OK, really, top speed on the flat?

Fireblade96

neilo23 wrote:

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.

I'm tempted to do likewise, but, uh, there aren't any flat bits with perfect surfaces near here ! And it's windy. Wouldn't be fair ;-)

I'll break 30 on my way to the pub later. For sure. It's a *big* hill.

wildmoustache

I've been 50mph on the flat ... but it was coming off a hill. Does that count?

PBo

Not sure it reflects that well on blokes that no ladies (unless one or two of the gender neutral user names have fooled me) have replied to this thread.

Maybe they aren't interested in willy waving?

wildmoustache

PBo wrote:

Not sure it reflects that well on blokes that no ladies (unless one or two of the gender neutral user names have fooled me) have replied to this thread.

Maybe they aren't interested in willy waving?

More fool them.

My top speed was done on a pair of Stallion build HED wheels

PBo

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.

Have you been cycling in an M C Esher drawing again?

cyberknight

roger merriman wrote:

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.

Its all relative isnt it, i have a similarly heavy commuter with a good 20 llbs of stuff in the panniers, mid 20s is a figure i can get on a good day.

Norky

TailWindHome wrote:

Not that many really.

How many have you had?

No, you tell me first.

*That* many?

^ Funny.

As to the original question: my speed on the flat: inadequate, no matter what the number.

davic

I often used to make the jump to light speed.
Which meant I got to work as or slightly before I left in the morning - depending on atmospheric pressue etc.
So I started to leave later which in turn meant I got there even earlier!

CiB

PBo wrote:

Have you been cycling in an M C Esher drawing again?

See that building? That's my garden shed that is. In my garden.

Flyingbogey

Top out at 27 between LB past tommys to WB. Avge, Avge for the 14m commute is 18mph. A mate who never gets above 13 avge always delights in beating me on top speed. Much prefer winding up speed on the flat to flying down steep hills like Putney Dar...

rjsterry

It's surprising how much difference even a very tiny gradient - say, 1 in 500+ - can make. Ditto the quality of the road surface.

pastryboy

35.4mph on my 'cross bike with 28c slicks. Totally flat area, no wind. 45.2mph same bike down a hill

27mph on my single speed commuter with panniers.

All for about a second and using 100% effort.

barry_kellett99

Top speed is nothing.
What are the average speeds?

A work colleague of mine has achieved 56mph on a particularly gail assisted small hill descent so anything is possible even for boys like him with knees that require constant lubrication with 3 in 1

What impresses me is the average speeds of guys like SBezza on the Scstats. He is obviously a TT specialist and not commuting with panniers and on a steel singlespeed etc. but even so, some epic performances put in. I wish more Scstaters would stick in their commute averages to compare against

gbsahne001

35mph or thereabouts this morning overtaking a lotus that had free road in front of it.

UndercoverElephant

barry_kellett99 wrote:

Top speed is nothing.
What are the average speeds?

A work colleague of mine has achieved 56mph on a particularly gail assisted small hill descent so anything is possible even for boys like him with knees that require constant lubrication with 3 in 1

What impresses me is the average speeds of guys like SBezza on the Scstats. He is obviously a TT specialist and not commuting with panniers and on a steel singlespeed etc. but even so, some epic performances put in. I wish more Scstaters would stick in their commute averages to compare against

I think average speeds are even more open to abuse, tbh. My commute is pretty much flat as a fart with very few traffic lights at all. My average speeds will be much higher than some of the proper fast Londoners who have to stop for lights ten times a mile. Does that make me faster than them? I doubt it.

WesternWay

PBo wrote:

Have you been cycling in an M C Esher drawing again?

It's OK. in order to balance him out my journey is similar, but in the opposite direction so always uphill.

El Diego

88mph

dhope

El Diego wrote:

88mph

Ah, too late, someone already did that one. You should travel back and post first.

Kieran_Burns

barry_kellett99 wrote:

Top speed is nothing.
What are the average speeds?

A work colleague of mine has achieved 56mph on a particularly gail assisted small hill descent so anything is possible even for boys like him with knees that require constant lubrication with 3 in 1

What impresses me is the average speeds of guys like SBezza on the Scstats. He is obviously a TT specialist and not commuting with panniers and on a steel singlespeed etc. but even so, some epic performances put in. I wish more Scstaters would stick in their commute averages to compare against

Did she push?

barry_kellett99

UndercoverElephant wrote:

I think average speeds are even more open to abuse, tbh. My commute is pretty much flat as a fart with very few traffic lights at all. My average speeds will be much higher than some of the proper fast Londoners who have to stop for lights ten times a mile. Does that make me faster than them? I doubt it.

Speedo's stop when the bike stops
Record moving time only.

My commute is made up of about 40% city commuting. I can go a much longer but almost completely traffic free route that has one set of lights on the whole journey and my average speeds on both are very close to each other. I am of the opinion that lights and traffic only detract a little from your avg

And as already pointed out, those londoners need a rest every 300 yards anyway

barry_kellett99

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Did she push?

What? :?:

UndercoverElephant

barry_kellett99 wrote:

UndercoverElephant wrote:

I think average speeds are even more open to abuse, tbh. My commute is pretty much flat as a fart with very few traffic lights at all. My average speeds will be much higher than some of the proper fast Londoners who have to stop for lights ten times a mile. Does that make me faster than them? I doubt it.

Speedo's stop when the bike stops
Record moving time only.

My commute is made up of about 40% city commuting. I can go a much longer but almost completely traffic free route that has one set of lights on the whole journey and my average speeds on both are very close to each other. I am of the opinion that lights and traffic only detract a little from your avg

And as already pointed out, those londoners need a rest every 300 yards anyway

There is a small matter of acceleration and deceleration to take into account, though. Not to mention the leg-deadening effect of never getting into a steady rhythm.

Never the less, as this is a willy-waving competition, my best-ever average is a 23.2 mph over 12.5 miles.

rjsterry

Basic physics: it takes more energy to accelerate up to a given speed than to maintain that speed (when you are just overcoming friction/wind resistance).

Kieran_Burns

barry_kellett99 wrote:

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Did she push?

What? :?:

completely tongue in cheek comment about misspelling gale

EKE_38BPM

barry_kellett99 wrote:

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Did she push?

What? :?:

I was out with Gail once. She didn't push but she sucked me along a treat!

El Diego

dhope wrote:

El Diego wrote:

88mph

Ah, too late, someone already did that one. You should travel back and post first.

Dammit, I'm so unoriginal.

barry_kellett99

UndercoverElephant wrote:

There is a small matter of acceleration and deceleration to take into account, though. Not to mention the leg-deadening effect of never getting into a steady rhythm.

Never the less, as this is a willy-waving competition, my best-ever average is a 23.2 mph over 12.5 miles.

Agreed
But this is Commuting, not racing.
A heavy steel singlespeed bike with a load of luggage, lights, reflectors, mudguards etc...

Stop start is good for sprint training to keep up the Avg

barry_kellett99

Kieran_Burns wrote:

barry_kellett99 wrote:

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Did she push?

What? :?:

completely tongue in cheek comment about misspelling gale

oh man

face palm moment!

very good lol

UndercoverElephant

barry_kellett99 wrote:

UndercoverElephant wrote:

There is a small matter of acceleration and deceleration to take into account, though. Not to mention the leg-deadening effect of never getting into a steady rhythm.

Never the less, as this is a willy-waving competition, my best-ever average is a 23.2 mph over 12.5 miles.

Agreed
But this is Commuting, not racing.
A heavy steel singlespeed bike with a load of luggage, lights, reflectors, mudguards etc...

Stop start is good for sprint training to keep up the Avg

That *was* a commute. On my heavy, steel Orbea, with a rucksack, mudguards and lights. Like I say, all commutes are not equal; I know that the likes of CJCP, MatHammond and JonGinge would cut me a new arse.