Terminal Velocity

[gbs]

My frequent but irregular cycling buddy with significant Alpline experience says that for him downhill terminal velocity whilst frewheeling sittngup/on the hoods is about 50kph. Is that in line with the experience of others on this forum?

 

[amaferanga]

No. I'll regularly reach 64km/h here in the Peaks without any effort and without being on the drops. On a long hill it should be easy to reach way more than 50km/h.

Is he on a mountain bike? Is he wearing loose-fitting, flappy clothes?

Do you mean 50mph?

 

[byegad]

I'd say that's a bit low. Of course it depends on the slope distance. 50kph is only 30mph.

 

[black'n'yellow]

that's 31mph - you could hit that on the flat. Is he wearing a parachute..?

 

[Pauluk]

That's definitely not correct. I would imagine it will depend on how steep the hill is, what the surface and tyres are like etc etc. I've exceeded that on a moderate slope so I know its not correct.

 

[ianrauk]

managed much faster then that freewheeling down Brighton side of Ditchling beacon and northwards on the Devils Dyke.

 

[gbs]

I think I may have misheard/misunderstood; perhaps 50 mph is the result.

 

[Pauluk]

50 mph on a bicycle, scary stuff

 

[marzjennings]

Agree with others that 50kph downhill is easily surpassed and that 50mph, while not as easily, can be beaten.

From I think the 2009 Tour----Saxo Bank’s JJ Haedo hit 117 kph – that’s 72.7 mph!

 

[Davidc]

50 mph sounds more like it. I've been up to 48 going down the straighter road from the quantocks into Bridgwater. That wasn't quite as you describe, I was down on the drops in as aerodynamic a position as I can manage and had pedalled up to about 35 mph.

I'd have been OK 30+ years ago but it scared me witless and I won't be doing it again. Getting timid in my dotage.

 

[Rob500]

Holy Smoke - 50 mph on a bike.
32 or 33 downhill is the fastest I've gone. I'll say this unashamedly - I was cacking myself.

 

[fuji-stu]

50 mph is about as fast as I have ever gone in full tuck head down style on 15 degree descent

 

[Red Light]

I've done 55mph on a mountain bike on tarmac in the Pennines. That's about as fast as I ever want to go on a bike.

 

[Herzog]

He's talking rubbish - on some roads here in the Alpes I've hit 90 kph. The decent was nearly terminal, but that's Swiss drivers for you

 

[fossala]

I do just over 40mph every day on my commute. The hills around me are quite big and I have a 14% twice a day.