mrjemm wrote: I dunno what I am doing wrong... seeing lots of references to well over 40, and I've struggled to get anywhere near that-
You need a very steep and quite long hill to get over 40mph. Me highest ever pedal power speed was 48mph on a road bike (Specialized Allez) going down an uber hill coming out of Melton Mowbray, with 2 panniers full and a tent on the rear rack. Scary!
I hit 40 on the Catrike 700, and have yet to crack 35 on the Trice. But then there aren't any really steep hills on my commute so it's down to a good tailwind, and pedalpower.
The two places where I have exceeded over 50 mph have been entirely due to gravity assist. Common features have been a steep descent and a long enough run to gather momentum. Pedalling long ceases to be an option for me at those speeds.
If you're interested, the two locations are
- Sutton Bank, North Yorks... After the hairpin bend midway down the road drops sharply and then even more steeply.
- North side of the Lecht pass, Moray. It's steep all the way down! Got stuck behind a car so could have been quicker.
Both have bends in scary places that could catch you out if you're not ready for them. The Lecht has the added amusement of wandering sheep, and, early in the year, road grit on the shoulders from the winter attempts to keep it ice free.
I'm much too aware of my own mortality to do anything so daft these days.
I did wonder during my descents this week about whether a fairing like your one, BP, would make a nice difference- besides my baggy shorts, I was getting a lot of wind force generally- largely on my arms out to my sides, so things felt a bit swifter if I took one hand off and placed in front of me, but with the road states, that never lasted long enough for a true analysis. I'm not sure if I have reached 40 or not (I will trust my Garmin more than RidewithGPS and say I have though), but previously I'd got nigh on there at I think 38.9 IIRC (37.5 accdg to RWG) with full front and rear luggage on my touring bike (Salsa Vaya), when I found myself amongst mud/manure(?) and hoping I don't come off. Not quite such a fear on 3 wheels.
I've done the Lecht on a mobike some years back, and can't remember much about it, but think there was still a fair bit of snow about at the time. As for those woolly critters, there's no shortage of those around my way, and daft lambs a-plenty right now too. Between them and the pheasants, it's like a game of 'Frogger' (retro video game reference...).
Plenty of mid-high teen slopes around, but it's the ever elusive 'good' aspect of the tarmac that is the huge challenge.
I sometimes drop my hands and grab the bars under the seat, just feels a bit "narrower". Alternatively I rest the middle of my forearms on the mirracycle mounts on top of the bars, and do a superman impression.
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way.No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse. There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
[XAP]Bob wrote:I sometimes drop my hands and grab the bars under the seat, just feels a bit "narrower". Alternatively I rest the middle of my forearms on the mirracycle mounts on top of the bars, and do a superman impression.
My mirracycle mounts are below the grips, and actually my favourite position is wrists on those, but being low just means my arms still air-brakes. Could try the under seat approach.
Best I managed on Sutton Bank on Wednesday (through the woods by the gliding club) was about 3mph, with some halts for breathing
The slope down to Helmsley, mostly downhill for about 2 miles from Riveaux Terrace, saw a refreshing 36mph on the clock. Checked afterwards of course, I prefer not to peer at the comp at such speeds.
