Teeth chattering down a crazy descent yesterday, I wondered – how fast will you ride downhill before you hit your brakes? Before you wet your pants?
- BlackSoxGirl
“When I’m good, I’m very, very good, but when I’m bad, I’m better.” – Mae West
When you develop a “death wobble”. Happened a few times on my TCR. Apparently it’s a physics thing that has to do with certain frame and rider combos. A few other people on the net have also experienced the same thing on medium frame TCR’s. You correct it quickly by hugging the top tube with your knees and unweighting your butt o the saddle but it still scares the hell out of you.
Apparently, somewhere faster than 57 mph.
I dont have much experience desceding yet, so I try to keep my speed down. I was in Georgia yesterday, and rode from Helen, climbing Unicoi Gap, Brasstown Bald, and Hogpen Gap. Coming down Hogpen, I was able to hold 40-45 mph and feel fairly comfortable. Coming down Brasstown, I rode the brakes. Brasstown is insanely steep, and has gravel in most of the corners. Plus, it is so steep that in some places it feels like you could possibly endo if you brake too hard. But around 25-30mph on Brasstown.
What descent were you doing?
IMLP in 1999 52mph, I was still getting passed. In 2001 decided to only hit 45 comfortably, came around the big downhill, OH BOY !!! 2 guys had dumped it on the downhill really ugly, last year just kept it simple at 40-42mph followed this Canadian girl down the hill who was an excellent downhiller, she was going an easy 50 plus.
I am starting to realize that at 48 I can no longer run with the young fearless guns !!! to many responsiblilties.
I should also add that with a background in both go-cart and automobile racing one might think that a bicycle should be an ain’t nuthin’ sort of a thing. But I actually find high speed descends on a bike (at least my TCR) the most scarey of anythng I’ve ever done.
I saw a max speed on a tandem computer 0f 67 mph at the Death Ride a few years back. I got 53 and that was plenty for me. G
The fastest I’ve ever been on a bike was at IM Moo - 43 or 44 mph. And I actually did wet my pants going that fast - a “PR” if you will.
60mph on Kitt Peak. 50 is fine, 55 is a bit unsettling these days and 60 well who knows if I’ll get there again. I always close one eye when descending, it’s only half as scary that way.
The only time I’ve wet my pants is on the flats or climbs, on the downhills, I can coast and get it out.
Seriously however, I can follow in a group at 50-55 mph, but alone 45 is quite enough. I was just in North Carolina and road up to and along the Blue Ridge Parkway and the gravel sandy frozen roads had me coming down as slowly as I went up.
-SD
Hehe…got to say, around 60-65 mph (maxed out my speedometer at 55mph). It all started as a road trip from San Antonio to Austin, TX and asking a bike shop about local rides. I was out for a long training ride so I decided to take the Bee Hive (Cave?) Rd loop to the dam. I was forewarned about the descent after the dam, but never expected a two lane highway with trucks and speeding cars zooming by. I tucked in, put my thighs to the top tube, hope there were no loose gravel or shredded tires, and hoped no large semi-trailers came passing by because of the after-wash of wind. Boy, did that feel like the feeling you get after you reach the top before the initial drop of a roller coaster. During the downhill, it was pure adrenaline, and constant lookout for road debris. To top that off, that was the first time I was introduced to Jester Hill on a hot summer day (Austin locals probably know what I am talking about).
Wei
I’ve hit 57 and felt pretty stable. Of course this is coming from someone who likes to regularly go 150+ in a car :). 60+ sounds fun, better go hill huntin’!
SuperDave,
Which part of the Blue Ridge Parkway did you go to (or which nearest city)? Any sections closed off or still icy? Just wondering because I might take a group out there for training.
Wei
Yup, that’s the one. Hit 57 there but havent made it up (or down) jester yet. Think that hill is called tumbleweed hill, definitely no fun going up though.
50 MPH is not too bad, 55 begins to get your attention and I have been at 60-61 a couple of times. It’s a pretty wide street, just have to be on the lookout for the traffic and red light at the bottom of that hill. The light turning red is when you pee your pants and talk to Elvis.
Mark
Where do you regularly hit 150+ in a car? And what car? I’ve rolled about 140 (in traffic and w/o traffic) but I have a good excuse. Much over 120 and I get a little hinkey. You must have a hell of a driving record and a hell of a set of …nerves. Just a heads up if you’re in the Nashville area, TN Highway Patrol gets you at 100+ =7days in jail.
Oh, depends on hill, but 50ish is my limit on a bike. Course i’m usually pedalling to get as close as I can.
Kevin
.
Rode in from Asheville and tried going northeast as well as southwest. Lots of snow, slush and misery up and down.
Georgia was dryer, but cold. South Carolina was warm and flat, just like Michigan in summer.
-SD
Hit my max in the same place in Austin on Bee Cave Road, 2244, 56 mph IIRC. I have sinced moved to California, most of the mountains that I can conveniently ride require me to brake or I fear I would go right off the road. That was quite a thrill going that fast, staying in front of cars.
Saw 100 km/hr on my computer on a descent in the Appalachians in Garrett County, MD last summer. Was disappointed when I got home and checked my max speed to find only 99.8. Damn, maybe this summer I’ll officially hit triple digits. Felt stable, but would not have wanted any traffic or other cyclists around me.