 mph. In XC races on the downhills I commonly go over 30 mph.
With my road bike if I sprint downhill I can hit 55 mph pretty easy. But I get scared when I go that fast so I've never tried to hit 60, which I know I'm capable of. *note - I've only gone this fast on a very steep downhill while sprinting all out.
With my road bike if I sprint downhill I can hit 55 mph pretty easy. But I get scared when I go that fast so I've never tried to hit 60, which I know I'm capable of. *note - I've only gone this fast on a very steep downhill while sprinting all out.
779 mph
I go about 779 mph going uphill. That's if you take into account the speed of the earth's rotation at my latitude. I don't even get sore muscles, and it doesn't hurt that much when I crash.
Other than that, the geometry/head angle of some mountain bikes make them more or less stable at high speeds.
I go about 779 mph going uphill. That's if you take into account the speed of the earth's rotation at my latitude. I don't even get sore muscles, and it doesn't hurt that much when I crash.
Other than that, the geometry/head angle of some mountain bikes make them more or less stable at high speeds.
46mph
On my full suspension mountain bike with the 11 tooth cog in back and the 42 tooth ring in front I have reached in "easy" (not steep) off-road downhill 46mph sprinting. I could go more but there are many "tight turns" so then i quickly brake to below 31mph. I don't usually try to go that fast because it's scary. Usually i go dowhilling at 28-32mph. It's really very scary sometimes when i reach turns at 46mph - how to brake fast enough without the front brake throwing you out. It's really scary at such high speeds also because of the wind - when it's perpendicular to the way you are going.
On my full suspension mountain bike with the 11 tooth cog in back and the 42 tooth ring in front I have reached in "easy" (not steep) off-road downhill 46mph sprinting. I could go more but there are many "tight turns" so then i quickly brake to below 31mph. I don't usually try to go that fast because it's scary. Usually i go dowhilling at 28-32mph. It's really very scary sometimes when i reach turns at 46mph - how to brake fast enough without the front brake throwing you out. It's really scary at such high speeds also because of the wind - when it's perpendicular to the way you are going.
41 mph on mountain knobbies, downhill, pavement,
truck passed me and the slipstream nearly pushed me over
-dM
truck passed me and the slipstream nearly pushed me over
-dM
In the prolog of the TDF they said that Lance Armstrong had a 54 or 56 tooth chainring. I can't remember which I think more likly 54 teeth. Anyway he spins really fast and that's a pretty big gear. I don't think I'd last too long in the gears those guys use. Anyway I've hit 60 on road bike with crappy breaks going down a steep hill about 20 feet behind a ryder truck. I hit 45 on a mountain bike with slicks and B.O.B. trailer with a total weight of about 100 pounds. That was pretty scary the trailer started to shimmy and the vibration got worse and worse I almost lost it. That was in the first week of a 6 week bike trip too.
Is 27.6 MPH slow or fast for me that was my top speed on A ROAD.
OQ:
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Is 27.6 MPH slow or fast for me that was my top speed on A ROAD.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Yes that is really really slow ive hit 75 on my road bike(specialized Allez pro) down hill, 27.6 is a good pace speed if your doing a century ride.
OQ:
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Is 27.6 MPH slow or fast for me that was my top speed on A ROAD.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Yes that is really really slow ive hit 75 on my road bike(specialized Allez pro) down hill, 27.6 is a good pace speed if your doing a century ride.
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