Jul
15
i got up too 32.7mph and was wanting to know how fast they can actualy go
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For a gear ratio of 44:11 (front ring 44 tooth, rear cog 11 tooth), a speed of 32.7 mph on a mountain bike (tire diameter 26 inch) corresponds to a cadence (foot speed) of 105-106 rpm.
If you moved your feet faster :
120 rpm = 37.1 mph
150 rpm = 46.4 mph
Or if you changed your gearing (putting a larger ring on the front, for instance) … for example, using a 48 tooth ring instead of the 44:
105 rpm = 35.6 mph
120 rpm = 40.4 mph
150 rpm = 50.6 mph
My personal best (over a distance of about a mile) is a cadence of 135 at a 44:11 gear ratio, which translates into 41.7 mph … on low-profile knobbies (not true "mud" tires, but not road slicks either).
Any faster and the wheels will start to wobble and your steering and stopping abilities will be limited. Depending on your bike, you are getting close to top speed.
Impressive speed, do you wear a helmet?
Wow, I found this video; 130.7 mph http://www.videosift.com/video/New-World-Record-fastest-speed-on-a-standard-mountain-bike
I don’t know if you mean flat ground or downhill. Speeds of 55 MPH have been reported downhill, but with real mountains.
The records for the 200 meter sprint (flying start) are mostly done with road tires. Some recumbents have gone intop the high seventies and even 80 MPH on flat ground, but I’m talking about Streamlined Recumbents:
http://www.speed101.com
Back in the 1980′s I built a streamined bicycle, with a Kevlar fairing, and although I got it up to 47 MPH, one of my volunteer test riders in Florida got it up to 55 MPH.
Here’s a picture of that bike:
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/hotbike/Type5withPassenger.jpg
I don’t know if it counts as a mountain bike, but the tires were 2.125 width knobbies. (20"x2.125" Tioga Comp III’s, rated for 95 psi).The bike pictured was 6 speed. That’s my Daughter and her friend taking it for a spin around the block.
Your question ius hard to answer because records for max speed on flat ground are only kept for road bikes and recumbents. Mountain Biking has a downhill aspect, where the speed can really get high, like 50 MPH or more.
As fast as you can keep your spin smooth and what gearing allows.
There is alot more to this simple question than a number. I’ve gotten up to about 35mph on the road sprinting with 48/11 gearing, I also topped 55mph on a logging road with the same gearing but going downhill. An FYI, I once did a 50ish run down a paved highway here in CO and the back end did start hopping 1-2" off the ground from the wheel being out of balance so make sure your wheels are true!
Now back to your ? if two riders have the same gearing but one can spin at 150rpm vs. the other guy at 120rpm the first guy will smoke the second one.
The key to higher top speeds is getting smoother with your spin and being able to hold high rpms.
the harder the gear is the faster you will go it depends also on your pedaling speed again the faster you pedal the faster you will go
I’m afraid I don’t know, but one thing I would say is that the tires or f mountain bicycle (which are very thick with lots of grip) will slow it down substatially. And 32.7? That’s impressive. I’m ashamed to admit I can only go up to about 22mph on flat ground. Maybe if you’re intrested in speed a racing bicycle would be a good investment?
Good luck,
Liam
The answer depends on lots of factors. As others have pointed out, the faster you can pedal, or the higher the gear on your bike the faster you’ll be able to go. This does, of course, assume you actually have the muscle power to turn the cranks faster or to push a bigger gear.
Beyond pedaling power, aerodynamics, rolling resistance, design, and weight come into play in determining how fast you can go.
A mountain bike is not an aerodynamic wonder. Designed control, traction and manuverability, a mountain bike puts the rider in an upright position with arms widely spread. Above 20, or so, miles an hour most of your pedaling energy is going to moving air out of your way. Putting aero bars on your mountain bike, or resting your forearms on your handlebars and hunching down will put you in a more aerodynamic position to acheive the highest speeds.
Knobbies are designed for traction and durability, not low rolling resistance. Putting narrow, slick, road tires on your mountain bike will reduce rolling resistance and allow you to go faster.
The design of your bike will have bearing on your top speed. On a smooth, flat surface a hardtail will go faster than a full suspension bike. Furthemore, mountain bike with a rigid fork will go faster than one with a suspension fork. This is because the suspension components absorb some of your pedaling energy. (If you can lock out your suspension on the road, you’ll go faster.) It may be uncomfortable and difficult to ride on trails, but on a smooth, flat surface nothing will beat a hardtail with a rigid fork.
Finally, mountain bikes are designed for robust usage and durability. Therefore they are built heavily. Weight affects how quickly you can accelerate the bicycle and ultimately how fast you can pedal it. (You see, road bikes are light for a good reason.)
Now comes the interconnectedness of it all. Weight is tied into other elements discussed above. A rigid fork is lighter than a suspension fork. Road tires are lighter than knobbies. A hardtail is lighter than a full suspension bike.
In conclusion, 32.7 mph is pretty fast, but I suspect you can go faster. Hope this gives you the information you need to set a land speed record on a mountain bike. Have fun!
One day I put slick tires on my mountain bike and went down the steepest road I could find. I hit 55 mph. It was SCARY! The wind darn near ripped the helmet off my head. I was glad when I was able to slow down. Becoming a street pizza at those speeds is not fun.