[ricksome]

What is the fastest recorded speed on a bicycle that someone pedaled without any assist?

 

[nealric]

Depends on what you consider an "assist" and what counts as a "bicycle"


Drafting behind a car: 151Mph
152 MPH Pedal Bicycle - Intro

Fully fared recumbent: 81 Mph
Breaking the Speed Record: 81 MPH on a Bike

The hour record on a track (average speed for an hour) is just under 31mph:
Hour record - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hour record on a track with aerodynamic enhancements is around 35 mph
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hour_record

Downhill- 101 mph:
Cycling records - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For whatever reason, they don't really keep track of the momentary record for a regular upright racing or time trial bicycle.
I'm guessing it's around 40-45mph. Tour de france riders regularly hit mid to high 30s in a flat windless sprint. Most fit people can momentarily hit 30mph on a racing bike.

 

[JSTpt1022]

In the final sprint of last year's Tour de France, Mark Cavendish supposedly hit around 75 kph after a good lead in. That's over 46 mph and on a flat road. He's one of the fastest guys on the planet for those sprints. You can go way faster on a downhill.

 

[ricksome]

Thank both of you for the info.

 

[outlawdon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSTpt1022 /img/forum/go_quote.gif In the final sprint of last year's Tour de France, Mark Cavendish supposedly hit around 75 kph after a good lead in. That's over 46 mph and on a flat road. He's one of the fastest guys on the planet for those sprints. You can go way faster on a downhill.

That's haulin'! I've hit 40mph on downhills on my time trial bike and that's getting a little dicey already.

Badass and inspiring...
YouTube - 2009 Tour De France Stage 21 final sprint on the Champs-Élysées

 

[nealric]

Quote:

That's haulin'! I've hit 40mph on downhills on my time trial bike and that's getting a little dicey already.

Yeah, anything over 35mph on a bike feels like warp speed.

 

[krmathis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSTpt1022 /img/forum/go_quote.gif In the final sprint of last year's Tour de France, Mark Cavendish supposedly hit around 75 kph after a good lead in.

This is about it I think.
Downhill (gravity) and drafting behind a car most certainly count as assist.

 

[nealric]

Quote:

This is about it I think. Downhill (gravity) and drafting behind a car most certainly count as assist.

What about the fully faired recumbent? They've hit 130kph.

 

[krmathis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nealric /img/forum/go_quote.gif What about the fully faired recumbent? They've hit 130kph.

Oh, sorry. Saw the 81 number in your post and the 75 number in the text I quoted, and they were fairly close.
Missed than one were mentioned in kph and the other in mph.

 

[9pintube]

All of these above are way to fast for my old ass!! Thanks for the data!

 

[jilgiljongiljing]

I've done about 60+kmph on a bike downhill (steep one at that) and it was absolutely terrifying, I was around 14 or 15 yrs old I think. I've never attempted that again after that.

 

[ricksome]

Post # 11 ...... x2

 

[JSTpt1022]

I've been over 40 mph on some nice downhills and it was an amazing feeling. Not for those lacking confidence though as any panic can send you to your doom.

 

[Lazarus Short]

Going downhill fast is great as long as any of three things do not happen:

1. Anything getting into your intended path.

2. Front end shimmy.

3. Front hub locking up (I did hear of a case of this - instant faceplant).

Hubs lock up because the little tabs in the bearing-ball cages get worn thru and wedge between a ball and the race. Caged bearings are for easy assembly in production, but ALWAYS replace them with loose balls, giving the hub more support points, and no chance of lock-up.

Oh, four things:

4. A curve at the bottom of the hill.

 

[DanTheMiataMan]

Best i've done is 45 MPH down a huge hill here. Twistys + Hill + Bike + Speed = Amazing