I don’t. My wheels stay on the ground and keep rolling based on the dictates of gravity.
brochacho6000 on
somewhere around 35mph I start thinking about whether or not a bicycle should be going this fast
edited to add 42mph sounds so much scarier than 35mph
Bluechip506 on
I’ve been to almost 60mph but I wouldn’t describe it as flying. More like terror. You have to remind yourself to loosen up and just let the bike go where it want’s too.
What I enjoy most is some well timed left, right, left, right corners or switchbacks even at much lower speeds. Even at 20mph the leaning side to side feels more like flying to me, and much more enjoyable.
Whatwarts on
Long shallow downhill straightaway with a tailwind, yup, flying. Another is, just over the top of a steep climb and cranking up to speed. Gravity drops away.
Taste_the__Rainbow on
At 20 I’m having a great time. At 41mph I start to wonder about the payscale at the shops that last worked on my bike.
MegaBobTheMegaSlob on
Over 35mph I definitely have to focus, but I hit that speed frequently enough I’m use to it. I don’t get scared until 45mph+
samyalll on
I find its highly dependent on the terrain. 60km/hr in pavement feels the same float as 40km/hr on gravel can. I can tell you at what speed it goes from floating to fear, and that’s right around 90km/hr
TaeWFO on
When my eyes start to water even though I’ve got sunglassses on.
morecoffeemore on
When you’re jumping on a mountain bike
mtranda on
It really depends. At times, after struggling for a while due to bumpy or rolling terrain or strong winds, even being able to get back to a sustained 22km/h feels like flying.
ToxicVampire on
The hills aren’t too crazy around here. Think the highest I’ve hit is 30mph is feels like you’re flying I guess.
Jedi-in-EVE on
I’ve hit 55mph before on an old Schwinn Tempo (nothing aero) and it was fabulous. And fabulously terrifying in retrospect. Thank goodness it was in largely a straight line.
Atty_for_hire on
Speed isn’t key to this for me. It’s a smooth path with no one in my way, ideally a curve or turn that lets me use my balance to turn not just the wheel. I bike to work most days and I rarely get above 15mph. But I feel like I’m flying almost everyday. There’s a nice curve at the bottom of a subtle hill on my way in that makes me fly everyday.
stevoDood on
At Fred woo hoo hoo speed
champs on
75km/h on a flat, mixed use path. It was not so much flying as squeezing between a fence and a concrete bridge support every 100m with the legitimate fear of disaster if the heavy tailwind turned cross.
That was a 100 km/h tailwind and I couldn’t crack 50 without it. I don’t care what that recent study says.
Starfield00 on
Going 30mph straight doesn’t feel scary . But going 30mph downhill does feel a little uncomfortable
abercrombezie on
Video needs that KPH/MPH overlay that Safa Brian does.
setmysoulfree3 on
When you feel it’s not worth the bother anymore in spinning so fast in your highest gear.
Dvanpat on
I hit 60mph somewhat regularly.
readonlyred on
I recently did this descent as part of an overnight trip with fully loaded panniers and it was terrifying. I stopped a couple times on that nonexistent shoulder to let my disc brakes cool.
Deep_Waters_ on
I’ve ridden on the blue ridge parkway many times. I‘ve hit about 50 mph when I was younger. 15 years older and I’m maxing out at about 40.
Myissueisyou on
35mph on welsh gravel is pretty awesome
RightyTightey on
25mph on a -2% and the feeling starts for me.
IncidentalIncidence on
anything to feel weightless again
INTRIVEN on
35+ mph on a heavy old 10 speed mixte. Felt like flying because at that speed I just felt like I was hanging on to the bike rather than riding it.
folksnake on
I get that flying feeling in the first ten seconds when I leave my driveway (a slight downhill). That first moment after the transition from earthbound to effortless roll. Feels like being a kid.
Also–hit 45 mph once on a downhill and vowed never to go that fast again. That was years ago. A few days ago I hit 38 on a downhill and thought “maybe 38 is the new 45”
mrwb on
45-65 is the sweet spot, i do 50-65 normally downhills, 50 is where my bike takes control and you just gotta go with it.
BagelEaterMan on
@ 40 – breeze feels great
@ 45 – scanning for wildlife/cars
@ >50 – not taking my eye off the line
@ > 55 – If I die, I die epic
ResponsibleRatio5675 on
I hit 50 mph once.
30 = Weeeeee!
40 = Yikes!
50 = I’m at peace with my mortality because freaking out right now would certainly result in death.
VietOne on
Every day I commute to work, I’m descending a hill both ways where I reach 40+mph.
I use to descend a hill in Redmond WA that goes along 520 every day. My fastest recorded speed was 52mph in a tuck and aero position.
It wasn’t that scary because you could see far down the hill and it was fairly smooth. Recently did it and the weather and tear definitely had me on the brakes going no more than 30mph.
-Gath69- on
I hit 40 mph a couple of times while we were riding RagBrai. It is definitely unnerving, but the wheeee aspect is 2nd to none 🙂
32 Comments
I don’t. My wheels stay on the ground and keep rolling based on the dictates of gravity.
somewhere around 35mph I start thinking about whether or not a bicycle should be going this fast
edited to add 42mph sounds so much scarier than 35mph
I’ve been to almost 60mph but I wouldn’t describe it as flying. More like terror. You have to remind yourself to loosen up and just let the bike go where it want’s too.
What I enjoy most is some well timed left, right, left, right corners or switchbacks even at much lower speeds. Even at 20mph the leaning side to side feels more like flying to me, and much more enjoyable.
Long shallow downhill straightaway with a tailwind, yup, flying. Another is, just over the top of a steep climb and cranking up to speed. Gravity drops away.
At 20 I’m having a great time. At 41mph I start to wonder about the payscale at the shops that last worked on my bike.
Over 35mph I definitely have to focus, but I hit that speed frequently enough I’m use to it. I don’t get scared until 45mph+
I find its highly dependent on the terrain. 60km/hr in pavement feels the same float as 40km/hr on gravel can. I can tell you at what speed it goes from floating to fear, and that’s right around 90km/hr
When my eyes start to water even though I’ve got sunglassses on.
When you’re jumping on a mountain bike
It really depends. At times, after struggling for a while due to bumpy or rolling terrain or strong winds, even being able to get back to a sustained 22km/h feels like flying.
The hills aren’t too crazy around here. Think the highest I’ve hit is 30mph is feels like you’re flying I guess.
I’ve hit 55mph before on an old Schwinn Tempo (nothing aero) and it was fabulous. And fabulously terrifying in retrospect. Thank goodness it was in largely a straight line.
Speed isn’t key to this for me. It’s a smooth path with no one in my way, ideally a curve or turn that lets me use my balance to turn not just the wheel. I bike to work most days and I rarely get above 15mph. But I feel like I’m flying almost everyday. There’s a nice curve at the bottom of a subtle hill on my way in that makes me fly everyday.
At Fred woo hoo hoo speed
75km/h on a flat, mixed use path. It was not so much flying as squeezing between a fence and a concrete bridge support every 100m with the legitimate fear of disaster if the heavy tailwind turned cross.
That was a 100 km/h tailwind and I couldn’t crack 50 without it. I don’t care what that recent study says.
Going 30mph straight doesn’t feel scary . But going 30mph downhill does feel a little uncomfortable
Video needs that KPH/MPH overlay that Safa Brian does.
When you feel it’s not worth the bother anymore in spinning so fast in your highest gear.
I hit 60mph somewhat regularly.
I recently did this descent as part of an overnight trip with fully loaded panniers and it was terrifying. I stopped a couple times on that nonexistent shoulder to let my disc brakes cool.
I’ve ridden on the blue ridge parkway many times. I‘ve hit about 50 mph when I was younger. 15 years older and I’m maxing out at about 40.
35mph on welsh gravel is pretty awesome
25mph on a -2% and the feeling starts for me.
anything to feel weightless again
35+ mph on a heavy old 10 speed mixte. Felt like flying because at that speed I just felt like I was hanging on to the bike rather than riding it.
I get that flying feeling in the first ten seconds when I leave my driveway (a slight downhill). That first moment after the transition from earthbound to effortless roll. Feels like being a kid.
Also–hit 45 mph once on a downhill and vowed never to go that fast again. That was years ago. A few days ago I hit 38 on a downhill and thought “maybe 38 is the new 45”
45-65 is the sweet spot, i do 50-65 normally downhills, 50 is where my bike takes control and you just gotta go with it.
@ 40 – breeze feels great
@ 45 – scanning for wildlife/cars
@ >50 – not taking my eye off the line
@ > 55 – If I die, I die epic
I hit 50 mph once.
30 = Weeeeee!
40 = Yikes!
50 = I’m at peace with my mortality because freaking out right now would certainly result in death.
Every day I commute to work, I’m descending a hill both ways where I reach 40+mph.
I use to descend a hill in Redmond WA that goes along 520 every day. My fastest recorded speed was 52mph in a tuck and aero position.
It wasn’t that scary because you could see far down the hill and it was fairly smooth. Recently did it and the weather and tear definitely had me on the brakes going no more than 30mph.
I hit 40 mph a couple of times while we were riding RagBrai. It is definitely unnerving, but the wheeee aspect is 2nd to none 🙂
38