Should we watch our speed?

[simmi]

Travelling down a small hill on a country lane today decided to push it a bit rather than let gravity take its course. It was a bit bumpy with a couple of small bends. Strava told me I got to 36.6mph, my point is what speed do you consider safe I have to admit although I enjoyed it didn't feel that safe was worried about tractors appearing, the bike giving out hands slipping off etc. I know the pro's get up to motorway speeds on some descents but by the same score I don't drive my car like Lewis Hamilton. What sort of speeds are you happy to do? will I become more comfortable with time?

 

[cyberknight]

It all depends on the road and traffic conditions , i see regular posters here that have done some serious speed down some long hills/mountains .
I suspect the fear factor kicks in long before your ability gives out and the more you ride the higher the speed it starts to kick in.
The most i have ever done is 46 mph and i had that "OMFG" feeling .

 

[Deleted member 20519]

I definitely wouldn't be going at that speed if I didn't have a clear view of the road ahead. I've hit 38 on a country road but I could see all the way down and there wasn't any blind corners. The fastest I've gone is 43 mph and that's on a mile long downhill with a 70 limit, there's lots of blind corners and solid white lines all the way down so it would just be silly to go slow. Cars tend to go around 40 on it and it's rare to see someone actually do 70.

 

[philinmerthyr]

I thought I did 40 mph on a straight downhill earlier this week and was gutted when I get home and Strava only showed 39.9 mph.

I wasn't worried, just enjoyed the challenge of hitting the 40 mph target.

 

[fossyant]

You have to know the road, and junctions before hitting fast speeds, or are young and a bit stupid.

Now it's knowing the roads for me, I don't worry about equipment failure, but other road users.

I have hit 55 and 60 mph on hills, on bikes I trust and in conditions that were good.

I have a regular hill I travel down, only 7% but can do about 45, but you have to be careful on the approach due to side roads, but can open it out for about half a mile, that means taking primary, but as the sped limit is 40 it's not an issue.

Chunal descent into Glossop is a classic round East Manchester. It's a 8 to 10 percent descent, get a good attack with little wind and you can easily hit 50, but there is a left hand bend towards the bottom that you have to scrub speed off for as there is a left hand feeder junction, so possibility of cars, so it's a quick scrub off speed at the point you hit terminal velocity.

 

[Rob3rt]

The Chunal descent is a nice one, as is the Long Hill descent from Buxton IIRC.

 

[fossyant]

You also have to know your bike as there are possibilities of shimmy, or tank slapper as motorbikes call it. I've had it me one bike with mudguards fitted at about 50 mph, and on my current Ribble 653 steel at 55 in a bad cross wind. My old trusty best bike has never done it, but it was hand built for me. Some of the newer off the peg stuff can show this trait quite alarmingly. If it ever happens, don't panic, ease off, relax, clamp the top tube with both knees, relax, and GO FOR IT AGAIN !

 

[fossyant]

The Chunal descent is a nice one, as is the Long Hill descent from Buxton IIRC.

Long Hill back to Whaley isn't that fast, but its fun with a good wind. It is however flipping dangerous with a cross to head wind, especially after the woods just after the top before Furnilee village, open to left, wall, wind whips up and hits you hard as you hit the sharp left hander.

 

[lukesdad]

On the recent trans cambrian CC ride the group of 10 all hit speeds of 40+ only one had ridden the descent before and he brought up the rear. It wasn,t a straight forward descent and a cross wind made it a little tricky but the surface was good, the point ? Ride at what speed your comfortable with. A little experience and a large set of balls do help mind !

 

[fossyant]

What we used to say in the club, was you pop your brain in your back pocket when descending, some of us didn't. It's much harder the older and more commitments you get. Even racing commitments used to stop me. Now it's being able to ride every day, a nasty injury will mean driving or bus torture. Can't be having that.

 

[Deleted member 20519]

Ah, speaking of CC rides. On one a few weeks ago in the West of Scotland, I went at a speed that was much too fast for a road I didn't know (cycle computer says 36) and with wet rims and a gravely surface, I wasn't able to brake in time for the corner and I had to lock my back wheel up whilst trying my best not to crash (luckily I didn't!).

 

[fossyant]

It happens. We all have done it, and just got away with it some times. Been there got the stickers a few times.

When younger it was can't afford to replace the broken bits on the best bike. It is now, can't get the bits on the best bike. Same bike though its just 20 years older.

 

[Oldspice]

I often watch my speed........get slower and slower

 

[Tigerbiten]

I only reach around 45 mph max on my local hills. Non of them are steep/long enough to go faster.
35 mph is a better average for the local ~6% hills.
I've hit 55 mph twice, that type of speed is fun.

And it only gets "interesting" when I start to lift the inside front wheel on my recumbent trike .......

 

[oldfatfool]

I've hit 45-50 on a loaded touring bike, felt safe and steady, wouldn't want to do it on a road that wasn't relatively straight and long with no unsighted side junctions though.