Speed, Comfort and Age

Eclectic

1 kW
Joined
Aug 6, 2012
Messages
308
Location
Southern California (San Gabriel Valley)
I was thinking about the results of this survey:
"Comfortable speed" (If you haven't voted yet, please do)
http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=66106

I was wondering if the results are somewhat skewed because of age. I am under the impression that there are a significant number of members that are >50y/o.

If I was <35y/o I would probably be in the >30mph camp but now that I am >60y/o, I am think 15-25mph is just fine.

Anybody else have thoughts on this?
 
I'm in my mid-forties and ride pedal bikes for transportation. For many years I rode heavy, high powered motorcycles for transportation. I like to go noticeably faster on my e-bike than I do on my pedal bikes, meaning a little over 20mph on the e-bike.

Using a DD motor means I reach much higher downhill speeds on the pedal bikes than on an e-bike.
 
2nd. I use to run at 34 mph with.a bmc 600hs. Then change to a 9c 2810 at 28mph. My new muxus 3,000 at only 3,400 watts is over kill. Wish I hadn't melted the 2810 @ 2,200 watts. The 20mph ebikes put me to sleep.
 
Eclectic said:
I was thinking about the results of this survey:
"Comfortable speed" (If you haven't voted yet, please do)
http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=66106

I was wondering if the results are somewhat skewed because of age. I am under the impression that there are a significant number of members that are >50y/o.

If I was <35y/o I would probably be in the >30mph camp but now that I am >60y/o, I am think 15-25mph is just fine.

Anybody else have thoughts on this?

Well I am in my high 60's and find that the older I get, the faster I want to go. Comfort be damned.

Maybe its because the grim reaper and father time are nipping at my heels... :roll:
 
I'm 68 and normally do my exercise at 10-15 mph for 10 miles a day pedaling along with the motor to keep battery usage at close to 0. But if I'm going someplace I have not problem going 40 mph on it. The fastest I've gone was a little over 61 mph going downhill. That was on my 1000W bike. Haven't tested the 3000W bike for speed yet. And I'm not sure I want to go 60 MPH again on a bike.
 
Over 50 here and with virtually all of my riding on streets with no cycling infrastructure and probably 90% not even having a shoulder, that means I need to meet or exceed traffic speeds for safety reasons. Highway speeds aren't mandatory but sure are fun, and 50-60mph top end a minimum. The posted speed limit is my legal limit while still remaining classified legally the same as a bicycle, with one exception. Since I can maintain the legal minimum, my ebikes are legally permitted on the highway, while bicycles are not.
 
47 here, exclusively commuting/etc by bike (unless a friend needs/wants me to do something and prefers to pick me up instead of meeting me at a destination).

See my replies in the poll thread for details.
 
69 years old. 10-15 mph. We go on city streets and a MUT with runners, dog walkers and other cyclists. Couldn't really go much faster if I wanted to. Recumbents for comfort and trikes for stability. Can't do much better than this @ 20miles 4-5 times a week.
otherDoc
 
53 here. I like between 15-25MPH cruising speed. Depends on the route and other traffic of course.

Some of my good quality FS bikes hit/cruise 35MPH easy enough but between the added weight and extra speed it just doesn't seem like a good idea to stress things for extended periods of time. That's what they make motorcycles for....
 
Experience teaches us we are only in control of ourselves. We can't will our surroundings to behave, and people don't occasionally do stupid things around us, they always do.

Anyone with no road sense that gets on, goes straight for a high speed run. Usually soiling themselves at the first corner because the bike makes them feel like Steve Austin, and they are not.

Those of us with decades of experience don't need telling this. Those without will learn this for themselves. The gradient from absolutely clueless, through thinking your in control, to being in control. Then finally realising your not.

The only time your in control is when you can stop in the distance you can see is clear, and nothing in that space can change. Then you get hit by a plane. A tyre suffers rapid decompression. A weld fails through fatigue. A joy rider comes through a hedge. Police car comes tearing through not seeing you. The list is endless. You can only influence your next crash, you can't stop it. If you think you can, then every crash is your own fault for letting it happen.

My last crash had me sat in accident and emergency with a branch sticking out my forehead. I felt a right plank. That was at under 10mph. Damage limitation is where it's at.



Good follow on thread. Perhaps 'measured' braking distances from 15mph is next. Will people measure though.... Unlikely. I have had many a discussion over the length of something, where people would rather guess than use the measure in their hand. I bet a lot of these 30mph+ club users who like to mix it with traffic think they can stop as fast as the car in front. Not recognising the danger they are in. Teens on gas scooters do it all the time. It's experience. You can't teach them. They 'know' they will find a safe gap. They are Steve Austin.
 
friendly1uk said:
My last crash had me sat in accident and emergency with a branch sticking out my forehead. I felt a right plank. That was at under 10mph.

You mean twig, right?

:D

Sorry, couldn't resist. ;)
 
78 in a few months, comfort (repeat several times), on my trike sports a office chair with arms, a extra jell pad, all at the same height as I would normally sit.

About 15mph on the flat is a comfortable top speed for me, normally I find myself putting along in the 10mph range, no tension, stop quickly, easy to see whats going around me at all times.

My normal round trip to the store is in the 5 to 7 mile range, so going a little slower does not take a big chunk of time out of my day
 
About 31s in:

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friendly1uk said:
You can only influence your next crash, you can't stop it. If you think you can, then every crash is your own fault for letting it happen.

My last crash had me sat in accident and emergency with a branch sticking out my forehead. I felt a right plank. That was at under 10mph. Damage limitation is where it's at.
Not Steve Allen!
article-2208775-15349975000005DC-505_306x423.jpg

Good follow on thread. Perhaps 'measured' braking distances from 15mph is next.,,,
My experience on an eBike has influenced my life is some strange ways. Top of the list in 2014 was taking full advantage of Obamacare -- I had been riding without health insurance. It was the close encounter of the 2nd kind, an oblivious driver who right turned onto me as I was traversing his path. Had right of way. Had a police officer and an accident report. His insurance company was not going to pay, until I took it to court. Then it was all "sorry Mr. K, our mistake.. Here's your check covering your medical costs." So I've great new affordable coverage and am feeling a little better about my next accident -- knock on wood, say Hail Mary and re-empower my hex charm warding off the evil spirits of the road.

I ride with caution and practice defensive driving, avoiding even the hint of possible accident. But the idiot who blinds sides me is not, repeat not, something that can be prepared for or avoided, when s/he appears and only that Hail Mary may then save me from bodily harm.

The other thing was finally signing onto the mobile world and getting a cell-phone. Didn't want to pay much and finally figured out how to have an emergency phone on my person that I pay nothing for. Have Google Voice for my calling. Cheap AT&T GoPhone with the $10 plan. Let expire. SIP disabled. But, and here is the secret - its still alive and will connect as a 911 emergency only phone. Called in and talked with an operator for awhile who took down all my info - who I am, where I live, who to call for an emegency, my health provider and they now can connect that info to me if I call back. The SIP, which while disabled with AT&T is still a working SIP in every other respect.

Last is that I double check my eBike brakes & tires every ride now to make sure its all good. I want to be able to brake hard when needed. :mrgreen:
 
60 in a couple of months. Cruising at 20 mph is OK during daylight hours, but can be more stressful at night, due to glare from oncoming headlights and the presence of more drunks on the road. 10-15 mph is more comfortable for me, I just leave earlier to arrive on time, more relaxed and ready to work. Leave the stress for the bumper to bumper freeway crowd. :roll:
 
I will be 60 in a few months and I like 20mph for cruising on country roads mostly because its a lot quieter than going much faster. Also you get better range at this kind of speed with my set up. This being said I like the ability to do 30mph when I want to for defensive riding purposes and to occasionally try to impress people.

My actual trail riding favourite speed is around 5 mph climbing twisty single track.
 
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