Paco Posted August 19, 2004 Posted August 19, 2004 Yesterday I went for two laps around Magnolia on my bike for the first time. The hill coming down out of Discovery Park is really fun, too bad it's not longer. I recently replaced the battery in my cyclo-computer so I now have a better idea of how fast I am going. Cranking down the hill it said I reached a max speed of 45 MPH. Pretty fast, but I want faster. Anyone know of any good hills to cut loose on and SPEED. Long, straight, steep, minimal traffic, and with mellow runouts prefered. TIA I haven't been back over the I-90 floating bridge yet since I replaced the battery, but I think I can get moving pretty fast going down that hill. Quote
b-rock Posted August 19, 2004 Posted August 19, 2004 Awww yeah. Going fast on skinny tires is quite a rush. There was a hill back east in NH perfect for this - super steep, almost straight, good visibility and runout. I could consistantly break 60. Scary! Just watch out, some bikes can develop some pretty severe shimmies at certain high speeds. Quote
Ireneo_Funes Posted August 19, 2004 Posted August 19, 2004 60 mph, wow... I get nervous when I get close to 40. 'Course I'm not riding a top-of-the line road bike. Quote
cj001f Posted August 19, 2004 Posted August 19, 2004 Just watch out, some bikes can develop some pretty severe shimmies at certain high speeds. Pedals even & knees against the top tube can sometimes help this, also is a slightly more aero position. Well trued wells make a difference too. In PDX the Marquam Hill's cool - curves at speed Quote
Alpinfox Posted August 19, 2004 Posted August 19, 2004 60mph? You people are crazy. Thank you for allow pedestrian to post on bicycling website. Quote
dryad Posted August 19, 2004 Posted August 19, 2004 One time I hit 32mph on my crappy old hybrid bike. The thing was shaking in a pretty scary way. Like something out of Star Trek... Kirk: "Warp 8!" Scotty: "Cap'n, I don' know how much longer I can keep 'er together!" I keep saying I'll get a real road bike someday. Reading about going 45mph makes me jealous. Quote
gslater Posted August 19, 2004 Posted August 19, 2004 The southern side of Wolf Creek Pass in Colorado is excellent for speed. I hit 71 MPH there in a bike race about a decade ago. There's a multi-mile long "straightaway" (straight enough for bikes, anyway) that tilts significantly downhill. The combination of a steep, straight hill, my 220 lbs. of fat-assness, a bike with skinny tires pumped up to 130 PSI, age 20-something testosterone, very thin air at 10K+ feet, and a desperate desire to catch back up to the stickboys who blew me away on the climb up the pass will get you those kinds of speeds. Quite frightening, really. Especially since that straightaway ends in a hairpin turn with a huge drop off the back side. Was very glad to not have glued-on tires that day... Quote
slothrop Posted August 19, 2004 Posted August 19, 2004 The hill down from the top/backside of Golden Gardens to the locks is long, though not super steep. I hit 38 on that, let go of the handlebars, and damn did that thing shimmy. Yeehaw! Quote
ken4ord Posted August 19, 2004 Posted August 19, 2004 I had a friend that hit 69 mph coming down Teton Pass, that was his top speed. For myself, my top recorded speed is 56 mph, but I think I have gone faster, just don't normally have a computer on my bike. At a national Norba downhill race I averaged 45 mph, with 2 minute intervals, I managed to pass two and almost passed a third at the finish line. That ride was a rush. Hey Paco you should try the Magnolia loop the other way, it is fast to, especially on the park drive that has views of the water. Also up in Shoreline area there is a really steep fast hill there, actually the ride that I do there are several fast hills. Quote
AaronB Posted August 19, 2004 Posted August 19, 2004 I had a friend that hit 69 mph coming down Teton Pass, that was his top speed. Damn, I only got my 62Bug, up to 67 going down the pass. "That was my top speed in it" Better than 8mph 1st gear going up. I think I got a record 50 middle fingers in 30 minutes of driving. Quote
Dru Posted August 19, 2004 Posted August 19, 2004 69 mph, thats almost as fast as Dan and Caddis Quote
rbw1966 Posted August 19, 2004 Posted August 19, 2004 Sounds like a new organization: mountainspeedbiking.com Quote
MisterMo Posted August 19, 2004 Posted August 19, 2004 Yesterday I went for two laps around Magnolia on my bike for the first time. The hill coming down out of Discovery Park is really fun, too bad it's not longer. I recently replaced the battery in my cyclo-computer so I now have a better idea of how fast I am going. Cranking down the hill it said I reached a max speed of 45 MPH. Pretty fast, but I want faster. Anyone know of any good hills to cut loose on and SPEED. Long, straight, steep, minimal traffic, and with mellow runouts prefered. TIA I haven't been back over the I-90 floating bridge yet since I replaced the battery, but I think I can get moving pretty fast going down that hill. Dravus Street east to Interbay...well all but the runout anyhow. Actually I think you could get cranking pretty good on SR2 from the Tunnel Creek curve west down to Scenic. Not super steep but a good clean fairly straight stretch of road on weekdays when you can ride out in the lane. Quote
ken4ord Posted August 19, 2004 Posted August 19, 2004 Dravus Street east to Interbay...well all but the runout anyhow. Yeah that one is not a good one unless you get the light just rust right. I live up there and been able to catch air on those street crossings. I always think about building a small ramp to set up on one of those street crossing, the nice thing is there is endless runout, until the light. Quote
MisterMo Posted August 19, 2004 Posted August 19, 2004 Yeah that one is not a good one unless you get the light just rust right. I live up there and been able to catch air on those street crossings. I always think about building a small ramp to set up on one of those street crossing, the nice thing is there is endless runout, until the light. Way too long ago my Mom worked up at the Jr High School up there. One day a couple of the local kids sent a bowling ball down Dravus...pretty well fucked up a car near the bottom. Quote
Beck Posted August 21, 2004 Posted August 21, 2004 Dravus is a good one for speed, I used to live on upper Dravus, if you get the timing down it's wicked. Another sweet hill, a little shorter, but better runout with a twist, is coming out of West Seattle near the steel mill. It's the first street to the north of the West Seattle Recreation Center. the hill is concave so you get multiple G's as you bottom out. One of my favorite hills in town. Quote
faster_than_you Posted August 21, 2004 Posted August 21, 2004 I'm faster than you. And poo too. Quote
Dave_Schuldt Posted August 21, 2004 Posted August 21, 2004 Big air can be had on W Dravus. Fun to ride up too. Quote
Harry_Pi Posted August 21, 2004 Posted August 21, 2004 Hello capitalist! Ride tandem bike with fat chick on back will help haul ass down hill, but pain in ass uphill. Thank you for allow me to post. Quote
whirlwind Posted August 21, 2004 Posted August 21, 2004 in which case you will also be hauling alot of ass up hill too... Quote
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