How can I go faster

[Joe24]

Joe, it is against the rules, has been for many many years. TBH if he's looking down, then his aero helmet won't be aero - the tail needs to be flat on your back.

If the organisers got wind that he wasn't 'looking' he'll get a ban.

He is a strange guy, he even tapes up the holes in the front of his helmet
His frame will break soon i reckon. As long as he isnt infront of me when this frame breaks then thats fine

 

[Randochap]

I somehow don't think we're talking about breaking any records here; sounds like the OP is just trying to figure out his gearing.

Wouldn't it help to simply know what kind of bike/gearing he has before (again) wandering off into advanced quantum physics?

Maybe the OP is trying to wind out compact MTB gearing. In that case, he should just give up trying to wind it out and, as someone said, find a steeper hill and let gravity do its job.

Also, what's the definition of "doing 16 to the dozen?" We need a little bit more precise description of RPM to draw any conclusions.

Lets's say, the OP has a 52X13 at their disposal. Winding this up to 120 rpm will propel the bike to 37 mph -- the speed they claimed. Is 120 rpm "16 to the dozen.?" I don't know, but it isn't what I'd call maxing out.

My highest gear (50X13) is just under 103 inches. If I wind that out to 120 rpm, I get just over 36 mph, or 58 km/h, which is plenty fast. In fact, on any decent hill, gravity will help and I'm soon well on the other side of 60 km/h. My fastest decent to date was 85 km/h, or 53 mph.

The thing is, downhill is only a small part of most rides. It's more important to become a good ascender. That's where you make time and the technical skills are not so onerous (ie. lack of won't get you killed). So, rather than worrying about big chainrings, worry about "spare tyres."

Finally, it's not as simple as "pump up skinny tyres to maximum."

 

[purplepolly]

Find a longer steeper hill - How much faster than 37mph do you need to go ?!

I knew someone who did 60mph down Shap on a tandem.

 

[Riverman]

My highest gear (50X13) is just under 103 inches. If I wind that out to 120 rpm, I get just over 36 mph, or 58 km/h, which is plenty fast. In fact, on any decent hill, gravity will help and I'm soon well on the other side of 60 km/h. My fastest decent to date was 85 km/h, or 53 mph.

Man some of you guys with these speeds. On that point, what about braking? Surely it's abit dangerous to go that speed if you have wonky brakes? Say one is a lot tighter than the other.

 

[Randochap]

Man some of you guys with these speeds. On that point, what about braking? Surely it's abit dangerous to go that speed if you have wonky brakes? Say one is a lot tighter than the other.

You don't do those kinds of speeds with "wonky brakes" or questionable skills.

I build and maintain my own bikes, so I'm confident they're in good nick and adjusted just how I like them. If something does go wrong though, you're right, it's bye bye.

Thing is, most people drive cars at much faster speeds, with modest driving skills, knowing nothing technically about the machine they're in, without a second thought.

 

[Riverman]

How would a helmet (snell standard or CE) fare if you came off your bike at 40mph? Not necessarily a collision, just falling off it.

I'm not trying to restart a helmet debate but I do know that without a helmet you would be dead.

What about crashes during races?

 

[montage]

How would a helmet (snell standard or CE) fare if you came off your bike at 40mph? Not necessarily a collision, just falling off it.

I'm not trying to restart a helmet debate but I do know that without a helmet you would be dead.

What about crashes during races?

The helmet would fair badly and be in pieces afterwards. But you head will be better off for it.

As for crashes during races......OUCH

 

[Downward]

The helmet would fair badly and be in pieces afterwards. But you head will be better off for it.

As for crashes during races......OUCH

I'd be thinking more of how the rest of your body would fare.

 

[firemansimon]

Don't know don't suppose my nerve would let me go faster.

Helmet wise got the livestrong giro on order (£140 from petra cycles is the cheapest so far), that weighs 9oz and very strong, so if I did manage my target of 40mph and fell off at least my head would be ok, even if the rest of my might be a bit sore!!!

Simon

 

[montage]

Helmet wise got the livestrong giro on order (£140 from petra cycles is the cheapest so far), that weighs 9oz and very strong, so if I did manage my target of 40mph and fell off at least my head would be ok, even if the rest of my might be a bit sore!!!

No guarentee that your head would be OK just because you are wearing a helmet...BUT... it will greatly increase your chances of survival. Wearing a helmet won't make you invincible, but it will give you better odds.

I'd be thinking more of how the rest of your body would fare.

Well, for a start you are going to have some nasty road rash...Basically scab/burns over your body (what you would expect if you dragged a joint of meat accross tarmac at 40mph). This is going to hurt for a while.
Then there is the strong possibility of breaking something...this talks for itself. I haven't ever broken anything but I can imagine that it is very painfull, and is obviouslly a massive hinderance and setback.

If you don't break anything, then I would suspect you will be feeling veeeeery bruised. I had a 30mph tumble last sunday and I am steel feeling a little whiplashed, with some muscle/bone bruising on my lower back which is huuugely affecting my cycling performance.

Falling off at 40mph will not do you any favours.

 

[nigelnorris]

You're still missing the target.

Force in Newtons is kg x g.

The MORE Newtons you have, the more force.

The usual analogy is a ping-pong ball and a steel ball bearing the same size rolling down the same slope. Which one gets to bottom first?
On the moon, both together, but we have air on Earth to impede the motion.

MORE mass = more force.

Since you're talking about comparing a rider with a less heavy rider the ping pong ball analogy fails. The comparison should be between two bodies of different mass but the same density, such as two ball bearings, one with 1" diameter and another with 3/4". although there's more force acting on the bigger one the acceleration will be the same since a=f/m. For the smaller bearing (rider) drag is reduced due to lowered surface area, but again deceleration is inversely proportional to the drag due to lowered mass so will be the same as for the bigger bearing. So roughly speaking the two bearings will reach the bottom of the slope at the same time.

Sounds plausible, but I think I might've been talking a load of balls.

 

[Joe24]

If you fall off doing 40mph, your lycra wont really protect you.
Your helmet, probably wont protect you. So you have to not fall off. Its simple really.
I did 47mph down a very steep hill in Derbyshire. Not hugely safe(road too narrow with parked cars really), but great fun. My bikes are maintained well, and i like to think i have enough skill to handle the speeds, i havent had any problems when ive been doing 40mph+ yet.

 

[Tel]

Back to the aerodynamic angle you could always get some Scott drop-in bars so you can tuck in nice and low. Does anyone remember these?

 

[Randochap]

The MORE Newtons you have, the more force.

That's right; at a certain point your stomach says: That's enough Fig Newtons!

 

[Oddjob62]

Doh... late night posting... bad idea