Speed on the Flats

[Sandy]

Two questions:

Under ideal weather conditions, with no wind, and riding solo:

1. What is the maximum speed that you can reach on the flats?
2. What is the maximum speed that you can maintain for 5 minutes on the flats?

Sandy

[Roy E. Munson]

Put up your umbrella's, the bull$chit is about to fly!!

[Sandy]

I am still laughing at what you just said. Very well done!! I really believe that the results will be very interesting, to say the least.

Slow Sandy

[Tom]

As far as I'm concerned, it's anything up to -10%.

Or the top of Munson's head.

[keno]

We don hab no stinkin flats in New Jersey.

keno

[Sandy]

Then why did you ask about different tires for the colder weather riding????

No flats on the flats,

Sandy

[Kevan]

1. Faster 'n you.

2. Faster 'n you.

Imagine me now as Bugs Bunny laying a big, loud, suck face on you and then for an instant caught still, with both elbows and one knee raised high, I disappear in a puff of contrail, running away, over the distant rise. "PPPPP...shhhuuuuuu.....!!!" :D

[keno]

those flats.

0
0

keno

[Sandy]

I promise that your answer will not be graded, at least by me. It doesn't make any difference how fast or slow you ride. I just think that the results could be interesting.

How about someone stepping up to the plate and give a first answer? Or better than that, go sit on your saddle, and take your bike out, and then give an answer.

No grading, only gold stars for your helmet, or for your forehead, if you don't wear a helmet.

Speedster Serotta Sandy

[William]

Imagine me now as Bugs Bunny laying a big, loud, suck face on you and then for an instant caught still, with both elbows and one knee raised high, I disappear in a puff of contrail, running away, over the distant rise. "PPPPP...shhhuuuuuu.....!!!"


Beep! Beep! (stick tongue out & flick it a couple times.......cloud of dust......Gone) :bike:

If you're on the highway and Road Runner goes beep beep.
Just step aside or might end up in a heap.
Road Runner, Road Runner runs on the road all day.
Even the coyote can't make him change his ways.

Road Runner, the coyote's after you.
Road Runner, if he catches you you're through.
Road Runner, the coyote's after you.
Road Runner, if he catches you you're through.

That coyote is really a crazy clown,
When will he learn he can never mow him down?
Poor little Road Runner never bothers anyone,
Just runnin' down the road's his idea of having fun.

William

[Lost Weekend]

flats- 34
flats 5 minutes- 20
up hill - 15
up hill 5 minutes- 5 :)

[Sandy]

Just why do I think that this thread is going downhill (not on the flats) very quickly?? Somehow, I don't think that I have total control of this thread.

Faster than the road runner, but slower than the speed of light,

Sandy

[Sandy]

Thank you lost weekend. You get 4 gold stars.

How about some more answers.

Sandy

[dirtdigger88]

If I answer- you guys will laugh at me :p

jason

[Sandy]

You will not hear any guys laughing at you. I promise. The laughter from the gals will simply be too loud!!

Go ahead Jason! Do it!!


Chuckling Sandy

[Too Tall]

It really depends Snandy. Under race conditions in peak fitness using all my dorky aero stuff the answers are different. You didn't give us the option of poking my eyes out...which would be less painful than THIS! I got this from real data on a group team ride recently.
=============================
Under ideal weather conditions, with no wind, and riding solo:

1. What is the maximum speed that you can reach on the flats?
About 44mph that day when I popped out of a tandem draft and sprinted all out.
2. What is the maximum speed that you can maintain for 5 minutes on the flats?
28/30mph (360 watts / 5 mins.) I was in and out of draft(s).

[Sandy]

You are not playing fair here. The results must be bicycle results and not motorcycle results.

Boy you did it now, Too Tall. Either I will get no more answers since everyone will be so embarrassed to post their answers after your post, or they will simply think that what the heck, everyone else is going to look slow too, compared to Too Fast, I mean Too Tall.

Do you ever get nose bleeds or headaches from riding at speeds close to the speed of sound??

Soundless SLOW Sandy

[pale scotsman]

Sir Sandy - I've hit a little over 34 with a springer spaniel on my heel. Other than that I've never really tried a top speed sprint.

For 5 minutes or so I've sat on the wheel of some guy pulling 28 on a slight grade uphill. Good thing we had to stop for traffic because my chest was about to spontaneously combust! :beer:

[lithiapark]

It is preferable to let the world wonder how slow, than to open my mouth and remove all doubt. :p

[William]

About 44mph that day when I popped out of a tandem draft and sprinted all out.

Ok, then about 50-55 mph when I pulled around drafting behind a two trailer semi carrying hay bales (really). maintained that speed for about 5-8 minutes until the truck reached hwy 30.

Flat and no wind. I was on a flat road. I had no wind (the semi was blocking it for me). That fits! :rolleyes:

Honestly Sandy,
I don't think I can accurately answer the question. Besides, I can't even remember the last time I rode on flats with no wind. The only thing I use my old Avocet 40 for is for max speed & mileage. (And the battery died part way through the season and it was about a month before I got around to replacing it). I could tell you I know I've broke 40 in sprints but anything else I say would be a pure guesstimate.

Now, does anyone besides me have that song stuck in their head now?:rolleyes:

That coyote is really a crazy clown,
When will he learn he can never mow him down?
Poor little Road Runner never bothers anyone,
Just runnin' down the road's.......

William
:)

[93legendti]

I assume you mean in summer time, and solo, right? :) If memory serves correctly....

1. What is the maximum speed that you can reach on the flats? somewhere over 35 mph, never looked --it is usually when I am sprinting thru a yellow light!
2. What is the maximum speed that you can maintain for 5 minutes on the flats? No idea...24 mph, maybe more -- in our group rides this situation never really presents itself.

[Ti Designs]

Full effort in the saddle I can hit 35. It's higher than that in a full sprint, but that would imply that it's not a solo effort. For 5 minutes on the flats on a good day I'll be up close to 30. And yes, there are witnesses...

[zap]

Oh well, what the hell.

43 mph sprint. No damm draft. No lead out. No tail wind. It was flat. No BS.

I have no clue what I've done in 5 minutes.

[Kevan]

will play nice, though the conditions you suggest are hard to come by in this here neighborhood. Pure guess work here:

1) max in an all out burst: maybe ~35~. That seems dang fast if I'm just out there on the flats with no support, on my own. The more I think about it, it's probably just over 30. Breaking out from behind a fast paceline 35 or better seems possible, but not for very long.

2) 5 minutes of maintained speed: I think this question is easier to answer as 22-25 mph, depending on who she is I'm chasing down. :D

[keno]

representing the hexagenarian division, the only true data I have is the following.

This past May, averaging 21.2 mph and 255 watts for 30 minutes on a loop TT course with about 200 feet of rise (and drop) in a club event. You'll have to go figure as your questions are not answered, but it's the best I've got to give you.

keno

[Dr. Doofus]

Without farting: pretty much your average 3. Nothing special, your flatulent one just trains 15 hours a week because your Doof is a geek and doesn't have kids, and eats too many energy bars that cause the toots.

With farting: faster than the current state of physics can calculate. Your Doofus's farts are greater than those of Gargantua, Gargamelle, or any of that clan...and that passage where Gargantua is born and his mother just thinks she had some nasty wine-and-tripe hershey squirts has to be one of the best moments in the history of western literature...Rabelais was the man.

[Too Tall]

Bambi???? Come on, we showed ours now it's your turn ;) Wait, that didn't sound right. Whatever.

[Too Tall]

KO - Jambi has conslutted his crystal ball. If you and bike weigh 89kilos (it's a wag) than I'll reckon your 5 mile TT at: 25.0760558 mile/hour and an all out sprint est. at 97mph if Sandy is in front of you dangling lean Pastrami. Kidding about the Pastrami.

[flydhest]

has Sandy been dangling his pastrami again?

[Sandy]

Speeds in the 40 plus mph seems really high to me. I guess some of you are really fast, at least to my way of thinking.

I would guess that my top speed on the flats would be around 30. I know that I have hit 29 or more. but that is where the road is really flat. I would guess that I could maintain about 21-22 on the flats. I will try to get a more accurate answer to the question, relative to me.

I sometimes am riding on roads that seem flat to me at 30 mph, and othertimes I am riding on roads that seem to also be flat to me, and I am struggling to go 20 mph. The 30 sometimes seems easier than the 20. I guess that there are many factors to consider when you are trying to determine how fast you are really riding and why that speed.

Several of you have stated speeds in the 42-43 mph area, and I certainly do not doubt what you say. So how fast can the great sprinters sprint at the end of a stage race?

Snail Slow Serotta Sandy

[William]

Several of you have stated speeds in the 42-43 mph area, and I certainly do not doubt what you say. So how fast can the great sprinters sprint at the end of a stage race?

43 - 46 mph avg (ballpark). Lots of variables, wind, grade, road conditions, length of stage, type of stage.

Also, it's not just about going fast, you need good bike handling skills to manuever through a pack and be in the right place at the right time. Most people siteing mph here are likely talking farily unencumberd sprints in small packs.

William

[vaxn8r]

Where's Boston Drunk?

Roy?

Anyone?

Anyone?

[dsimon]

:argue: i dont know its hawaii its not flat here. hmmm is this just spinning or sprinting what? well spining maybe 28 for about 10 minutes or till i hit 190bpm and my heart explodes.

[Andreu]

I found myself starting to type an answer ...and then realised the complete and utter banality of this thread and then I questioned my own existence and went for a lie down...I feel OK now.
I guess it was a thread intended to incite controversy and it nearly worked.
Thanks,
A :beer:

[Germanboxers]

My claim to fame (in my admittedly small cycling circles) is the sprint, but I've never topped 37mph on my own, on a flat, with no wind during training sprints. I routinely hit 1400 - 1550 peak watts on training sprints and can avg 1300w for 10 sec on a good day. I'm impressed with those who are able to top 40mph...to accelerate to that speed takes a load of power!!!

Not sure about 5min speeds, but on my 4min intervals I usually hold 26mph+ at 350watts. Wish my shoulders were about 4" narrower, that would help the speed somewhat. While I'm wishing...I'd like to be 30lbs lighter too. BTW, this is what each pedal stroke feels like to me at 35mph+ :crap: Funny...it also feels like that when I'm climbing!

[Sandy]

And you are impressed? What about snail slow Sandy? I feel like a Mexican Chihuahua trying to catch a Saluki or Whippet or Greyhound.

If this keeps up, I think that I will sell my Ottrott ST for $500 and take up checkers, if I could only learn how the pieces move.

Snail Slow Sandy

[Kevan]

and send her on.

Here's a link to your new forum:

www.kingme.com

It's been a pleasure knowing you. :D

[zap]

Andreu-Since Sandy started the thread, I bit the bullet.

Sandy is a good gent and am sure he is genuinely interested.

Sandy, William is correct. It's a lot tougher in big races with a number of sprinters vying for P1. They also accelerate up to speed like a rocket.

[Andreu]

It had the faint outline of a red rag and I could see some bull horns appearing over the horizon. :p

Apologies for any offence caused.
A :beer: :banana:

[Sandy]

Too late!! Much too late!! Cruise missle already launched!

Submarine Sandy

[Andreu]

I am off home to my concrete bunker with the thousand cans of baked beans and ..........on second thoughts beans give me wind..... :crap:
I´ll go for a ride and wait for the missile.
:beer:
A

[Len J]

It really depends Snandy. Under race conditions in peak fitness using all my dorky aero stuff the answers are different. You didn't give us the option of poking my eyes out...which would be less painful than THIS! I got this from real data on a group team ride recently.
=============================
Under ideal weather conditions, with no wind, and riding solo:

1. What is the maximum speed that you can reach on the flats?
About 44mph that day when I popped out of a tandem draft and sprinted all out.
2. What is the maximum speed that you can maintain for 5 minutes on the flats?
28/30mph (360 watts / 5 mins.) I was in and out of draft(s).

Too Tall is correct....it depends.

My answers assume the following:
-little or no wind (either in total, or protected by trees)
-Flat
-Without a lead out
-With no drafting
- I am alone on the ride.
- It's summer, warm, not many clothes etc
- In the middle of a two hour ride (after all, I never just go out, warm up, and do a 5 minute ride)

1.) Fastest, I've ever done: A (very short) burst at 34mph (I know, laughable for racers, but there you are)

2.) Sustained effort for 5 minutes. During an interval, in the middle of several multiple intervals (so I'm not sure what I would do all out for one, with no additional riding necessary), I have held 26.5 MPH for 5 minutes at LT plus about 4 BPM.

Again, I'm not a racer, rather a reasonably fit 50 YO recreational rider.

Please don't Laugh, I'm sensitive. LOL

Len

[Germanboxers]

And you are impressed? What about snail slow Sandy? I feel like a Mexican Chihuahua trying to catch a Saluki or Whippet or Greyhound.

If this keeps up, I think that I will sell my Ottrott ST for $500 and take up checkers, if I could only learn how the pieces move.

Snail Slow Sandy

For one...they live longer than most dogs (ya see...ya got that goin' fer ya) and two...they can change directions very quickly (don't forget that riding in a circle at the same speed is still an acceleration). And don't forget about the teeth...sharpest of all dogs if I'm not mistaken.

After hearing how fast some of you are, I must resign myself to the fact that the only way I can post comparable accelerations is on the mountain bike or crossbike... where I frequently (unfortunately) accelerate at rates close to 32 ft/s/s. Hard to believe, I'm sure, but I've been known to do this even while riding flat, unencumbered trails.

Now that I think about it, maybe I should take up checkers too...it'd certainly cut down on the injuries...whatd'ya say, Sandy...up for a game?

[Sandy]

Sure. I am ready for a game of checkers. But I just looked closely in the mirror. I am not a Chihuahua, but am a Cavalier KING Charles Spaniel. I will take you on and all of those other speed demons and/or all of those racer dudes with the 14 cm or longer stems, as long as I get all KINGS at the start of the game.

Checkmate Sandy (Oops, wrong game),

King Me Sandy

[MaxHr203]

I am a Cat 2 racer and sowat of a sprinter, no help on a flat I can get 38-41 most days!
In a 5 min. TT 28-31.
Flat no wind!

[Dekonick]

Sandy - wanna ride again and find out?

I dont remember but I thought you were riding 23 or so for a few minutes on one ride - until we hit a red light.

Personally I dont know about my max on a flat - but it isnt anywhere near the 40 mph mark... unless the road is flat with a negative incline (flat surface as in no pot holes, speed bumps etc - but with a nice 12deg deckine...)

:D

its good to have my DSL back!

[Sandy]

I would certainly like to ride with you soon. I just hope that it will start to get a little warmer. Maybe Dan and I can go to your place again and ride. Hope that you, your wife, and your super Bow Wow are doing well. Glad to see you on the forum again.

With brakes,

Sandy

[Elefantino]

Sorry.

The question seemed ripe for a Monty Python answer.