Speeding Brompton

[caer urfa]

Commuting home yesterday, the computer on my Brommie registered almost 32 mph on (of course) a downhill stretch. Seemed very fast for me and I later reflected how an unnoticed pot-hole could have put me in traction for a few months (or worse).
What speed has anyone got on a Brompton (and other bikes) and what’s regarded as safe?

[GrahamNR17]

Once managed 27mph on my Chinese Brommy clone, on what passes for a hill round here - a long incline It was quite scary, narrow bars, bendy frame, and not-too-well-built 16" wheels and about as stable as a house on a skateboard. I won't be doing it again, my ring snagged the seat cloth it was gripping so tight

[mercurykev]

I've hit 35mph on my Brompton coming round the back of Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh during my commute home. The trick is to get into an aero tuck position

[rbrian]

I don't have a speedo on my Brompton, but the other day I was cycling on the A93, which varies between 30 and 40 limits. Cars were overtaking most of the way, except on a long sweeping downhill section with a 40 limit, so I expect that was more than 30.

When I was 16 I clocked 50mph on a mountain bike in the Lake District, having searched the map for the steepest road. I think it was Wrynose Pass. Starting at the top, I pedalled as fast as I could, until I ran out of gears, and by the time I thought maybe I was going a bit too quick, it had started to rain, and I became too scared to brake. I overtook two cars, and my tyres squealed going round some of the corners.

[goatwarden]

In 1992 I had my first "mountain bike" essentially a really heavy rigid frame and fork with an extremely dangerous and almost completely ineffective U-brake on the chain stays. My mate was racing mountain bikes and had new-fangle suspension forks and a spedo. His dad farmed in the Yorkshire Dales and we went up there to do some riding. On one very long and uneven decent I had to slow down because the vibration was causing my vision to black out. When I caught up with my mate (able to cope with his springy fork) he told me his computer was reading 46 mph before I slowed.

After last year's Bishops Castle tandem triathlon my computer shwed a max speed of 49.5 mph. My brother (rear rider) said he didn't really notice the 5km downhill from the end of the run to the finish line, so that must have been when we did it. Will deffinitely be keen to top 50 this year!

[MattyDeez]

Fastest i've gotten to is 42mph on my Giant Yukon Fx2 with semi-slicks down a 4 mile stretch of hill near kirkby stephen.

I still haven't beaten that yet.

I will though once i've bought a awesomely Giant Defy 2 "2010" bike this weekend.

[Mick F]

I've made 52mph on my Mercian coming off Dartmoor a couple of years ago, and regularly hit the mid 40s down Gunnislake Hill on the A390.

In fact, there's a film of my ride down that hill on my Raleigh Chopper getting up to 42mph.
Scroll down to April 5th on my blog, or look on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JP_3OfVQjF0

[AlbionLass]

I regularly come down hills on my mountain bike at 30mph, pretty normal, I tend to start touching the brakes at that point, possibly my Dad's fault as he used to tell us a story when we were kids of how his front hub virtually exploded on him on a fast descent when he was in his teens. Hearing that kind of thing as a nipper can have a lasting effect. I just end up having visions as I'm descending to my doom of coming off and ending up in hospital with terminal gravel-rash. I don't really feel major misgivings until about 35mph. depending on road conditions etc.

[mw3230]

Commuting home yesterday, the computer on my Brommie registered almost 32 mph on (of course) a downhill stretch. Seemed very fast for me and I later reflected how an unnoticed pot-hole could have put me in traction for a few months (or worse).
What speed has anyone got on a Brompton (and other bikes) and what’s regarded as safe?

The last thing you should be thinking of when speeding down a hill is "what if". Such thoughts are best not thought!

[Si]

Fastest that I've done off road on an MTB was 49.5mph. Everything was shaking so much that i couldn't read the speedo (got the reading from the fastest speed of ride function afterwards) otherwise I'd have pushed for the extra 0.5mph to make it up to 50mph. As it was, the hill was too big and I'd already had enough of my life flash before my eyes to climb back to the top and try again.

[fimm]

I'm not sure what my top speed is (the sensor for my speedo had an unfortunate habit of working loose and catching in my front spokes, so I took it off). However when he was young and foolish my boyfriend got up to 100km/h (60ish mph) down a pass in the Austrian Alps...

[2Tubs]

Not sure my top speed on my Brommie. Not much I'm guessing!

But on a road bike I tipped over 47mph on Berridale Breas.

That's the fastest I'm that aware I've ever ridden.

Gazza

[MLJ]

My top speed on a Brompton, descending on a smooth road, and not at all scary as I did not check until afterwards(!) has been 39mph, achieved twice.