How fast do you go downhills

[Gubbins]

We all have some sort of measuring device that we can look back at and analyse the last run.. Well, On one of mine I was horrified to see that I had clocked 39 mph! This puts me in a position where any accident is a seriously bad accident and I will have to be more careful in the future.

 

[EddiePJ]

The BH speed console goes completely dead at an indicated 57kph, but according to Strava on three separate occasions on the same hill, I've hit 41.7mph. I just can't get it go any faster and the Haibike is oddly much slower.

I'm not sure, but don't the TourDe France riders go faster than the above along the Champs-Elysées. Quite phenomenal if that is the case.

 

[Geebee]

Over 100 kph, don't know how far over the speedo stopped registering.
Down hill off a mountain open road and on a trike, on a bike 90 kph.
I have stopped using speedo's on most of my bikes, the added distraction is dangerous and I feel takes away from the enjoyment.

 

[Clockwise]

The BH speed console goes completely dead at an indicated 57kph, but according to Strava on three separate occasions on the same hill, I've hit 41.7mph. I just can't get it go any faster and the Haibike is oddly much slower.

I'm not sure, but don't the TourDe France riders go faster than the above along the Champs-Elysées. Quite phenomenal if that is the case.

You could do almost twice that with your hand on another guys butt lol

youtube.com/watch?v=6zOY9ozfwCE

I'm mostly riding in london so very few chances to go all out for speed, I know some do but I personally don't think my daily commute is worth the risk of riding that hard and even if the road looks clear of traffic I'm so used to potholes and bad surfaces that I just expect the need to weave. That said I know the gaps when I can go fast so often clock in 35-40mph sections on strava if I'm on my single speed racer. Trying to do that less as I'm totally destroying brake pads atm, good for trying different brands I guess lol

 

[jerrysimon]

Where's cwah

Jerry

 

[Cyclezee]

Where's cwah

Jerry

Prison, hospital or Paris

 

[carpetbagger]

52 mph fastest and several times over 40 mph. Always make sure bike is in top condition and road and weather safe for those speeds though.

 

[Gubbins]

I have been watching Yorkshire air ambulance and have seen a few being picked up. Because of the speed an ordinary ambulance is of little use.

 

[flecc]

Almost 50 mph is my fastest, but commonly around up to 30 mph.

Quite a few members have clocked over 50 mph on the odd occasion. Low recumbents are the fastest bikes downhill, some have clocked over 70 mph.

 

[Artstu]

50.5 mph, I often see around 40 mph.

 

[RobF]

Anything much more than 20mph and I'm testing the brakes.

I once hit about 33mph on a slight decline when I was testing the dongle on the Rose - too ruddy fast for me.

 

[berkobennie]

I've been going downhill pretty quickly the last couple of years!

 

[mountainsport]

For me 5mph in regenerative mode.

MS.

 

[Gubbins]

What I find worrying is this.. Now I am no expert here but it would seem that with rim brakes the energy generated during heavy braking at high speed is transmitted through the tyre to the road, but with a disc brake that energy goes from the hub through the spokes! And your little friend that has climbed on your back at the top of the hill (I think he is called inertia) has become a big friend at the bottom when you try to stop. I cant imagine the forces involved here, and can only hope that the wheel makers know what they are doing, be them Chinese or not! I for one will be taking more care on the down-hills from now on!

 

[Clockwise]

What I find worrying is this.. Now I am no expert here but it would seem that with rim brakes the energy generated during heavy braking at high speed is transmitted through the tyre to the road, but with a disc brake that energy goes from the hub through the spokes! And your little friend that has climbed on your back at the top of the hill (I think he is called inertia) has become a big friend at the bottom when you try to stop. I cant imagine the forces involved here, and can only hope that the wheel makers know what they are doing, be them Chinese or not! I for one will be taking more care on the down-hills from now on!

It goes into heat/friction at the pads. With the disc it is then spread across the disc and then hub and evenly across the wheel(which then has friction with the road), with rim brakes it's pad and rim an then unevenly onto the spokes nearest the clamped rim area and then onto the wheel and road.

Most wheels are spoked by machine these days so the quality is always about the same so long as they feed in the right parts. Just check now and then for loose or tight spokes and that the wheel spins true.

Also never trust a carbon...

 

[awol]

I briefly hit 34mph on a particular regular hill I pedal as fast as possible before and down, good wide empty road with a slope up at the bottom which slows me down rapidly. Any sign of anything ahead and the pedaling is called off. There's always another day for the fun.

 

[Gubbins]

I briefly hit 34mph on a particular regular hill I pedal as fast as possible before and down, good wide empty road with a slope up at the bottom which slows me down rapidly. Any sign of anything ahead and the pedaling is called off. There's always another day for the fun.

It can give more of a Wheeeeeeee. feeling if it's it a bit more...... Challenging shall we say...

 

[Ettica]

48mph. Concentrating on missing the manhole cover near the bottom.

 

[rippedupno1]

32.7 mph is the most i have managed. I am sure i could go faster but my knees struggle with the cadence plus having been a keen motorcyclist all my life I am uber wary of cars pulling out of sideroads so tend to get to about 30 then freewheel, whatching the sideroads like a hawk.

 

[RobF]

What I find worrying is this.. Now I am no expert here but it would seem that with rim brakes the energy generated during heavy braking at high speed is transmitted through the tyre to the road, but with a disc brake that energy goes from the hub through the spokes! And your little friend that has climbed on your back at the top of the hill (I think he is called inertia) has become a big friend at the bottom when you try to stop. I cant imagine the forces involved here, and can only hope that the wheel makers know what they are doing, be them Chinese or not! I for one will be taking more care on the down-hills from now on!

The classic method for controlling speed down hill is not to brake steadily all the time, but brake more heavily in bursts.

So you let the bike go to as fast as you are comfortable with, brake to well under that speed, then let the bike go again and repeat as often as needed.

I believe this method is less likely to overheat the brakes and reduces fade.