Conference noted::bicycle

    On a recent training ride, I was slipstreaming some cars on a long,
    smooth downhill stretch.  I looked down at my Cateye, and saw that I
    was turning 142 rpm. (This was in 53x13.)  Since I had the computer set
    on revs instead of speed, there was no record of the max speed I hit --
    so I just checked what my speed was later at 71rpm, and doubled it.
    The result was surprisingly slow: 76 km/h (approx 48 mph).  I'd
    conclude that the max that most cyclists could hit turning their
    gears is about 50 mph.  To go any faster, you'd have to be coasting
    in a tuck down a very long hill, or be using monster gears.
    
    
    MATT      

    "SCOTTY, CAN YOU GIVE ME WARP DRIVE?"
    
    The best I did (if the Cateye is on) was 49 mphs coming down
    Mt. Wachusett last summer (passing cars and all). Had the same
    gears 53/13 and there was nothing left/spun right out!
    
    Kinda a nutty when you think about it, no shirt, no helmet....
    
     THANK YOU LORD!
    
    Chip

    OOOOOOPS! Sorry. I need to correct my note (.2) That was
    
    going UP Mt. Wachusett.
    
    (just runnin' on impulse - switching to batteries)
    
    Yeah that's the ticket!
    
    Bye bye

    I did something over 50 coasting down a hill in the sunapee triathlon
    last year. There was nothing left in the pedal (53x12). I had just
    put the Scott bars on earlier in the week and wasn't real comfortable
    with them - not that I would be comfortable with regular drops at
    that speed. It was just after I looked at the speed that I remembered
    why I gave up riding a motorcycle and here I was with a pair of
    lycra shorts and a glorified styrofoam cooler on my head. 
    
    This year I want to hit 60.
    
    Go fast, Fly high, Fall hard, Die young
    
    Paul
    

    My cycle computer gave me a MAX speed of 59 MPH one time.  I was coming
    down the hill from Harvard into Boxboro on Rt. 111.  I was tucked down
    and still spinning as fast as I could in 12th gear.  I know that my
    computer is accurate in the 20-40 MPH range as I have compared it with
    several others.  I regularly get speeds in the high 40's and low 50's,
    but I never have hit 59 again.  Usually, once each ride I pick a big
    hill and try to see how fast I can go, just for the fun of it.  I
    always use a hill that I have been down before so that I know of road
    conditions etc.  Yes, I wear a helmet.

    ---Phil

    THANK GOD FOR STP EH?

    I hit 41 mph on I believe it is Church Street in Northboro MA. It
    was a downhill section that started by the Boylston Golf Course
    and went down by a fruit stand and under Rt290.
    
    I am 6'3 1851b rider...so said my Cat-Eye Solar Bike Computer while
    pedaling in a 53x13 gear.
    
    -Arthur

 I went 44mph (so says the cat) on level ground once. I was tucked in
behind one of those cranes that sits on the back of a flat bed truck.
The top of the back of the crane was about 12 ft off the ground, WHAT
A DRAFT. And what a wobble when I pulled sharply to the right out of the
draft!!!!! yikes

                                                  Wayne V
                                             P.S. I hate drafting midgets

    I've done my fastest speeds up in the notches.  51.3 on Kinsman near
    the top while.  I know I was going over 50 on Crawford but did not
    have computer (after all, they don't lie) to confirm it.
    
    Then there was the time I was doing 65 on the western slope of the
    Kancamagus
    	       just before
    			   the hairpin
    				       turn when I
    						  forgot to br
    							      aaaaa
    			      					    aaa...				  
    ed

    Well I certainly can't top any of the previous replys yet.......
    
    But I figure once I get an aero seatpost I should regularly be cracking
    the 60 mph barrier :-)
    
    Dave

    Gotta have one, Dave. I asked the question about those things in
    a previous NOTE here. I was told they only start performing at
    60+mphs and are a must for anything above 90!
    
    Make sure you've shaved first. We don't want those whiskers that
    are going to be blown off at those speeds littering the roadways!
    
    P.S. Don't forget the Buck knife rims and check those "O" rings
         before take-off!!
    
    God I love sarcasm!
    
    Chip

    
    Once I was clocked at 55 mph.   I was going down Ute pass with
    a pretty strong tailwind, then managed to catch the draft of
    a pickup truck with camper.    I was using a borrowed 56 tooth
    chainring at the time, with a 13 in the rear.   This was on
    a Masi Gran Criterium, the most stable bike I ever owned.
    
    	I can *imagine* going faster, but have never found the
    suitable tailwind.   :-)
    
    						Alan.

    
    Every hill I come to on my normal rides, I try to go my fastest.....
    On Spear street in Burlington VT., there is some fairly big hills.
    
    I could consistantly hit 47 mph(vetta) going down the biggest hill, tucked,
    after I could'nt pedel anymore......
    
    The goal was to break 50 mph, it went on for about three years.
    
    Until last year, I was screaming, I looked down and it was 52mph!!!!
    It was great, but I'd also like to say its as fast as I care to go 
    on a bicycle!!!
    
    Never get crazy without my helmet,
    
    Albert

In 1987 I was doing the Barkeater Stage Race up in Lake Placid.  The deciding
stage was a road race that did a couple of loops and then turned and went
up to the top of Mt. Whiteface.  The only reason I bothered to go up and
officially finish the race was that I got to go down afterwards.  I think I got
up to 54 mph.  I was not in my most aero tuck as i was holding the bars for
dear life....  Drafting off of someone going down a mountain @ 110kph...It'll
take a bit of practice before I attempt that one.

    Last June I descended Terrible Mountain in Vermont with a tail wind.
    The last time I dared to look at my Advocet model 20 I was going 
    52 mph.  I know I picked up at least another 5 mph.  
      I did not shave my legs and I was astride a "fluted" Dura-Ace
    seat post.
      I problably could have coasted up Okemo Mt. if I didn't have to
    stop at the bottom.
      This year I plan to slingshot off of a tandem that will be joining
    me.
    
    Norm

    Used to go over 55 on a regular basis when I lived in Durango Colorado.
    50% of my rides had a nice long 6 to 7 % grade. (Had to ride up
    it first :( ) My Favorite hill, really a pass that drops from about 12,000
    feet down to 9,000 feet (Silverton). This pass is called Mollis(sp)
    pass and had lots of sharp turns and almost a continuous 6% grade.
    3000 vertical of screaming and passing galking eyed cars (was that
    really a bike dear?) 
                                                       
    Until you've ridden the passes in Colorado you haven't experienced
    the ultimate downhill roll, in a full tuck.

    	I regularly exceeded 50 MPH on my daily commute to
    work from Mont Vernon.  I still have my daily recordings
    and according to my cateye my fastest decent was 56 MPH.
    I can't imagine what speed I could achieve on a *really*
    big hill.  Once I realized that my bike helmet is useless
    at that speed (plus a dangerous intersection at the base)
    I started using my brakes at the top of the hill since
    bike brakes are also useless if you have to pull an
    emergency stop to avoid a car stopped at the bottom.  
    I'm now saving my speed runs for the day I buy a motorcycle.
						
    					Jerry

    Jerry,
    
    Just imagine what kinds of speed you could do if you had:
    an aero seatpost, aero brakes, aero pedals, aero rims, bladed spokes.
    
    Instead you just have to settle for superior graviational attraction.
    :-)
    
    ed
    

    I was on a Bob Jackson racing tandem on an incredible downhill and
    it was equipped with a cateye. Well the cateye said we did 63.5mph.
    What a rush!!!  I was the stoker on this ride and I also prayed
    all the way to the bottom that some animal did not run out in front
    or us. Good thing the bike was also equipped with a phil wood disc
    brake.
    
    I don't know if I would do it again!!!

    	At the IHPVA event at Indy where we ran the streamliner, (and
    kept crashing), I said "scr*w it, I'm gonna put something on the
    books" and rolled up my jeans and hoped on the training bike - a
    DeFelice recumbent. I was clocked at 31 mph thru the 200 m traps
    with a 600 m run in.  Flat and level.  So, do I get the lowest,
    but most official, top speed prize?  - Chris

    Let's give it to Chris for the flats!
    
    The key to being crazy is DON'T think about potentials. The matter
    at hand is SPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED !!!!! Not whether a
    helmet makes a difference at 20 or 50 mph's. Not whether your 
    insurance is all paid up (life or medical). Not whether a plane
    is going to fall from the sky directly on you and ruin your whole
    day! 
    
    THE NEED FOR SPEED IS HERE INDEED!!
                 -----
    
    Gimme more, more, more of that drug they call "rapin' apes"!!!!

>    Gimme more, more, more of that drug they call "rapin' apes"!!!!
    
    	Friends don't let Friends ride " Rapin apes ed "
    
    							Jerry

    When does the bike start shaking . . .
    
    
    I've done 49 mph going down Route 100 (southbound near Killington).
    
    A friend of mine tells a tale, though.  He was going downhill in
    Utah on his custom-made Chris Chance road bike.  At some high speed
    (he doesn't know how fast) the bike started shaking and he couldn't
    control it.  He wound up on his back on the side of the road with
    broken shoulder, ribs, etc. 
    
    From now on he plans to be more cautious.
    
    Patrick

< Note 1137.23 by MARKER::WARD >
                -< At what point does the bike start shaking? >-

It depends whether the bike's properly aligned, the wheels are true and 
properly dished, probably road and wind conditions, too.  On my old Fuji Team, 
I'd hit 45mph descending during a race and all was ok (new road surface).  A 
couple of years later, after a very mild accident, I came down rt 13 from Mt 
Vernon (of Jerry Smith fame).  I don't remember the speed, but the bike began 
shaking so violently I thought I was gonna die!  I did control it, 
fortunately, and on subsequent descents, even on good pavement, it started to 
shake at around 35.  I got the frame aligned, and now its rock solid.

On my Marinoni, I've hit 52 during last year's Killington Stage race and it 
was very stable, tho the road left something to be desired.  BTW, computers 
with max speed readouts are great... you can find out LATER how fast you went, 
so you can pay attention while descending.

Kevin

>    When does the bike start shaking . . .
    
Bike shaking @high speed seems to be caused by any of a number of
factors - frame alignment, wheel balance and trueness, frame stiffness,
and bike wheelbase being contributing factors. Also how violently rider
grabs handlebars... shorter wheelbase bikes often tend to be less stable 
at very high speeds. Some of my bikes shake, some don't and others depend on 
what wheels I've got on and phase of the moon.

As for high speed, someone mentioned "the tailwind" a few back - years 
ago, I was touring the prairies and rode one very long day into a steady 
wind of 40 mph or higher. The next day, I rode back the same route, with 
the wind the same or higher. Cycle computers hadn't been invented then 
:-) ... (or helmets :-(  ) but I was cruzin' down the shoulder of a 75 
MPH road and the cars were creeping by at a relative speed that appeared 
to be about 10-15 MPH. I figured I might have gotten to 55 or 60, but it 
sure felt like about 9/10 of the speed of light... After that we slowed 
way down, eventually completing our 35 miles that day (with touring 
gear) in 1 hr 45 min. - including a 45 min. stop for lunch!
                                              ken

    Well according to my trusty bike log at home I hit 50 mph at last
    years Hollis NH race.  It was on the big downhill on the backstrech.
    It definitely felt fast!  I think I was right behind Mark Reid,
    so he must've hit 50 too.
    
    Then there was the Kiwanis race at N. Andover last year where I
    clocked 47 while in a pack of about 20 riders.  I remember thinking
    to myself, "self, I sure hope nobody flats now!"  If you're going
    for the super speeds, it's definitely more comfortable to be by
    yourself.
    
    An earlier reply mentioned riding down Moullas Pass in SW Colorado.
    Holy sh*t, those mountain passes are tough!  That's when you find
    out how good a job you did glueing your tubulars.  Its more a matter
    of controlling your speed rather than reaching new highs!  For an
    added thrill they don't put up guardrails either.  I remember
    screaming down Flagstaff road in Boulder, and coming down Horsetooth
    in Ft. Collins, some serious grades with hairpins!  And those were
    just in the foothills.  

    > BTW, computers with max speed readouts are great... you can find out 
    > LATER how fast you went, so you can pay attention while descending.
Kevin,
    
    	Better yet, just set the speed alarm on your cateye to
    60.  If you hear the alarm go off you'll know its time to
    throw out the anchor :-)
    
    					Jerry

    I don't know about all computers, but I KNOW that the Cateye Micro
    is not always completely truthfull when you switch from monitoring
    cadence to speed.  I usually watch cadence, but on a downhill, I
    switched it over to record speed.  Then for the first second or so,
    the cadence count was displayed as speed (and recorded as max speed).
    Unfortunately, I can't really do 90+ MPH, otherwise I'd join you
    all in bragging about it!  By the way, Kevin K., this was going
    DOWN Deerpass Rd, site of the hill climb on Ultra Week.

    Hello,
    
    Quick digression to follow.
    
    Speed wobble was mentioned a couple of entries back, I have experienced
    this quite a bit, scares the wits out of me. As a result, I no longer
    push for great speed. Where can I go to have my frame straightened? 
    I live in Worcester.
    
    Thanks, 
    -Dave

    Established a new seasonal best Saturday. Hit 45 mphs going down
    South St. between Hubbardston and Westminster (from Hubbardston
    center). Not too bad considering the hill is only about 1/2 mile
    long. 
    
    I never had the problem with my cateye mentioned earlier, or frame
    shake. I do have the Cannondale 3.0 frame and do notice a great
    deal of movement is easily transferred to the frame. Not cool
    when you're running a cadence of 120 doin' 45+ mphs. 
    
    I've 49 mphs on my League Fuji a few years back and she solid as
    rock - just like Cannon-ball!
    
    Chip

    Sorry, I keep forgetting to mention the tall tale part. I had flat
    (front of course, both break pads were rubbing, I was wearing an
    "EAT AT JOE'S DINER" "billboard" sign and standing on my saddle
    (my rear was sore becuase me and the guys I was with just finished
    doing a double century in under 10hrs).
    
    One of the Bothers Grimm

< Note 1137.29 by FRAGLE::MACDUFFIE "Downhill like a gyroscope" >

>    push for great speed. Where can I go to have my frame straightened? 
>    I live in Worcester.

Paul Randazzo, ex of Category 1 Cyclegoods in Tyngsboro, aligned my frame and 
did a fine job.  I'm sure he's still interested in doing that kind of work out 
of his home.  Don't know his number, tho.

Cost was $75 for a bare frame, $125 or so for a built up frame, which includes 
repacking headset and bottom bracket.  Prices as of Feb, 1988 (when he still 
had the store).

I would imaging Belmont Wheelworks could also do it.

Kevin

   >> Where can I go to have my frame straightened? 
   >> I live in Worcester.
    
     
    -Dave,
You can also try Bicycle Alley in Worcester MA (Webster Square)
They have a high quallity frame alignment tool(s) They did mine for free when I
bought my BASSO frame from them, so give them a call to find out the price.
(508)752-2230

Tom

>    Established a new seasonal best Saturday. Hit 45 mphs going down
>    South St. between Hubbardston and Westminster (from Hubbardston
>    center). Not too bad considering the hill is only about 1/2 mile
>    long. 
    
 
    I take it they finally got around to repaving that stretch of road?
    
    I always thought that would be a great downhill, but with all those
    potholes, I never wanted to try it.
    
    	-Nancy

    Welllllllll, it not like glass, but there aren't any holes. Just
    watch out for the stray bossies.
    
    Chip

    	What the heck are "bossies?"
    
    	Scott

    Cows, you know, of the moo moo variety. They have had occasion to
    wander from the local pasture.
    
    Chip

    	Chip,
    
    	I'm so embarrassed!
    
    	You may not believe this, but I spent a lot of my teen years
    	working (like a slave) on farms.
    
    	I'll never live it down.
    
    	Scott

    
            I weigh 240lbs., and am 6'6" tall. I'm pretty sure the fastest
      I've ever gone was at a Triathlon in Naples Maine last year. The
      local news paper said that a trooper clocked me at 143 mph. I got
      back to the start/finish line just in time to catch a glimpse of the
      5th rider leaving. I was pushing a 80/6 for the duration. If I had to
      do it all over again, I'd probably slow it down to maybe 120, because
      I only pulled a 12 min 10K afterwards.........
    
                    (Actually, it's 165,5'10", and ~50 on the backside
                     of the Kancamangus, right on Mark Dogherty's tail)
    
                                                    John

    Wow! The G's you were pulling must've been incredible - what 7-8
    G's? Were you wearing a G-suit? Oxygen? Man, what a rush!

>                    (Actually, it's 165,5'10", and ~50 on the backside
>                    of the Kancamangus, right on Mark Dogherty's tail)

    Drafting, eh?

I did 135 mph on two wheels!!! (Honda V64 Magna) My leather jacket was flapping
like a T-shirt in the wind. One false move and your dead, took on a new meaning.
Yikes, thats why I don't ride the motorized kind any more.

I was doing 46 mph down a hill behind a school bus on my way in to work today.
Just as I started to pass it, it was turning right, I flatted a tubular8-(
Boy, they do flat nice. No scarey mishaps.

My ride into work goes up and down two really good hills for drafting. Both of
the hills have traffic lights on the tops. So if I time it right I can pull in
behind a bus or truck before they get going to fast. Once I'm in the draft I
don't have to pedal, I usually have to use my brakes to keep from riding into
the back of them.

The fastest on a bicycle was 50 mph behind a Jeep Wagoneer. I was going down
a hill on the way home from work doing 40, when the Jeep slowly passed me. I
looked to see if any cars were behind him, Nope there weren't, and pulled in
behind him. AHH, I said as his draft allowed me to coast. He looked in his rear
view mirror and sees me and speeds up trying to drop me. I was looking at my
CAT-Eye speed o'meter climb. I hit 49 and couldn't go any faster and the Jeep
was starting to pulling away. I gave it all I had and saw 50 on the micro. That
was enough. I pulled out of the draft and coasted to the bottom of the hill.  
Oh ya, the speed limit in this area was 35mph...

Tom 

RE>>< Note 1137.42 by MCIS2::DELORIEA "Common typing isn't" >
                            -< 135mph on a "bike" >-

			(Honda V65 Magna) 

    41mph on my Cannondale, clocked by Cateye max speed function.  Coming
    down that short, but steep, hill out of Harvard, Mass towards
    Littleton, Mass.           \VA
    

    46 mph (Avocet) down from 11,312' on the west side of Monarch Pass
    west of Colorado Springs for 18 MINUTES (did I mention it took three
    hours to climb?).   The biceps were jello at the bottom from tucking.
    I also peak at 46mph down Mt. Wachusetts.  _KB  

    	almost related topic;
    
    		Yesterday on some random hill in Boylston I hit 32 mph.
    	Not such a big deal except that I was in a 42x20 with a track
    	wheel, which works out to a cadence of ~195.
    		(sorry Reg, but maybe it's about time to put the 
    		 freewheel back on)

    Since reading this note, I have taken a new interest in checking
    my top speed.  I ride in the Lunenburg Mass. area.  At the end of
    my ride I am heading East down Rt2A from the center of town.  Yesterday
    morning I followed my riding partner about halfway down the hill
    and broke out to pass him behind a car.  I don't know what my cadence
    was but my Cateye Micro showed 42 at one point.  I wear a pulse
    monitor and it really hit the roof.  It registered 184.  Not bad
    noting my max should be about 180.  I don't know if that's such
    a good idea.
    
    Do many of you wear pulse monitors?  I am fascinated by how rapidly
    my pulse changes.  For example, when I am breaking wind, riding
    in a pair, I typically run a cadence of about 90 and my pulse will
    run about 154.  When I start up a hill, as I push harder to maintain
    the cadence I go over my upper limit of 160.  As soon as I begin
    drafting, when my partner takes the lead, my pulse drops like a
    rock and quickly goes below my lower limit of 140.  
    
    My pulse monitor has added a whole new dimension to monitoring my
    performance.
    
    Sorry if I have wondered from the intended topic.
    
    Love riding my new bike,
    Rich

    RE: < Note 1137.47 by WJO::MILLS "Intriguing" >
    
    >I am fascinated by how rapidly
    >my pulse changes.  For example, when I am breaking wind, 
    
    I've heard of using heart monitors for Training but isn't this going
    a little far.

    	If you have the need to speed then come out to western MA. There
    are hill here you can easly go into the 50 m/hr range. plus there
    a hill I just hit 62 m/hr on. I just checked my cat-eye before doing
    this hill. I motor behind A car a very speeds to check how good
    my cat-eye was. it was only off by 1 m/hr at the different rates.
    the rates were 20,25,30,35,40. The hill was in Wilbraham. the road
    was Monson rd. If anybody is interested in going that fast I will
    give direction.
    
    LOVE MY TREK
    MIKE

< Note 1137.49 by KRAPPA::ROWLEY >
                           -< THE NEED TO SPEED!!! >-

>    this hill. I motor behind A car a very speeds to check how good
>    my cat-eye was. it was only off by 1 m/hr at the different rates.
>    the rates were 20,25,30,35,40. The hill was in Wilbraham. the road

If you've calibrated you computer, I bet its much more accurate than any car 
speedometer.

Kevin

    Two years ago I hit 45 MPH coming down the hill in front of the
    Mt. Wachusett entrance. I was following a friend who had a Cateye.
    Anyway, it scared the daylights out of me because no matter how
    much I tried to tuck, the wind hitting me would start lifting the
    front wheel off the ground and the bike would start to vibrate.
    At least it FELT like the wheel was coming up. Maybe it was just
    the frame (25" Fuji Royale, Chrom-Moly) but anyway, it wasn't fun.
    Extremely disconcerting. I don't understand how anyone could go
    60-70 MPH on a bike coming down a hill (without drafting a motor
    vehicle) and not have the front end come off the ground from the
    wind hitting them. How do the professional racers do it? 

    							Thom...

    Re; .51 To be perfectly honest I don't see how they do 60-70
            either.
    
    I've never run into any vibes though. May be the rider's the piece
    of equipment that's shakin'? I'm familiar with closing in on 50mphs,
    and it IS quite fun/scary. I'd have to outfit my lycra's with pampers
    at 70. At that kind of speed it might not be a bad idea to get a
    flak vest to go along with the Kevlar infantry helmet. A couple
    of airfoils for to keep that front wheel down wouldn't hurt either.
    Or, instead of filling the tires with air, try water or mercury.
    
    Still pursuing the 50mph mark!

    I hit 55mph (cateye solar) about 3  years ago going down a hill
    in Dixmont, Maine (the town only has about 100 feet of level road)
    Needless to say, I was spinning pretty fast on my 52/13!! (I used
    to be able to spin 200+ back then) 
    
    I've got an old Cannondale, stable as a rock at high speeds, well
    it used to be..

    About 2-1/2 years ago I got hooked in a USCF race going 45+ MPH 
    I now know what it's like to travel those speeds without a bicycle :(
    
    There is little problem keeping your front wheel down, as you gotta
    be in a serious tuck (or have some serious legs) to go much more than
    30 MPH, but I'd definately suggest a helmet, and good medical benefits..
    
    Robb

    re. 51
    	{ I don't ubderstand how anyone could go 60-70 MPH on a bike
    coming down a hill ( without drafting a motor vehicle) and not have
    the front end come off the ground from the wind hitting them }
    
    	Everytime I go over 50 mph I make sure that my weight is on
    the front tire. I have not yet had a feeling that my front end was
    coming up. Hitting speed of 60 or more this is done if you are heavy
    enough and there is a big hill to come down. My wt. is 190 lb being
    this heavy I work twice as hard going up but go twice the speed
    going down. It's the law of physics. One thing I would not do is
    draft off a vehicle at that speed. I like to know whats on the road
    in front of me. If I crash it's my own fualt. I have a nice Trek
    al. frame. This bike is very stiff only vibration I feel is the road
    going by. To hit speed of 60 mph or more, you need the need to speed.
    If you have any fear at all you will end up on the ground. Your
    mind better be on the road and not at work. I rode last week with
    the club going down a hill I hit 55 mph the two rider behind me
    got into my draft about 15 feet behind me. This was the first time
    one of these riders ever hit this speed. You might not think it
    is possible but people are hitting those high speeds.
    
    Love My Trek
    Mike
    P.S If any of you people out at Marlboro want to go fast you have
    a nice little hill in the industrial park. were they had last week
    road race. You should at lease hit 40 mph on it. I have.

>                                             ... My wt. is 190 lb being
>    this heavy I work twice as hard going up but go twice the speed
>    going down. It's the law of physics. ...                      
      
    WHICH law of physics are you referring to, Mike?
    
    MATT

Your front wheel can't come off the ground on a downhill unless you hit a
bump (like a ski jump? :-)).  The steeper the hill the closer your center of
gravity gets to being directly over the front axle.  That's why you should
move your hips way back on a mountain bike, just in case you hit a rock.
Also, your rear barakes become less and less useful, and front brakes more
critical and dangerous, should they lock.

ed,
who did lock his front brakes on a descent of Mt W, while airborne.  There
was a lip at the rim joint and it stuck in the brake pads.  Still remember the
physical therapy.

re  < Note 1137.55 by CESARE::JOHNSON "Truth is stranger than fiction" >
>                             -< Remember Galileo? >-

>>                                             ... My wt. is 190 lb being
>>    this heavy I work twice as hard going up but go twice the speed
>>    going down. It's the law of physics. ...                      
      
>    WHICH law of physics are you referring to, Mike?
    
>    MATT

	The same ones that govern cold (con)fusion.

    re .55 & .57
    	Your right in that if you dropped a light bike and rider off
    the same cliff with a heavy bike and rider in a vacume they'd hit
    the ground at the same time. Intuition tells me that with friction
    in the picture mass would have some effect. Give Mike a break.
    								Larry

    I have found the another ultimate rush. Speed on the mountain bike.
    I regularly hit 25 to 30 on jeep roads and trails.... What a rush...
    Flying over rocks. The trick is letting the bike float under you.
    
    

    RE: .59
    
    	Yeah, MTB speed is sure fun, but it is a *lot* more dangerous
    than the equivalent speeds on the road.    One time I was chasing
    a fast friend down the Barr trail, (well, actually a section of
    the Fremont trail that connects to it) which descends Pikes Peak.
    He was out of sight ahead of me, and I was trying to catch up.
    I was probably doing about 30 or 35 mph on a fairly smooth and
    even part of the trail.   However, I went over a tree root, and
    it was enough to set my front wheel flying for about 15 or 20 feet.
    When I hit ground again, I was no longer over the trail.   The
    front wheel dug into the looser soil off the side of the trail,
    and I took a sudden face dive!
    
    	Suddenly there I was, about 6 miles from the nearest road,
    with a mangled knee, a warped front wheel (that also put the
    front brake out of action) and a bent deraillure.    After a 
    few agonizing hours I managed to get down the mountain,
    after roughly re-truing my wheel.    It was a real challenge
    to descend Mt Manitou with no front brake!

    	These days I like to treat trail descents more like a trials
    exercise, where bike handling is more important than speed.
    [Except when I ride the cheyenne chutes trail!   :-)   ]

    						Alan.

    
    .....descending Teton Pass near Jackson, Wyoming last summer, 
    	with a tailwind.     This gave me my biggest thrill
        since the onset of adolescence.    Details available upon
    	request. 
    
    	-Howard
    

    
    Yeah, ATB's are a rush. I don't know what I like best, all those
    multiple black & blue bruises from landing on all those rock on
    dirt roads or just plain having your skin scraped off by asphalt.
    
    Don't you love it??!!!!!
    
    Chip

    Last year I attended the N.E. Mountain Bike Championships at Mt.
    Snow Vt.  Well the downhill course started at the top of the mountain
    and went down a service road and immediately onto a ski slope. The
    course then continued down different slopes and service roads.
      I thought I had come prepared for this race by outfitting the
    mountain bike with 52-12 gearing.  WRONG!!  In a number of places
    I ran out of gears.  
      At times the terrain was so rough I could barely see the course
    markers.  At one point I was in the middle a fairly wide slope and hit
    something,(I think it was a shallow drainage ditch) in only a couple of
    seconds I was almost hitting the trees on the edge of the slope.
    It was all I could do to stay on the bike.  I later found out that
    it looked like I was riding a bucking bronco as the bike came off
    the ground several times with me getting tossed around on top. 
    Thank you Gary Klein for a bike well built.
    
    					Norm

    Somewhat along the the lines of this note: What's the highest cadence
    (ie. pedal RPM) people have achieved? Does anyone know what the
    highest ever achieved has been by a professional? I've heard people
    talk about turning 200 RPM which I find believable although very
    fast and recently heard someone say a professional can turn 300
    RPM. I don't find that believable. I came down a hill yesterday
    in 12th turning about 125 which wasn't too bad but I can't see anyone
    turning more than twice that RPM.
    
    							Thom...

re             <<< Note 1137.64 by THOM::LANGLOIS "DT Data Networks" >>>
>                              -< top cadence RPM >-

	I have DONE 208 revolutions in a minute !  

	Re_read that, I said 208 revolutions in a minute, NOT a 
	cadence of 208 RPM.

	Ooops, wrong topic - this is TALL TALES, not facts about 
personal_bests.

	Reg

re                      <<< Note 1137.65 by ULTRA::BURGESS >>>
>                   -< Can you do it for the whole minute ? >-

	Yeah, I know - 50 MPH isn't 50 miles in an hour either, though 
I wish it was.  Maybe another class, what's your 1 hour record ?

	BTW, there are few vehicles less aerodynamic than a Chevvy/GMC 
Suburban, yet I find that on almost every hill that I speeeeeed down on a 
bike.....  I'm able to do at least 10 MPH more with my foot off the 
accelerator - and the burb' has terrible rolling resistance too.

	Reg

    Another `fun' activity is to get out your fixed gear bike (track
    bike etc that doesn't coast) and see how fast you can get going
    down a hill. I dare say I've hit well over 200 rpm on my 42/19
    going down some hills.
    
    (dont try this at home....these are certified lunatics)
    
    Robb

     Here's a MAJOR LEAGUE tale. This guy told me he was having a little
    conversation with a guy who has just started riding with. Here it
    comes. I didn't say anything to the tellingme the story, but this
    guy said he a double (that's right - you're not hallucinating) a
    double century in 9+hours. I know the guy of whom he speaks (only
    slightly) and I'm here to tell this tale needs an oxygen mask!
    
     Definitely a OSCAR nomination here.
    
    Chip

    re: .68, yeah, that needs a "show me."  I've seen guys do doubles
    in sub-ten, but they are few and far between.
    
    People who talk, talk.  People who do, don't need to talk.
    
    ed

re                     <<< Note 1137.68 by WMOIS::C_GIROUARD >>>

>    guy said he a double (that's right - you're not hallucinating) a
>    double century in 9+hours. I know the guy of whom he speaks (only

	Yeah, well, me too

	9 hours plus

			about 400 minutes

	R

    RE;.69 <putting boots on>
    
           This one definitely requires a wet suit!!!
    
    Chip

    re. 9hr double centry
    
    It could be that the guy did do double in 9hrs, 9 hours each!  This
    is more my speed, 10.5mph

    
    John_who_still_has_not_done_his_first!

     Maybe I should've asked him if he was in Tibet when he clocked
    this running down the Hymalayas.
    
     Chip

    I hit 57mph's last night. It was only on my trainer, I had the roller
    pulled away from the wheel and I was spinning the crank with my
    hand.
    
    DOES THIS COUNT?
    
    Chip

    During last night's 'sprint' training a few of us hit 40mph in a
    1/4 mile flat sprint, with no drafting. If mere mortals like us
    go that fast, I wonder how fast the pros get up to in a sprint?!
    
    Mark
    

    	Here is a high speed tale. Today being a nice day I went out
    for a good ride. I ended up chasing trucks. I brought my bike into
    work (WFO) I started out chasing the first truck wich was a elect.
    light Co. I was ave speed of 43mph. for the first 2.7 mile. mostly
    rolling roads. then I went on about 15 mile of riding at a good
    pace with out drafting. on the way back I started to draft off a
    tractor trailer doing 40-45mph for next 7 miles. the truck turn
    onto the mass pike. so picked up the next truck at that set of lights.
    it was a blue seal truck looks like a long milk truck. for the next
    3 miles i was ave 52 mph I hit a top speed of 54 mph. The were straight
    and mostly rolling hills. This is what biking is all about high
    speeds. I had a motorcycle behind me shaking there heads not believing
    the speed I was keeping. I ended Back at work if I didn't stop I
    think I could of held that speed for about 10 more miles. The road
    I did this on is route 10&202. If you get off ex 4 off the mass
    pike and take a left that is the road I did the high speeds. the
    Gear I was in was 52-12.
          
    Love My Trek
    Mike Norton
    Pro-Bike

    About drafting Large trucks... Lots of large truck use retread tires..
    The DO throe the tread off the tires now and then. If you are drafting
    one of these trucks when this happens you better kiss your ** good
    bye....

    I also did a bit of truck drafting this past weekend, on my ride
    from Marlboro,MA to Charlton,MA along route 20.
    
    I stayed with a tar truck (smelly, but provided a great draft) for
    about 4 miles until I got dropped on a long uphill. I was averaging
    about 45mph in my 53x12, without a lot of effort.
    
    I never even thought about tire treads that might come flying off.
    I was a more concerned with the road surface, since there is no
    time to react to potholes or rocks at 45 mph, 5 feet behind a truck!
                                       
    Yeah it's crazy, but it's so fun! 
         
    Mark 

On my way in this morning I hit 53mph drafting a van. I was in a 53x13.
Needless to say I was going down hill at the time. I wonder what my cadence
was? I was spinning wildly. Maybe I should get a 12 tooth cog? Yes, I did have
an aero seat post :-)

I took a look at my cateye when I got in, an noticed that it can display speed
up to 199mph!!! I tend to doubt that it can compute/work going that fast.
Anyone want to try?  ;-)


Tom 

    RE: -1
    
    	For 53x13 @ 53mph I come up with a cadence of ~166.

        
    	I calculated the formula below a couple years ago, any (obvious)
    errors?
    
    miles/hour=
    	(chainwheel/freewheel)*
    	(82.6in/rev)*
    	(1ft/12in)*
    	(1mile/5280ft)*
    	(pedal revs/min)*
    	(60min/hour)

	Somewhere in the  "Mine of useless formulae/algorithms"  topic 
I vaguely remember something about;

	Cadence x Gear Inches	=	MPH
	---------------------
		336

	it sounds about right, i.e. 100 RPM with 100 gear inches comes 
out to about 30 MPH;  its easy to do in your head too, since its close 
enough to 1/3.

	R

	re .80:

	The Cateye has a 2 1/2 digit display so it can display CADENCES
	over 99.  I doubt if anyone uses them for speeds over 99!  At 
	least I have no interest in that.

	chris

    Since I bought a cycle computer in April I've kept an eye out for the
    max speeds I've hit. Pretty paltry compared to others in this note;
    best so far has been 44 mph on a hill coming into Dorking in Surrey
    last week. Fun though.
    
    Re truck drafting: is there still a 55mph speed limit in the US?
    Lorries here travel faster than 50-55 if they can. The national speed
    limit here is 70 - anyone fancy trying to keep up with that?
    
    
    Rod

    I went for a ride this past Sunday and was going to take a break
    at the top of the next hill. When I topped the hill I saw a couple
    on bikes and thought I'd catch th then stop. Befor Ie I got down my
    hill the lady was pushing her bike up the hill. I breezed by her,
    then her boyfriend. I stopped at the top of the next hill to rest
    and the couple rides up. They told me they were used to riding in
    south Georgia (where it's flat) and could normally ride 25 miles
    in about 1:07 to 1:10. Hmmmm now even though I'm slow I guess this
    means I could do 25 miles in about 55 min.)-8

    Tall indeed. I think the warmer air may have a hallucenogenic
    effect of their perception of speed. I still hold the record
    for going up Mt. Wachusett, though. I hit 48 mph. That's going up
    mind you....with a head wind, yeah, yeah that's the ticket. And
    I was riding an old Schwinn ballon tire bike, yeah. And with a 
    flat. No wait, I meant two flats. 
    
      Chip

>    for going up Mt. Wachusett, though. I hit 48 mph. That's going up
>    mind you....with a head wind, yeah, yeah that's the ticket. And
>    I was riding an old Schwinn ballon tire bike, yeah. And with a 
>    flat. No wait, I meant two flats. 
    
doesn't count "for record" though if you had all (or even most) of the spokes
on your wheels.
                                  ken

    Gee, are tandems allowed in this high speed quest?  Like on 10% grade
    for a miles or so.

    I forgot to mention that the tire that went flat was "L"
    series Goodyear wrinkle-wall with Crager full disk mag wheel.
    If it weren't for that I would've hit 50mph for sure up the
    Mt.
    
    

    After a 5+ year lapse... High speed stories never go out of style ?
    
    In my college days (pre-helmet era) at the University of Florida, there 
    existed one steep hill on campus.  It started near the music building and 
    ended at the University hospital/Medical center.  There was 1 traffic light 
    that when green, permitted a running start on that hill.  The road itself 
    was very bumpy with infinite patches.
    
    Every morning I would ride up this hill (1/3 mile) to class.  Every 
    afternoon I would attack this hill on a descent.  On my el cheapo Columbia 
    10 speed ($70) equipped with nothing extra.  The challenges included:
    
      o traffic from slow driving unpredictable fossils (retired folk)
      o fast & crazy drivers (students)
      o the rough road
      o squirrels that for some reason liked to cross this road (death wish)
      o the need to apply the brakes quickly after reaching top speed, a
        curb and building approached very quickly.
    
    The rush from blasting down this hill and dealing with the changing 
    conditions was a thrill.  I did come close to bisecting a confused
    squirrel (guess the cadavers department would have been thrilled with
    such a donation).  
    
    When I eventually visited the emergency room (not from this hill, from a 
    wipeout while racing a friend and losing rear tire grip on an oil-slick
    turn -> broken wrist), I learned that accidents (bicycles, skateboards) on 
    the 'med center hill' were very common and kept the emergency room busy.

    well, ya know what the ER people call cyclists who don't where helmets,
    doncha?
    
    :-(
    
    ed

    All that Olympic bike racing has gotten to my brain & legs.  Yesterday,
    I wanted to test the 40 year old heart so I cranked 10 intervals
    up a 7% grade hill that has a wide bike lane.  I admit that my slight
    tailwind assisted practice allowed me to pass cars up that hill like 
    they were *rolling backwards*.  I do not use speed/odo-meters so you will 
    have to take my word that I must have been exceeding 65 mph as most cars 
    seem to drive that fast up this hill.  The only other witness to this event
    was a dog, napping on his back porch.  ;*)

    a buddy checked out my avocet 50 'peak speed' readout and was appalled
    to see it reading '81'.
    
    I hated to have to tell him I had it set on kilometres instead of
    miles.
    
    DougO

    "applalled"? Hell, I would've asked for an autograph :-).

I've pushed my max speed over 80kph on rollers several times this year.  It's
very impressive to see that "80" (or 81 or 82) on the display when it's all
over.  We routinely start out at that speed roller racing.  The trick is holding
it for an entire kilometer, something I've not yet mastered, but many have.


Tim