How Fast is Too Fast?

[Metallover]

Post up what the fastest speed you would ever want to go on an e-bike is. Also please post why and any technicalities you have with yourself or your bike.

This is not how fast your bike can go, this is how fast you want to go.

[jimw1960]

On most bike frames 30 mph is plenty fast enough. Unless you are building on a bombproof frame and good suspension, any faster is unsafe because bike frames simply are not designed to hit potholes at 35 mph. A cracked head tube or dropout at 35 mph can easily cause death.

[scouser-nick:)]

well i think it all depends on the bike really don't it? and the rider of course
ie if your bike was a road bike id say no more than 20mph but at the same time if you have a top of the line indestructible DH monster and leather with a full face then id say 50-60mph was okay at the appropriate times ie off road.
for my bike (not electric yet ) i would say no more than 30mph as its only front sus but has a beafy frame and double wall rims with hydro discs.

but ulitmatly i think we should take the law into acout and say 15/20 mph......

[Kaño]

Been riding my echopper for a while now, reaching 70 km/h which is plenty fast here in Argentina considering the roads we have and that my bike is not full suspension so for me anything over 70km/h is too scary, and I dont want to ride above that speed.

[liveforphysics]

On most bike frames 30 mph is plenty fast enough. Unless you are building on a bombproof frame and good suspension, any faster is unsafe because bike frames simply are not designed to hit potholes at 35 mph. A cracked head tube or dropout at 35 mph can easily cause death.

I agree pushing a $300 walmart bike past 30-40mph is asking for a dangerous failure, but bicycle technology is certainly up to the task of 60+mph pothole or unexpected obstacle impacts if you choose a proper downhill machine to base your build upon.

[Drunkskunk]

There is no option for "There is no such thing as too fast"

But thats my answer

Granted, I'd never take a normal bike over 30 for more than a short burst of speed. I wouldn't cruise higher than 30 without a purpose built bike and componants I could trust my life with. And if I planned to do much traveling above 40, I'd want an insurable E motorbike.

But purely human powered bikes have broken 80mph with no assist, and with a drafting vehicle, broken 100mph. An Ebike needs to beat those speeds. Hell, one of us needs to break those speeds.

[Kingfish]

I have already been up to 48 mph on a road bike going DH back in 1985 (Patterson Pass Rd between Livermore, CA heading towards Tracy), and last summer on my old 19-yo e-MtB I was up to 45mph DH (also in CA on Hwy 89 towards Greenville). So going 50mph doesn’t seem like a big push. Granted – I wouldn’t want to do it with either of those frames. However my new P1 ebike has full-suspension, built for DH, and I absolutely plan to make it go at least 40 mph on a flat, and find out how it can handle higher speeds. I am certain I can get there comfortably with a bit of aero and still manage control.

You can pencil me in for over 60mph as being on my wish list. Personally I’d be happy with 55mph (having never been there on a bike) but then once I get there, why not 60?

Buffing n’ polishing, KF

EDIT: My 1st vote was erased; was 60mph. Now - I don't care; I want to go as fast as I can (safely with proper equipment; Bonneville man!)

[Metallover]

I forgot to account for the amount of crazyness on this website.

I added some more options, but it deleted the posts.. Feel free to submit your vote again I'm sorry about deleting them.

[unsane]

My 72v Hadron was capable of pushing 87kph on the freeway flats and would tear around all day at 70kph thru traffic - sure it was a rush to ride it that fast but it was based entirely on adrenaline from fear!!! I feel safer winding my Suzuki off the clock than I ever did riding my MTB at anything over 40kph - even with big Avid brakes, beefed-up front shock and Hookworms!

[Zoot Katz]

It's the slower pace of bicycling that I enjoy riding in the first place.

Too fast for comfort or safety is the test I use.
That changes with road, weather, lighting and traffic conditions.

Avg. speed on the CA is usually around 21 kph. Max. speed ~54 kph. but typically closer 47 kph.

The local legal speed limit for ebikes is 32 kph. That's usually fast enough for the better roads I use. It's comfortable and within the capabilities of the machine.
Being able to whup poseurs, stinkys and gelded belugas on climbs is just fast enough to make me happy.

[dequinox]

I'd like to see someone build a land-speed record style e-bike. I think there might be one out there, but I don't know for sure. I can see why doc hasn't broken 80mph or higher yet, and that's (imo) likely due to the upright frame and lack of aero features.

OSU has a solar car that can hit 70mph under full sunlight on the freeway (quoted to me by a team member and yes that is under solar power alone according to him, but hey people are prone to error. Personally I believe it takes extra oomph from the battery pack to acheive that speed) ...and it simply is a 3-wheel vehicle with a hub motor. Aero plays a big part in its ability to do so.

http://people.oregonstate.edu/groups/solar/

[oldpiper]

OSU has a solar car that can hit 70mph under full sunlight on the freeway (quoted to me by a team member and yes that is under solar power alone according to him, but hey people are prone to error.

How would your friend know, unless the team took it somewhere else for testing? Every time I've been to western Oregon, I've not seen "full sunlight" for a long enough period to accelerate a car to 70 mph before it got cloudy and started raining again.

Cameron

[brisbanebikie]

You have to take 3 things into account

1) PPE or personal protective gear.. or just protective gear, like body armour and your helmet. At speeds over 70kph and especially on a road with traffic I would consider motorbike gear, open or full face helmet, long pants and long jacket, both reinforced, reinforced gloves, or even light body armour.

2) Your bike skill, level headedness, maturity, reflexes, comes with bike experience, motorbike exp would help a Lot also, and age.

3) Your bike itself, preferably with good front suspension at least.

I would be happy keeping up with traffic on 60kph roads, the traffic does 60-70kph. I wouldnt be comfortable on the highway at 100-110kph speeds. 70-90kph speeds.. not sure, possibly if i was wearing good gear.

[darkone040]

50kph is the road limit in a residential area in my part of the world.
i dont think road going ebikes should go faster than this while in traffic.
it would mean we can keep to the side of the road out of harms way
but if need to change lanes to turn right we would also be able to mingle with traffic for that short period without getting in other traffics way.
for these speeds we would also need a bike that has a reasonable stopping distance for emergencies, so bigger tyres and better brakes,
then you would need the same protective gear as a motorcycle rider as you will be encountering the same dangers

i voted 40mph because if your out on the road and there is no other traffic, then there is no reason why you cant go a little faster then.

[Arlo1]

Its the speed of light that time stands still right? So way faster then that.

[neptronix]

I like my ~25mph speed for general riding, seems to work really well.

On long country roads though, i find myself often thinking about doing 35-40mph so that i can ride in the car lane when the shoulder disappears.

[Floont]

I like my ~25mph speed for general riding, seems to work really well.

On long country roads though, i find myself often thinking about doing 35-40mph so that i can ride in the car lane when the shoulder disappears.

Same here. 25MPH for light cruising, but I always wind up 35 to 45MPH on the rural roads so I don't interfere with any cars that may appear.

I get uncomfortable when I exceed 50MPH, even with motorcycle/downhiller gear on. It just feels "wrong". BTW, I don't pay any attention to speed limits or local laws as long as I'm not a jerk out on the road. The local cops don't mind at all.

FA

[brisbanebikie]

BTW, I don't pay any attention to speed limits or local laws as long as I'm not a jerk out on the road. The local cops don't mind at all.

o

That is one of the biggest advantages I think personally about an ebike, you dont have to really worry about speed. Just use common sense.

In my car I am always worrying about getting a $120-$300 ticket and loosing point on my licence. Im watching the spedo more than the road sometimes.

[JennyB]

It's the slower pace of bicycling that I enjoy riding in the first place.

Too fast for comfort or safety is the test I use.
That changes with road, weather, lighting and traffic conditions.

Avg. speed on the CA is usually around 21 kph. Max. speed ~54 kph. but typically closer 47 kph.

The local legal speed limit for ebikes is 32 kph. That's usually fast enough for the better roads I use. It's comfortable and within the capabilities of the machine.
Being able to whup poseurs, stinkys and gelded belugas on climbs is just fast enough to make me happy.

Me too. So long as I can catch tractors and mopeds, that's fast enough for me. Once, when I was young and foolish, I hit 50 mph on an ordinary touring bike. Downhill, following gale, and never want to do it again! Well, maybe I do, but I don't want to get used to it. Once you stop pedalling almost any speed can seem too slow.

[wojtek]

On most bike frames 30 mph is plenty fast enough. Unless you are building on a bombproof frame and good suspension, any faster is unsafe because bike frames simply are not designed to hit potholes at 35 mph. A cracked head tube or dropout at 35 mph can easily cause death.

I agree pushing a $300 walmart bike past 30-40mph is asking for a dangerous failure, but bicycle technology is certainly up to the task of 60+mph pothole or unexpected obstacle impacts if you choose a proper downhill machine to base your build upon.

i have been using velokraft vk3 with no suspension carbon forks and sleek schwalbe marathon supreme tyres at 53kmh max speed, and often up to 80-90kmh when downhill. After around 12000kms i have had no issues, quite few time got into potholes and other crap on the road i haven't noticed on time.
First few hundred kilometers i was very nervous about it. But with experience i got more confidence.
Clearly velokraft is the master of using reinforced carbon to extremely strong ebikes but front suspension would be much better for safety and comfort

Next project will be putting powerful motor on steintrike- with their great suspension and steel , no speed should worry me

[Byron15]

I am very interesting in biking, but i don't driving fast because i think fast driving could be reason of accidents. I love slow driving.

[darkshirikens]

I think anything for people in certain weight classes and then the bike they are on it all depends but like 40 or45 should be good on any bike with suspension those downhill bikes can take allot more because most of the have gussets in the right places to take the abuse .

[Floont]

...but like 40 or45 should be good on any bike with suspension those downhill bikes can take allot more...

A suspension bike brand like what???

FA

[brisbanebikie]

a bit OT.. check out this EARLY ebike from 1888

http://www.wired.com/thisdayintech/tag/philip-pratt/

"The vehicle’s 10 lead-acid cells pushed about 20 volts to a 0.5-horsepower DC motor. The whole setup weighed about 300 pounds.

The driver sat above the battery assemblage. Top speed: 8 mph."

[maydaverave]

Thirty on a smooth road is about as fast as I would want to go on my nonsuspended bike but If I had several grand to spend on a top of the line dual suspension downhill bike or custom ebike frame I might feel different about my top speed. The problem is a smooth road is hard to find anymore and with the debt deal a dual suspension ebike might be the best way to get around period