Your best speed on descent ?

[Rob3rt]

I have never likes that ascent due to the cross wind you get coming round the bend between the Roman road and the Toll house, a few times it has felt like my wheels are about to get blown away from under me.

I really like the Blackstone Edge climb It is a good duration, ~9 minutes.

 

[Shadow]

I feel confident I have not exceeded 55 kph but I don't have a speedo on any bike. If it feels fast, it is fast, as far as I'm concerned.
But I did see a reading of 64 kph coming down Ventoux last month. (Not hugely fast I accept although I could have gone faster if I was not on a rental with an uncomfortable saddle with front brake controlled by left hand!) Bizarrely, I kept looking over my shoulder to see if anyone/anything was coming up my backside. Sure enough, another cyclist soon overtook me. I then understood why commentators refer to some pros (e.g. Cancellara, Nibali) as 'good descenders'. Not a description I'm likely to acquire.
And then I felt a very sharp stab in the chest. I looked down to see a wasp trying to escape from inside my jacket, having decided to test its stinger. Not great timing with a sharp bend approaching!

 

[Licramite]

about 150mph - but then that was from the back of a hercules.

 

[Frood42]

about 150mph - but then that was from the back of a hercules.

 

[Boris Bajic]

about 150mph - but then that was from the back of a hercules.

My wife had one as a student. Very sturdy but rust got it in the end. She rode it mostly around West London. Never over 15mph.

Where on Earth did you manage 150mph off the back off one? Did you throw it out of an aeroplane? Did the aeroplane not have landing gear?

On a serious note, it is amusing how many people top out at around 45-46mph. I think this is just past most people's comfortable downhill pedalling speed with a standard 53/11 or 53/12 top gear. Pedalling faster than 120 or 130rpm on a descent can feel quite wobbly. Above those cadences I tend to tuck and hope. That is why 46 is my top speed despite several attempts to better it. I think I need to find some steeper or longer hills.

 

[Cycleops]

Where on Earth did you manage 150mph off the back off one? Did you throw it out of an aeroplane?

Maybe it was a Hercules transport plane?

 

[nickyboy]

On a serious note, it is amusing how many people top out at around 45-46mph. I think this is just past most people's comfortable downhill pedalling speed with a standard 53/11 or 53/12 top gear. Pedalling faster than 120 or 130rpm on a descent can feel quite wobbly. Above those cadences I tend to tuck and hope. That is why 46 is my top speed despite several attempts to better it. I think I need to find some steeper or longer hills.

To get above 50 you really need a 10% plus hill and ideally a bit of a tailwind. Like you said, you just have to get as aero as possible as this is quicker than pedalling.
My top speed of 56 was on a 12% downhill with a tailwind. As I mentioned earlier on this thread, narrowing your frontal area by holding the bars close to the centre rather than on the drops helps a lot too. Problem is your hands aren't close to the brakes so not for the faint hearted

 

[lee1980sim]

34 these days
Did get 55 many years ago

 

[Boris Bajic]

Maybe it was a Hercules transport plane?

Seriously? But why would anyone want to ride a bicycle out of the back of a transport aeroplane?

 

[Cyclopathic]

about 150mph - but then that was from the back of a hercules.

I'm fixing a crank on one of those at the moment. I'll have to take it for a spin if they're that quick. Doesn't look it I must say.

Damn you Boris. I really must read the whole thread before making a quip. Grrr

 

[Cyclopathic]

Seriously? But why would anyone want to ride a bicycle out of the back of a transport aeroplane?

If I could be arsed I'd look up a link to a pic of a folding bike that the paras used to use. Sort of an oval design rather than a diamond with a hinge in the middle.

 

[Octet]

If I could be arsed I'd look up a link to a pic of a folding bike that the paras used to use. Sort of an oval design rather than a diamond with a hinge in the middle.

Or I can do it for you:

 

[Cyclopathic]

^^That's very sweet of you. Thanks.

Yeah Boris, this is what I was on about.

 

[Cyclopathic]

Or I can do it for you:

It's a design that has been revived in recent years. I think I saw something very similar to this in the Encyclopedia.

 

[gazza_d]

Fastest ever for me was 61mph descending the String road back to Brodick on the Isle of Arran during the 92 CTC birthday rides. Guy who was with me (extremely grudgingly) backed me up to the rest of the club!
When I was a regular tourer, 50 on a decent descent was easy. hit 57mph loaded with full camping gear coming down past Killhope on the A689.
Dropped Porsches on Alpe D'Huez and on Hartside pass on the C2C (westbound).

Don't get out much these days for long rides, but still squeeze everything I can out of a descent, whilst staying safe.