# recumbent trike speed



## lee morris (10 Feb 2011)

Hello all just wonderd whats everyones max speed they feel comfee doing befor they get twitchie lol

i have a windcheetah speedy and hit 32mph befor i get scared lol i want to get faster


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## 3tyretrackterry (11 Feb 2011)

Have reached 38mph on a steep hill was a tad scary the sudden appearance of the arse end of a horse put the anchors on that land speed record attempt


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## byegad (11 Feb 2011)

Given clear sight lines and a reasonably smooth road. I've yet to feel worried by any speed I can reach, the maximum I've seen on a speedo is 48mph but as only one trike has a speedo I may have exceeded this.


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## Tigerbiten (11 Feb 2011)

Max I've hit was at night on an unlit road.
49.6 mph down Blue Bank on the run into Whitby.

The fastest in the day time was only 48.6 mph on the run down into Ullapool from the south.

The fastest speeds around home are only around 40 mph but the local hills are only short and around 8-10%, so its hard to hit true terminal velocity.

I've also hit ~25 mph on a hardcore/gravel surface which was "fun", as the back of the trike was stepping out of line on the bumps/stones.

I can normally top 30 mph down hill in a 30 zone in town .............  
And I still get overtaken at these speeps.

One day I'll get a good smooth hill with the wind in the right direction and top 50 mph .............  

Luck .............


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## markg0vbr (11 Feb 2011)

Tigerbiten said:


> The fastest speeds around home are only around 40 mph but the local hills are only short and around 8-10%, so its hard to hit true terminal velocity.



i like the term terminal velocity, i do a back road a bit like a toboggan run only hit 35mph but my arss dose 5p 10p 5p drifting hard braking and out rigging (hanging out over the side to keep from tipping over) gets the pump going.
the hill i live at the bottom of i hit 45+ but it is straight so a bit boring.
the run from the top of ladybower dam is gravel and has some good bits, what i am saying fast down hill can be a buzz but medium speed on a very technical descent is better, then you get mamtor at castleton you can hit 50mph if you are good through the tight bends near the top.


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## sunnyjim (11 Feb 2011)

Respectable Citizen + Trike = Speed Crazed Hooligan

I get feart at 40 - the trike's happy 'though.


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## Bill B-J (11 Feb 2011)

I have not come across speed ratings for cycle tyres, (used to see them for motorcycle tyres.)
Years ago made 60 mph Skipton way on DF. I geuss one could go faster on a bent.
The tyre question flashed through my mind at the time.
No doute the tyre being balance is highly relavant, and if it were not, one woukd obviously feel the vibration. 
I'm much more confident on the QNT than the B1, the thought of harm does not pop up on the former, but does on the later!

I'm with you Mark; I don't really mind what number the GPS say, its the flow from the demanded total absorption, that I find uplifting  

Be well, bent brother  . (It was 'the Americans' who came up with that term was it not? Not complaining, maybe it fits with the needed ease at daring not to totally conform to Mr/ Ms average.) 

Oh, and Mark, I found the addition of front suspension to the QNT luxurious on my broken body; maybe there is a therpeutic need?


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## andharwheel (11 Feb 2011)

50mph on my Windcheetah. Tyres will do at least 82mph. Well thats how fast Sam Whiitingham been.


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## Misty (11 Feb 2011)

Regularly hit high 30s / low 40s here - the hills range from 16% to 25%, but speed is horribly limited by poor camber, dodgy potholes and pretty steep curves.
But I get more pleasure pedalling through a tight turn at 30mph, than free wheeling down a straight hill at 40+. It's so much more satisfying leaning out through the turn, rather than sitting like a sack of potatoes, whatever the speed.


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## lee morris (11 Feb 2011)

thanks all just thought i would check what eveyones doing 

im cycling around the uk (3000) miles if anyone fancy helping me raise money for ataxia uk , and joing me for a few miles

www.no-limitz.org.uk

www.justgiving.com/lee-morris1


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## bottlemsher (12 Feb 2011)

44mph down Ketts hill in Norwich

Getting the braking point correct and dodging the
cars down the bottom on the roundabout can get 
a bit dicey at times.


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## markg0vbr (13 Feb 2011)

Bill B-J said:


> Oh, and Mark, I found the addition of front suspension to the QNT luxurious on my broken body; maybe there is a therpeutic need?



"We will be selling a retro fit kit for your trike.
Price will be £523.89 + VAT + postage."

a bit out of my range at the moment , i am trying to trade my bacchetta for a trike so my lad can come on my next trip with me, if that all goes well perhaps.


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## cooldot (14 Feb 2011)

You are all CRAZY


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## byegad (14 Feb 2011)

cooldot said:


> You are all CRAZY





Trike + Descent = Fun!


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## Fiona N (14 Feb 2011)

I've been over 60mph on the Windcheetah a few times, mainly in the Alps, northern Switzerland and northern Italy - places where I used to live so I got to know the roads. It is very exciting and you need quite a lot of practise to be relaxed enough to keep your sweaty little hands off the joystick unless you actually need to steer - otherwise the transmission of tension results in the infamous death-wobble which is pretty close to the most frightening thing I have ever experienced

Sadly, around here the roads surfaces aren't good enough where there's a long, straightish drop for the trike to really get up some speed and I rarely break 50mph 

It still amazes me how much safer at speed the Speedmachine used to feel with that enormous downforce pushing you into the tarmac.


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## markg0vbr (14 Feb 2011)

add ice into the mix or wet roads and you can drift  on nice bold tyres, but you need to carry a bag of sand to throw under the back on the up hills or you end up doing the cave man drag.


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## Arch (16 Feb 2011)

My top speed so far is 40mph. On the right road, I'd let it go faster - it would have to be smooth, wide, only gentle bends, if at all, long sightline and runout at the bottom.

The hill I did 40 on, I think that's the limit, as it's a bit narrow with gravel down the middle and a couple of bends.

From what I remember of the climb up to the Hole of Horcum on the Whitby night ride, I'd like to do that the other way, in the light.


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## lee morris (17 Feb 2011)

thats it im obsest with hitting max speed theres a nicelong hill smooth no bendsand good run off, about 2 hours ride away ,my mission this morning to hit it hard , problem is i need to ride up it frist lol, ill post recorded speed later lol or when i return from hospital haha


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## Arch (17 Feb 2011)

lee morris said:


> thats it im obsest with hitting max speed theres a nicelong hill smooth no bendsand good run off, about 2 hours ride away ,my mission this morning to hit it hard , problem is i need to ride up it frist lol, ill post recorded speed later lol or when i return from hospital haha



My best was on a hill down to Burnby. To get there, I had to go up Nunburnholme Hill, which is a right sod. I wanted to do it to check I'd actually make it up, as it was part of a sportive I was going to do. So I crawled up, and then found this route back down, so I went round and DID IT ALL AGAIN! It was on the second descent that I hit 40.

I also went deaf - one minute, I was listening to music, the next I wasn't. My earphones flew out of my ears due to the wind, and flapped about behind my head. I didn't take a hand off the bars to sort them out....


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## Arch (17 Feb 2011)

On our first recumbent trip to France, we crawled up a mile or more long hill out of a town on one day. Long, just the right sort of gradient, shallow bends.

On the second trip, 2 years later, Al had arranged the route so that we would come back down that road, on the homeward leg. We dreamed of it all trip. On the day itself, we we salivating. 

Bloody French had put speed humps on it!


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## n-ick (18 Feb 2011)

62mph,descending into Dover. Sat nav recorded speed. My hat flew off somewhere, it's got to be done!


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## lee morris (18 Feb 2011)

well nick illd be happy with 45mph i think

i did a rather winedy downhill yesterday at 34mph and that felt fast, lol still waiting to hit a good straight befor i let it go


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## lee morris (21 Feb 2011)

thought i would start posting some clips, this ones a small but favourite hill near me 31mph love it


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAfC0bzR2Ig


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## Arch (21 Feb 2011)

40 again yesterday, on a cracking hill down into Pocklington. I reckon with a bit of help at the top, I might get more... (Yesterday, I just freewheeled. Although my highest gear isn't high, so I'd be spinning out soon, but might get just a touch more momentum going.)

My eyes watered a bit.


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## neil earley (29 Mar 2011)

think you are a andralin junky lol , cant believe the speed you got up to !!


Arch said:


> 40 again yesterday, on a cracking hill down into Pocklington. I reckon with a bit of help at the top, I might get more... (Yesterday, I just freewheeled. Although my highest gear isn't high, so I'd be spinning out soon, but might get just a touch more momentum going.)
> 
> My eyes watered a bit.


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## Tigerbiten (29 Mar 2011)

neil earley said:


> think you are a andralin junky lol , cant believe the speed you got up to !!



40 mph is easy.
I can top it all the time on a local 9% hill, if I have no head wind.


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## Hedgehoguk (27 Apr 2011)

I have done 60 mph in a 30 zone. I did wonder why cars where not going past me anymore a glance at the computer answered the question as I passed a speed trap.

The nice police man could not believe his eyes and did not get off his seat fast enough.


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## Arch (27 Apr 2011)

Tigerbiten said:


> 40 mph is easy.
> I can top it all the time on a local 9% hill, if I have no head wind.



What did you do down Blue Bank again? 

It's a testament to a trike's stability that I'm thinking I could improve on 40. I chicken out on two wheels at about 27.

Oh for the perfect road. Long, long, long, straight downhill, perfect sightline, not too steep, but steep enough, smooth surface, no side roads or gateways, with a long run off up a gentle gradient.


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## sunnyjim (28 Apr 2011)

Arch said:


> What did you do down Blue Bank again?
> 
> It's a testament to a trike's stability that I'm thinking I could improve on 40. I chicken out on two wheels at about 27.
> 
> Oh for the perfect road. Long, long, long, straight downhill, perfect sightline, not too steep, but steep enough, smooth surface, no side roads or gateways, with a long run off up a gentle gradient.




...And a cable car to take you & the trike back to the top, a few nice little bars & resaurants halfway down the slope.. Downhill trike-ing holidays could catch on


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## byegad (28 Apr 2011)

I had the Kettwiesel up to 41mph on one of the Bike Right Runs over the weekend. Sadly another, slower, rider was on the line I needed for the next corner so I had to brake. Had it been clear I think I'd have seen 45mph. 
As the trike hasn't a speedo and the reading was from my Sat Nav, only used when I'm on unfamiliar roads, it will be a long time before I get another opportunity to 'clock' a high speed. 
I'm pretty sure 50mph+ is possible on the right road.


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## Arch (28 Apr 2011)

sunnyjim said:


> ...And a cable car to take you & the trike back to the top, a few nice little bars & resaurants halfway down the slope.. Downhill trike-ing holidays could catch on



Yes, but don't have the cafes half way down, that'll mean losing momentum. Put them all at the bottom (with great big nets outside to catch me!).

Liking the cable car back up though....


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## n-ick (29 Apr 2011)

byegad said:


> I had the Kettwiesel up to 41mph on one of the Bike Right Runs over the weekend. Sadly another, slower, rider was on the line I needed for the next corner so I had to brake. Had it been clear I think I'd have seen 45mph.
> As the trike hasn't a speedo and the reading was from my Sat Nav, only used when I'm on unfamiliar roads, it will be a long time before I get another opportunity to 'clock' a high speed.
> I'm pretty sure 50mph+ is possible on the right road.



Following you down the hill at Ford, I can confirm 40.9 mph on the sat nav. We would have gone faster if it had not been for the doddering septergenarian, on his electrically driven Vortex.(25mph)
That would have been a 50mph descent.


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## markg0vbr (3 May 2011)

you have noticed i brake for no one just go around them on the grass verge, or give them a gentle push with the bike deflector.
i will have to do another ride around Castleton the mamtore desent is interesting, http://ridewithgps.com/routes/394323.
the Monsal trail tunnels are to be open in may this year so that cuts a bit of a slight incline out 
CAVERNOUS sealed tunnels leading through one of the Peak District’s most scenic countryside spots are set to be re-opened to the public along the Monsal Trail thanks to a successful cycling scheme.
Peak District National Park Authority’s £2.25million Pedal Peak District Project is helping turn the wheels of conservation with plans to re-open and light up the four closed, old rail tunnels for cyclists, ramblers and horse riders.
Another section of the trail, from Millers Dale to Blackwell Mill, has been closed this week while work is carried out.
Rhonda Pursglove, project manager for Pedal Peak District, said: "We are sorry for the temporary disruption but I’m sure people will realise it is worth it when the end result will bring a much better route for people to enjoy in the future.
"It will be an amazing experience to go through the tunnels and see the fantastic views of the countryside as you come out.
"We are looking forward to completing the work so that cyclists, walkers and horse riders can experience that feeling for the first time since the tunnels closed in 1968."
A section of the trail between Upperdale and Monsal Head was closed in early February and will remain closed until the end of March.
Access for vehicles at Millers Dale Old Station car park is also restricted throughout this time as the majority of it will be used for construction traffic carrying out works on the trail.
The bridleway from Brushfield to Netherdale, approached from the western end of Monsal Head Viaduct, remains open but will continue to have contractors checking to ensure the public can cross safely.
The trail from Millers Dale to Litton will be open but heavy plant and machinery are using the route to bring materials and equipment to the site.
The new route through the former railway tunnels is expected to open to the public in May or June.
Bakewell Today


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