OK, really, top speed on the flat?

Kieran_Burns

CiB wrote:

There's a bit of road between Botolph Claydon & Calvert that's baby smooth, downhill in both directions and always has a favourable wind at either end of the day. I usually expect to see min 27mph along there for a good way before it starts to ramp up a little and the speed drops to the low 20s for a short while.

Normal crusing - anything below 19 is a disappointment, low 20s is good but an effort to keep up, and that silly mantra of hitting 30 on every ride still sticks with me, so I do.

I hate you.

I just thought it worth pointing out..... :P

jonginge

cjcp wrote:

rjsterry wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

Wot Mat said.

I regularly do 32+ up millbank but there is a nice little ramp going past the morpeth: free speed

Indeed, Millbank is not flat in either direction I've scraped just past 32mph once there, but I wouldn't count that here. Neither is DSC. I reckon Vic. Embankment between Temple and Blackfriars is not far off, and I've touched 30 on occasion along there, but it usually needs to be a Monday morning, with another cyclist or scooter acting as the hare.

There's a tailwind tonight, so time to put the hammer down to find out .

Dinner plans tonight, so the training session prescribed by my coach for this evening's trip home is called "Don't You Dare Be Late".

Still rebuilding the stock of brownie points?

ketsbaia

Same as most other people. Cruise at around 23/24, pushing it I'll be doing 27/28, having to unleash the awesome to keep someone's wheel, just over 30. This is all along the Old Kent Road, which is neither smooth nor downhill in any way.

cjcp

JonGinge wrote:

cjcp wrote:

rjsterry wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

Wot Mat said.

I regularly do 32+ up millbank but there is a nice little ramp going past the morpeth: free speed

Indeed, Millbank is not flat in either direction I've scraped just past 32mph once there, but I wouldn't count that here. Neither is DSC. I reckon Vic. Embankment between Temple and Blackfriars is not far off, and I've touched 30 on occasion along there, but it usually needs to be a Monday morning, with another cyclist or scooter acting as the hare.

There's a tailwind tonight, so time to put the hammer down to find out .

Dinner plans tonight, so the training session prescribed by my coach for this evening's trip home is called "Don't You Dare Be Late".

Still rebuilding the stock of brownie points?

They've just been re-stocked (for the time being). However, it's Mrs CJ's birthday, so I've understandably been instructed to get a wiggle on tonight.

rjsterry

cjcp wrote:

rjsterry wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

Wot Mat said.

I regularly do 32+ up millbank but there is a nice little ramp going past the morpeth: free speed

Indeed, Millbank is not flat in either direction I've scraped just past 32mph once there, but I wouldn't count that here. Neither is DSC. I reckon Vic. Embankment between Temple and Blackfriars is not far off, and I've touched 30 on occasion along there, but it usually needs to be a Monday morning, with another cyclist or scooter acting as the hare.

There's a tailwind tonight, so time to put the hammer down to find out .

Dinner plans tonight, so the training session prescribed by my coach for this evening's trip home is called "Don't You Dare Be Late".

True, the potential wrath of Mrs RJS is more of an encouragement than any flash carbon frame or scooter.

ketsbaia

cjcp wrote:

They've just been re-stocked (for the time being). However, it's Mrs CJ's birthday, so I've understandably been instructed to get a wiggle on tonight.

Freudian slip? You been buying again?

jonginge

ketsbaia wrote:

cjcp wrote:

They've just been re-stocked (for the time being). However, it's Mrs CJ's birthday, so I've understandably been instructed to get a wiggle on tonight.

Freudian slip? You been buying again?

Well, I'm betting that re-stocking did cost quite a bit Not from wiggle, though

cjcp

ketsbaia wrote:

cjcp wrote:

They've just been re-stocked (for the time being). However, it's Mrs CJ's birthday, so I've understandably been instructed to get a wiggle on tonight.

Freudian slip? You been buying again?

Heh heh. But, hell no! I've just re-stocked brownie points. Can't blow them just yet.

vorsprung

The problem with this sort of discussion is that it just depends

I commute the Devon / Somerset border where there is almost no flat. It is mostly up or down
but not level

So for instance there is a bit of A road that is slight uphill and I usually do 40kph on this
But immediately before this there is a slight downhill which accelerates me to 40kph, all I have to do is hold it.
Then there is the headwind/tailwind
Drafting cars
Which bike I am on

The one universal rule is that in real life I cannot match the speeds the SCR people report on the forum. I guess that the roads in London are just a bit faster

mtb-idle

sorry to diappoint you but 30kph is 18.75 mph and 35kph is 21.875 mph

CiB

Kieran_Burns wrote:

CiB wrote:

There's a bit of road between Botolph Claydon & Calvert that's baby smooth, downhill in both directions and always has a favourable wind at either end of the day. I usually expect to see min 27mph along there for a good way before it starts to ramp up a little and the speed drops to the low 20s for a short while.

Normal crusing - anything below 19 is a disappointment, low 20s is good but an effort to keep up, and that silly mantra of hitting 30 on every ride still sticks with me, so I do.

I hate you.

I just thought it worth pointing out..... :P

See this here verbal trap? Just help yourself to look inside... <shuts door smarlty behind the caped wonder...>

Where I wrote that below 19 is a disappointment, I failed to add that a few of my rides are quite disappointing. Some aren't mind.

Anyway.

rjsterry

vorsprung wrote:

The problem with this sort of discussion is that it just depends

I commute the Devon / Somerset border where there is almost no flat. It is mostly up or down
but not level

So for instance there is a bit of A road that is slight uphill and I usually do 40kph on this
But immediately before this there is a slight downhill which accelerates me to 40kph, all I have to do is hold it.
Then there is the headwind/tailwind
Drafting cars
Which bike I am on

The one universal rule is that in real life I cannot match the speeds the SCR people report on the forum. I guess that the roads in London are just a bit faster

Having recently been on holiday in East Devon, driving down through Somerset to get there, I can confirm that you would probably consider most of London to be pan flat. The slight ripples that merit the name 'Hill' in London would not be worthy of the name in the West Country, except perhaps around the Somerset Levels.

Kieran_Burns

rjsterry wrote:

vorsprung wrote:

The problem with this sort of discussion is that it just depends

I commute the Devon / Somerset border where there is almost no flat. It is mostly up or down
but not level

So for instance there is a bit of A road that is slight uphill and I usually do 40kph on this
But immediately before this there is a slight downhill which accelerates me to 40kph, all I have to do is hold it.
Then there is the headwind/tailwind
Drafting cars
Which bike I am on

The one universal rule is that in real life I cannot match the speeds the SCR people report on the forum. I guess that the roads in London are just a bit faster

Having recently been on holiday in East Devon, driving down through Somerset to get there, I can confirm that you would probably consider most of London to be pan flat. The slight ripples that merit the name 'Hill' in London would not be worthy of the name in the West Country, except perhaps around the Somerset Levels.

plus you also have to consider that the London lot are the American Footballers to us Rugby players

They sprint and stop then need oxygen bottles if they go more than 1/2 mile without a traffic light to stop them (you know I'm right - I've seen the posts complaining about too many lights being on green)

We just keep soldering on for mile after mile. I didn't stop once on the 11 mile run in today. This kind of commute would leave the city bunch crying on the kerbside (silently of course... no spare breath)



light the blue touch paper...

greg66_tri_v2.0

rjsterry wrote:

vorsprung wrote:

The problem with this sort of discussion is that it just depends

I commute the Devon / Somerset border where there is almost no flat. It is mostly up or down
but not level

So for instance there is a bit of A road that is slight uphill and I usually do 40kph on this
But immediately before this there is a slight downhill which accelerates me to 40kph, all I have to do is hold it.
Then there is the headwind/tailwind
Drafting cars
Which bike I am on

The one universal rule is that in real life I cannot match the speeds the SCR people report on the forum. I guess that the roads in London are just a bit faster

Having recently been on holiday in East Devon, driving down through Somerset to get there, I can confirm that you would probably consider most of London to be pan flat. The slight ripples that merit the name 'Hill' in London would not be worthy of the name in the West Country, except perhaps around the Somerset Levels.

London is pretty pan flat. Ride out due north or due south and you'll realise you're in a river valley - it's a long low gradient grind either way. Ride out to the west along the river and it is a whole different story.

Pretty obviously, the joy of the Embankment is that it runs alongside the Thames, so is, well, umm, flat.

It's a reason why SS (or simply not changing gear) is viable in London.

greg66_tri_v2.0

Kieran_Burns wrote:

rjsterry wrote:

vorsprung wrote:

The problem with this sort of discussion is that it just depends

I commute the Devon / Somerset border where there is almost no flat. It is mostly up or down
but not level

So for instance there is a bit of A road that is slight uphill and I usually do 40kph on this
But immediately before this there is a slight downhill which accelerates me to 40kph, all I have to do is hold it.
Then there is the headwind/tailwind
Drafting cars
Which bike I am on

The one universal rule is that in real life I cannot match the speeds the SCR people report on the forum. I guess that the roads in London are just a bit faster

Having recently been on holiday in East Devon, driving down through Somerset to get there, I can confirm that you would probably consider most of London to be pan flat. The slight ripples that merit the name 'Hill' in London would not be worthy of the name in the West Country, except perhaps around the Somerset Levels.

plus you also have to consider that the London lot are the American Footballers to us Rugby players

They sprint and stop then need oxygen bottles if they go more than 1/2 mile without a traffic light to stop them (you know I'm right - I've seen the posts complaining about too many lights being on green)

We just keep soldering on for mile after mile. I didn't stop once on the 11 mile run in today. This kind of commute would leave the city bunch crying on the kerbside (silently of course... no spare breath)



light the blue touch paper...

Brave words.

Said from a long way away.

As brave words so often are...

cjcp

Kieran_Burns wrote:

rjsterry wrote:

vorsprung wrote:

The problem with this sort of discussion is that it just depends

I commute the Devon / Somerset border where there is almost no flat. It is mostly up or down
but not level

So for instance there is a bit of A road that is slight uphill and I usually do 40kph on this
But immediately before this there is a slight downhill which accelerates me to 40kph, all I have to do is hold it.
Then there is the headwind/tailwind
Drafting cars
Which bike I am on

The one universal rule is that in real life I cannot match the speeds the SCR people report on the forum. I guess that the roads in London are just a bit faster

Having recently been on holiday in East Devon, driving down through Somerset to get there, I can confirm that you would probably consider most of London to be pan flat. The slight ripples that merit the name 'Hill' in London would not be worthy of the name in the West Country, except perhaps around the Somerset Levels.

plus you also have to consider that the London lot are the American Footballers to us Rugby players

They sprint and stop then need oxygen bottles if they go more than 1/2 mile without a traffic light to stop them (you know I'm right - I've seen the posts complaining about too many lights being on green)

We just keep soldering on for mile after mile. I didn't stop once on the 11 mile run in today. This kind of commute would leave the city bunch crying on the kerbside (silently of course... no spare breath)



light the blue touch paper...

Obviously, though, the air is denser down here due to the smog. This slows us down. Were we City Types to be unleashed on The Sticks, well, just think De Loreans and tracks of fire.

tailwindhome

Not that many really.

How many have you had?

No, you tell me first.

*That* many?

Headhuunter

Greg66 wrote:

rjsterry wrote:

vorsprung wrote:

The problem with this sort of discussion is that it just depends

I commute the Devon / Somerset border where there is almost no flat. It is mostly up or down
but not level

So for instance there is a bit of A road that is slight uphill and I usually do 40kph on this
But immediately before this there is a slight downhill which accelerates me to 40kph, all I have to do is hold it.
Then there is the headwind/tailwind
Drafting cars
Which bike I am on

The one universal rule is that in real life I cannot match the speeds the SCR people report on the forum. I guess that the roads in London are just a bit faster

Having recently been on holiday in East Devon, driving down through Somerset to get there, I can confirm that you would probably consider most of London to be pan flat. The slight ripples that merit the name 'Hill' in London would not be worthy of the name in the West Country, except perhaps around the Somerset Levels.

London is pretty pan flat. Ride out due north or due south and you'll realise you're in a river valley - it's a long low gradient grind either way. Ride out to the west along the river and it is a whole different story.

Pretty obviously, the joy of the Embankment is that it runs alongside the Thames, so is, well, umm, flat.

It's a reason why SS (or simply not changing gear) is viable in London.

Try SE London, there are a fair few steepish hills down there! Around Crystal Palace, Dulwich etc...!

Headhuunter

Greg66 wrote:

rjsterry wrote:

vorsprung wrote:

The problem with this sort of discussion is that it just depends

I commute the Devon / Somerset border where there is almost no flat. It is mostly up or down
but not level

So for instance there is a bit of A road that is slight uphill and I usually do 40kph on this
But immediately before this there is a slight downhill which accelerates me to 40kph, all I have to do is hold it.
Then there is the headwind/tailwind
Drafting cars
Which bike I am on

The one universal rule is that in real life I cannot match the speeds the SCR people report on the forum. I guess that the roads in London are just a bit faster

Having recently been on holiday in East Devon, driving down through Somerset to get there, I can confirm that you would probably consider most of London to be pan flat. The slight ripples that merit the name 'Hill' in London would not be worthy of the name in the West Country, except perhaps around the Somerset Levels.

London is pretty pan flat. Ride out due north or due south and you'll realise you're in a river valley - it's a long low gradient grind either way. Ride out to the west along the river and it is a whole different story.

Pretty obviously, the joy of the Embankment is that it runs alongside the Thames, so is, well, umm, flat.

It's a reason why SS (or simply not changing gear) is viable in London.

Try SE London, there are a fair few steepish hills down there! Around Crystal Palace, Dulwich etc...!

rjsterry

Well KB, the last time my brother came down from Derby for the weekend, with the promise of riding around the North Downs, he, err, forgot to book his bike on the train, so we had to go walking instead. Draw your own conclusions from that.

attica

Kieran_Burns wrote:

plus you also have to consider that the London lot are the American Footballers to us Rugby players

They sprint and stop then need oxygen bottles if they go more than 1/2 mile without a traffic light to stop them (you know I'm right - I've seen the posts complaining about too many lights being on green)

We just keep soldering on for mile after mile. I didn't stop once on the 11 mile run in today. This kind of commute would leave the city bunch crying on the kerbside (silently of course... no spare breath)



light the blue touch paper...

+1 :twisted:

Also the amount of traffic on roads such as the Embankment definitely makes a difference, it's not strictly drafting, but still a vortex follows each vehicle, pulling you along. I definitely ride faster on the urban section of my commute when cars (and buses more so) are in close proximity.

Kieran_Burns

rjsterry wrote:

Well KB, the last time my brother came down from Derby for the weekend, with the promise of riding around the North Downs, he, err, forgot to book his bike on the train, so we had to go walking instead. Draw your own conclusions from that.

He didn't want to embarrass you? :P

rjsterry

Headhuunter wrote:

Greg66 wrote:

rjsterry wrote:

vorsprung wrote:

The problem with this sort of discussion is that it just depends

I commute the Devon / Somerset border where there is almost no flat. It is mostly up or down
but not level

So for instance there is a bit of A road that is slight uphill and I usually do 40kph on this
But immediately before this there is a slight downhill which accelerates me to 40kph, all I have to do is hold it.
Then there is the headwind/tailwind
Drafting cars
Which bike I am on

The one universal rule is that in real life I cannot match the speeds the SCR people report on the forum. I guess that the roads in London are just a bit faster

Having recently been on holiday in East Devon, driving down through Somerset to get there, I can confirm that you would probably consider most of London to be pan flat. The slight ripples that merit the name 'Hill' in London would not be worthy of the name in the West Country, except perhaps around the Somerset Levels.

London is pretty pan flat. Ride out due north or due south and you'll realise you're in a river valley - it's a long low gradient grind either way. Ride out to the west along the river and it is a whole different story.

Pretty obviously, the joy of the Embankment is that it runs alongside the Thames, so is, well, umm, flat.

It's a reason why SS (or simply not changing gear) is viable in London.

Try SE London, there are a fair few steepish hills down there! Around Crystal Palace, Dulwich etc...!

Yes, but none of us ride up them in the high twenties-low thirties; the high speeds are generally limited to the flat bits. Vorsprung's point was that he doesn't have any flat bits.

neilo23

I managed to ride from Bognor to Brighton (about 26 miles) in 55 minutes, briefly touching 35mph...but I had this to help me.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/date ... 420797.stm

greg66_tri_v2.0

Headhuunter wrote:

Try SE London, there are a fair few steepish hills down there! Around Crystal Palace, Dulwich etc...!

I have, but other than CP (which has at least five approaches I can think of) that's pretty much it. It's the same in Norf Lundun - there's Highgate/Hampstead, with it's various approaches, but it's still the only bump in town.

I've ridden out that way a few times. Once you're over CP, the incline starts around Beckenham High Street, IIRC, and keeps up until you hit the top of the steep run down to Westerham.

I've ridden out (almost) due south to Reigate, and a bunch of other routes. It's the same story - a long low gradient grind until you drop down the other side. In my mind's eye, I always think of it like riding up the shallow side of an escarpment.

gaz545

I wouldn't have an issue with breaking 30mph, do it regularly. High 30's i can manage but need perfect conditions. Might break into 40 if i remove all my baggage and don't have either 130miles to go for the rest of the week or 130miles under my belt in the past few days.

rjsterry

I remember a GCSE geography lesson showing a cross section of the London Basin geology, which fits exactly with that description - you are riding up the dip slope of a ;large chalk escarpment, with a few gravel terraces thrown on top (Richmond Hill)

neilo23

All of this talk is making me want to go out on the bike and see just how fast I can go on the flat. I honestly have no idea. If I don't write here how fast it was it will be because of the shame.

jimmypippa

I have a nice downhill in the morning, With a lorry blocking the wind, I can easily do 35, not on the drops, and virtually freewheeling...

That is fun.

with no wind, and on the flat, about 20-22 is comfortable.

My average speed is only about 15mph.

roger_merriman

since this is commuting, timed using a iphone app so maybe out, but probably not.

got the big heavy hybrid up to max of mid 20's apparently.

on the roadie the embankment is fun, very fast indeed. 30+ i wouldn't be surprised with.