Top Speed For pro's

kingrollo
kingrollo Posts: 3,198
edited July 2013 in Pro race
What speed to pro's hit on descents ? - do anyone know the top speed ever recorded on a descent during a race ?

(Trying to settle an argument)

Comments

  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Sean Kelly often says in commentary he hit 100 km/ph on occasions.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    qlnk.png
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    Henk Vogels and Sean Yates reckon 115kph is about their top downhill too. And those two were pretty rapid.
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • alan_a
    alan_a Posts: 1,583
    IIRC highest actually recorded during a TdF by bike computer is Thor Hushovd reached 69mph (111kph) on the descent of the Col d' Aubisque on his way to winning Stage 13 of 2011 TdF.
    http://www.3pistescycle.co.uk
    Twitter @3pistescycle
    INSTA @tourclownunder
  • gr1
    gr1 Posts: 25
    Assuming they are running a 53/11 as the biggest gear on a mountain stage what sort of cadence must they be doing to get these speeds.

    A quick look at an online calculator shows that at 120 rpm they would be doing 73 kph.

    Or is it through adopting a really aero tuck that they can reach these speeds?
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    gr1 wrote:
    Assuming they are running a 53/11 as the biggest gear on a mountain stage what sort of cadence must they be doing to get these speeds.

    A quick look at an online calculator shows that at 120 rpm they would be doing 73 kph.

    Or is it through adopting a really aero tuck that they can reach these speeds?
    Gravity is doing all the work. At those speeds they won't be pedalling.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,171
    RichN95 wrote:
    qlnk.png

    Do Internet rules apply and we knock 20% off for the real figure?
  • phreak
    phreak Posts: 2,941
    Not in the Tour, but didn't Theo Bos get up to 140km/hr whilst drafting a car once?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-Pl-H3UJJg
  • Mindermast
    Mindermast Posts: 124
    Some maniacs tried to reach 200 Km/h, I think in the late 60s. It didn't work, because the bike was too unstable. I have seen the bike in a French museum, it was reinforced with some sort of outer skeleton. And it had one giant chainwheel. Website is http://www.enviesdevelo.com/, I think, you can see it on picture number 9, at the very right near the wall, if you click the changing images. Worth a visit, if you ever get there. I found the museum by chance on a cycling tour.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    Fred Rompelberg did 268 kph with this set up:
    fred.jpg

    Steegmans did 134kph behind a car on Belgian TV while dressed as The Stig from Top Gear
    steegmans.jpg
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,452
    I've done 92 km/h, descending the Simplon pass, on open roads and I'm a blouse when it comes to speeds that high, so I'm sure on closed roads that the claims of 115 km/h or so valid. It takes some balls though, which would rule out Valverde ever reaching that kind of speed.
  • alan_a
    alan_a Posts: 1,583
    andyp wrote:
    I've done 92 km/h, descending the Simplon pass, on open roads and I'm a blouse when it comes to speeds that high, so I'm sure on closed roads that the claims of 115 km/h or so valid. It takes some balls though, which would rule out Valverde ever reaching that kind of speed.


    Pah. .. 98kph on Arran last month. Strava KOM

    Sadly nowhere near that at any point doing last year's Marmotte. However this thread ain't about us mere mortals.

    I'd love to ride against Nibali to see just how good he really is.
    http://www.3pistescycle.co.uk
    Twitter @3pistescycle
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  • Cleat Eastwood
    Cleat Eastwood Posts: 7,508
    John Lee Augustin went downhill pretty fast :D
    The dissenter is every human being at those moments of his life when he resigns
    momentarily from the herd and thinks for himself.
  • dolan_driver
    dolan_driver Posts: 831
    Allegedly Sean Kelly reached the speed of 124 kph (77 mph) on the descent of the Joux Plane in 1984. I can also recall mention of a 72 mph descent by Miguel Indurain, possibly in pursuit of Pantani in 1994.

    DD.
  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,811
    I follow Luke Rowe on Strava and he hit 92.9km/h on a training ride the other day!
  • Rundfahrt
    Rundfahrt Posts: 551
    I've done 63mph on a descent.

    The scary part was sitting next to my bike the next morning and seeing cracks in my head tube!
  • MrTapir
    MrTapir Posts: 1,206
    That man in the red suit on youtube (the one whose bike falls apart) did 186mph I think, down a big hill.
  • 6wheels
    6wheels Posts: 411
    Dolan Driver wrote:
    Allegedly Sean Kelly reached the speed of 124 kph (77 mph) on the descent of the Joux Plane in 1984. I can also recall mention of a 72 mph descent by Miguel Indurain, possibly in pursuit of Pantani in 1994.

    DD.

    Yes, I heard him - Sean Kelly-say that recently on ES!

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