Your white-knuckle speed

[Gummivore]

As I was doing my ride today, I started picking up pretty good speeds going down this long stretch of hill. I kept taking quick peeks at my Garmin to check my speed. As I exceeded 50+km/h, I instintively felt rather uncomfortable and began applying my brakes. I figure had I been a more experienced biker, I would have just gone with the flow and let the speed build. So ... my current white knuckle speed is 50km/h

What's yours?

SB

[BJH]

It depends on the road. I've hit 72km/h, but most of my descents like that are done at about 65km/h. If the road is in poor condition or there is traffic, I dial it back a bit.

[TheBman]

Its all about control.

I hit 74 kph down in Placid on a training ride (with La and the gang) but it was on my Specialized (700c wheels). The next year, I rode the same hill, and white knuckled at 57kph as I was riding my Cervelo which has 650c wheels....A TON less control!!!

Be safe....!!!!!

Bman

[Gummivore]

I guess I should mention that I was on a fairly busy two lane road and it was a bit windy too ...

SB

[Sir Crashalot]

2 lane road going with traffic, 65kph.... could have gone faster but didn't like the situation....

[Gummivore]

ok ... I get the sense here that I need to grow a pair of balls fast ...

SB

[FishPants]

Mine is less about the speed and more about the situation. Emily Murphy hill makes me white knuckle every time, but the fastest I have gone on my tri bike so far is 66.1km/hr down the Genessee hill, and that felt just fine.

I'm white-knuckled if I am going, say, 25 km/hr and semis or gravel trucks pass me with no room...

[Sir Crashalot]

As you get more comfortable, it'll come along quite qucikly.

The offroad top speed
Long righthand sweeping descent on a loose gravel fire road during a cross race & following someone, 35-40kph (don't remember the top speed), grip of death on the drops, knees locked to the frame, & the back wheel was doing the shimmy dance on the gravel... what a rush!

[MINITEE]

Mine is the mid to high 60's. Before I found my "need for speed" I was all over the brakes. La and Barbara gave me a little downhill clinic in Kingston a couple of years ago and ever since then I've searched out downhill rides!

In France I got into the low 70's on a long downhill - now THAT was and at the same time!

[a_beacher]

La and Barbara gave me a little downhill clinic in Kingston a couple of years ago and ever since then I've searched out downhill rides!

How does a_beacher sign up for this clinic?

[La]

It depends on the condition of the road (pavement), how well I know the road, traffic, and cross-traffic. I think my max ever was about 72-74kph. There's a great stretch of road where I normally ride where I can get up to about 62 before I spin out and have to coast - I love it.

I agree with BMan that the bike itself is also a factor. I feel much more secure and able to handle the speed on my road bike than on my tri bike.

But if the weather is good, the pavement is smooth, and the traffic is light, there's nothing I love better than a nice gradual downhill where I get get into the big ring and hammer at 50kph.

[Madame Bourette]

74 km/h going down hill toward Keene near Lake Placid. On aerobars. That's scary but fun.

94 km/h going down hill in Charlevoix. I didn't have aerobars at the time.

I use the brakes only if there is a sharp turn coming and only to slow me down to make it.

[waynerdog]

The fastest I've ever gone on my road bike is 65kph downhill near Sherwood Park on H216. At about 55kph I am maxed out and I've got no torque on the cranks anymore, so I just get as aero as possible and glide. I honestly don't think the bearings in my old wheelset (Ksyrium Equipe) can handle anything more than 65-70kph, but I don't yet know what my current wheelset (HED3) can do.

To be honest, speed never makes me white knuckle. The only thing that does is wind, especially cross-winds. Headwinds aren't so bad, but the thought of being blown into traffic is not appealing. I have white-knuckled in wind at 25kph.

[Ironboy]

In the gats coming down Black's I hit 70-72km/h regularly. This is a comfortable speed. The road is curvy but the curves are not sharp so it's very manageable.

Like everyone else has said, it depends on conditions, and if you know the road (ie where the sharp turns are or the stop signs/stop lights are), traffic and how fast they are moving.

[BJH]

To be honest, speed never makes me white knuckle. The only thing that does is wind, especially cross-winds.

This is true. Yesterday I was on a downhill on a steepish grade, a couple of kilometres long, on brand new pavement. Dead straight road. I was all set to break my speed record, but then there was an open area with a cross wind.

[BKv2]

In the gats coming down Black's I hit 70-72km/h regularly. This is a comfortable speed. The road is curvy but the curves are not sharp so it's very manageable.

That makes two of us. Black's is where I hit my top speed (around 70 km/h) around here. But it's also the only one thus far that gives me white knuckles. I am just terrified gaining speed in that one, even if I tuck and go for it all in Pink and other ones. Black gets to me mentally I guess. Or it might be that at the time I usually get to it, there is alot of shadows and darker spots with the sun rising and all.

[Madame Bourette]

In the gats coming down Black's I hit 70-72km/h regularly. This is a comfortable speed. The road is curvy but the curves are not sharp so it's very manageable.

That makes two of us. Black's is where I hit my top speed (around 70 km/h) around here. But it's also the only one thus far that gives me white knuckles. I am just terrified gaining speed in that one, even if I tuck and go for it all in Pink and other ones. Black gets to me mentally I guess. Or it might be that at the time I usually get to it, there is alot of shadows and darker spots with the sun rising and all.

What is scarier is a deer on the side of the road when you are going down Black at top speed. Where will the deer go? Those are bigger than squirrels...

[Gummivore]

What is scarier is a deer on the side of the road when you are going down Black at top speed. Where will the deer go? Those are bigger than squirrels...

that's a really great point ... which brings me to my next question. What's the biggest thing any of you have run over without wiping out?

SB

[Sir Crashalot]

that's a really great point ... which brings me to my next question. What's the biggest thing any of you have run over without wiping out?

SB

2006 cyclocross race in Sutton, QC in a farmer's field. We were racing over cow dung! They were huge!!! I am not sure how many cows the farmer owned but there was no way to avoid it all. Most piles were as big as my shoes Going uphill, you could have twisted & turned but give up lots of time & energy but going downhill.... right through it. It's one thing to have to fight for traction on muddy ground or over wet grass but semi-solid cow dung The worst is when I got lapped by anyone.... back spray off the rear wheel
Thankfully, my day ended early with a knee issue but nevertheless, it kinda smelled in the car on the way home

[Ironboy]

Irongirl ran over a chipmunk once.

It literally did a full rotation in her wheel, before flying off and hitting her square in the shin before it scurried off to the other side of the road.

It was hilarious. I'm glad I was there to witness it.

Irongirl, might not see it the same way though.

[turd ferguson]

To be honest, speed never makes me white knuckle. The only thing that does is wind, especially cross-winds. Headwinds aren't so bad, but the thought of being blown into traffic is not appealing. I have white-knuckled in wind at 25kph.

I don't even mind crosswinds, what makes me whiteknuckle is road conditions. 70 kph on clean fresh pavement is less stressful than 40 kph with ruts, gravel patches, that sort of thing.

My favourite downhill:

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2077740

Calgarians will know this one, dropping 2000 feet over 8 miles from Vermillion Pass into Radium Hot Springs. Its good and windy so you don't get a lots of cars passing you.

[turd ferguson]

Irongirl ran over a chipmunk once.

It literally did a full rotation in her wheel, before flying off and hitting her square in the shin before it scurried off to the other side of the road.

It was hilarious. I'm glad I was there to witness it.

Irongirl, might not see it the same way though.

I've gotten two partridges that way, on trails in North Ont. Both were delicious.

[La]

Its good and windy so you don't get a lots of cars passing you.

That's what I loved about the descents in Italy and Majorca! Very glad I had my road bike as opposed to my tri bike, though!

[BKv2]

I agree that road conditions make a huge difference.

I am always amazed how my speed just picks up like crazy every time I hit fresh new pavement.

[VDoT]

Fastest I have gone on a road bike was 72-75 kph on nice long hill down into OK Falls in BC. It didn't bother me at all.

However, going 55 kph on my mountain bike down a fairly steep single track trail about 4 feet wide with trees on either side and occasional roots and rocks in the trail makes me more white knuckle than anything I have ever done on a road bike. Thank god for full suspension and disk brakes!