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The speed of cyclists in competitions. Cyclist speed: average, maximum speed ◄ MOYBIKE

The average speed for all cyclists is the same. However, pedaling is easy for some, while others become exhausted after a few kilometers. There are many reasons why this is happening. Within the framework of the article, key ones will be considered.

Average cyclist speed

Since there are still more experienced cyclists than beginners, the following data is calculated for experienced riders. Oddly enough, in different countries and cities, the average speed of a bicycle is different. In large cities, it reaches 30 km / h, in villages - 10-20. On the highway, cyclists sometimes accelerate to 40-60 km / h. It depends not so much on the riding technique as on the type of bike. But more on that later.

Factors affecting speed

It is quite obvious that the factors that slow down the speed of riding also affect the severity of pedaling. That is why every cyclist is obliged to carefully consider and take them into account.

tire pressure

The most easily corrected factor is tire pressure. The higher it is, the better the roll and the easier it is to pick up speed. When driving on highways and city roads, you can heat the tires all the way, but for a primer, it is better to reduce the pressure. By the way, the overall hardness of the bike also affects the ease of rolling. I mean bike racks. Keep in mind that for the softness of riding a two-suspension (and even single-suspension) bike, you will have to pay with the increased difficulty of accelerating.

Tire

The next factor is the width of the tire and the shape of its tread. First of all, it should be borne in mind that the real need for thick wheels appears only on frank off-road. In urban conditions, the law “the thinner the tire, the better” works. Therefore, when choosing a bike, you should clearly be aware of how it will be used. As for the tread, almost bare tires are suitable for the city, studded tires are suitable for the primer. The reverse situation is fraught with great agony when driving.

Weight and wheel size

We note right away that the larger the wheel size, the more profitable the energy conversion when driving. For the city, the best option would be 29-inch wheels. For extreme driving - 24. Not otherwise.

Regarding the weight of the wheel, the following can be said: it is not so much the diameter that affects the weight, but the quality of the configuration. The hub, spokes, aluminum rim will weigh much less than steel. By the way, the degree of wear of parts of the wheel also refers to the quality of the equipment. It is worth being aware that nothing affects the dynamics of acceleration like the weight of the wheels.

General bike geometry and aerodynamics

The length of the frame and the fit of the rider on it are important. For example, with a low saddle and a wide steering configuration, driving will not only be terribly difficult, but also dangerous to health. The most aerodynamic is the design of road bikes (see photo below). They are characterized by a low riding position, in which his body is approximately parallel to the ground, a narrow steering wheel and a long frame. Its opposite is the highly specialized BMX bikes, designed strictly for stunts.

Total bike weight

In general, the mass factor only comes into play in specific conditions such as descents/climbs and off-road. On a light car, of course, it is convenient to ride in any conditions, while on a heavy car it is only convenient to go down.

Weather

Accelerating against a headwind over 15 km / h is not an easy task. But with a passing one, only a bumpy road will force you to drop below 30 km / h. By the way, bicycle wheels, which have blades instead of spokes, suffer greatly from side wind.

Pedaling technique

With the same average speed, in one case it is possible to drive with almost no effort, and in the other - struggling with exhaustion. Whatever the bike, the pedaling technique and attention to speeds (unless, of course, the bike is single-speed) most affect the speed.

cadence

Cadence is the rate of pedaling per minute. We will immediately stipulate that the cadence should always be in the range of 60-90 rpm. Most beginners make the same gross mistake - they pedal jerky, periodically letting the bike roll by inertia. At the same time, they constantly have to overcome the threshold of cadence. And it takes much more effort than constantly twisting at the optimum speed. By the way, special bicycle computers help to monitor the cadence.

Health hazards and some myths

In general, the bike is easy to roll in almost all gears (except the fastest ones), so if pedaling is hard, the only way to make it easier is to accelerate. Constant pedaling with great effort is fraught with complications in the knee area, so it is worth choosing gears for riding very carefully. And if it is impossible to go to high speed, you should immediately downshift. The average speed will not suffer, but the knees will be much easier.

Leg trajectory

Another common misconception is that pedals need to be pushed like pistons. This is not true. It is necessary to apply a uniform force along the entire circumferential trajectory of the pedal. With such a ride, firstly, the dynamics of muscle tension will be constant, and secondly, additional muscle groups will be involved. This is so important that in any school of cycling the focus is on pedaling technique. The average speed almost does not depend on the technique of pressure on the pedals, but the ergonomics of the expended forces are completely dependent on this.

More ways to make your ride easier

There are still a few small tricks that can have a beneficial effect on the pleasure of riding. So, first, you need to ride in a relaxed way - there is nothing in cycling that would make you tense up. Second: shoes should be a continuation of the leg, the foot should not hang out in the sneaker. And thirdly: they will accelerate best while standing, in the so-called position of a dancer. This will not affect the average speed of the cyclist, but it will greatly save his strength.

How fast can you ride a bike? How fast can a cyclist actually move? How to increase the speed of a particular bike?

Such questions sooner or later enter the inquisitive minds of every true cyclist. Let's try to answer them.

Preamble

First of all, you should not forget about the difference between the maximum peak speed and the average. In every near-bicycle get-together (forum, VKontakte group, ...) there is a topic where speeds are measured. There, every ashan breeder on an MTB with 2.5-inch wheels with an aggressive tread screams how he accelerated to 50-80-100 km / h how to do it. At the same time, it is usually silent about what wind, from which mountain it rolled and which Mercedes was hooked on by suspenders. This is the maximum speed achieved for a short moment with the application of all forces, after which neither strength nor speed remains. Quite another thing is a high average speed maintained for a long time.

Records

Let's start with the most powerful result: the world bicycle speed record is 268 kilometers per hour. Installed by 50-year-old Fred Rompelberg in 1995.

The bike was specially prepared for record speed, had a special transmission system, a racing car with a special design that created an air bell was driving in front of the cyclist, and the action itself took place on the Bonneville Salt Flat in Utah (USA).

The speed record on a bicycle without aids is 133,284 km/h, installed by Sam Whittingham (Canada) in Varna in 2009 on a recumbent bike with a fairing (ligerade). The bike is also specially designed (Bulgarian designer Georgi Georgiev).

The record for an hour race on the track is 49 700 m. Established by the Czech athlete Ondrej Sosenka in 2005. on the track in Krylatskoye (Moscow). This is an official record (UCI Hour Record) and requires the bike to meet certain requirements in order to be recognized. Due to the improvement of technology, great results are also achieved (in the ligerade - significantly greater), but here it is the capabilities of a person that are compared, and not the achievements of technology.

average speed

The average speed of a cyclist, in my opinion, is a more interesting value from a practical point of view. This is the value to which one can aspire by using a bicycle for utilitarian purposes: to drive from point A to point B while admiring the surroundings with some load.

Cross-country speed depends on the terrain itself, and therefore is not very interesting. We will focus on the highway, and more specifically - on the Tour de France. Here, the average speed of the mountain stages is about 39 km/h, and the flat ones up to 49 km/h. Undoubtedly, the length of the stage also plays a role.

But these are the athletes in the race. If you are a completely healthy person, moderately passionate about cycling, then you can focus on the value of 20-30 km / h of average speed, depending on the type of bike, road surface, distance and purpose of the trip, wind strength and other 56 factors.

How to increase the speed of mere mortals

So, you are already inspired by the examples of athletes and are eager to increase your own cycling speed? Excellent! It remains to understand how.

First of all, take care of the maintenance of your bike. Grease-adjust the bushings so that nothing plays, fix the figure-eights on the rims, adjust the derailleurs, adjust the height and position of the saddle, clean the chain and here is your "+5 speed".

If you are an unfortunate person on a MTB with an aggressive tread - replace tires with a semi-slick, get another "+5 to speed". Although the landing itself on a mountain bike and high speed are somewhat contradictory concepts. The fact is that the greatest resistance to movement is provided by air resistance, everything rests on aerodynamics. And here the superiority of the streamlined road landing. Is it time to change the bike at least for a cyclocrosser?

The bike shape not only looks beautiful, is comfortable to ride, but also reduces windage, which means it improves aerodynamics and gives another "+2 to speed."

By the way, about cadence, there is a popular misconception that the more "speeds" (asterisks), the "faster" the bike. The words of the seller in the store "look, the bike is 21 speeds" or "the bike, as many as 30 speeds!" in no way connected with the speed qualities of a particular device. Although this is a topic for a separate discussion.

Amazing and incredible things happen in our world every day. The same is true in the world of sports. And today I would like to tell you about the most interesting speed records associated with a bicycle, which, of course, surprise to the core.

After…

Speed records on a bicycle in a straight line began to be set more than 100 years ago. Back in 1899, one eccentric thought of laying a wooden platform over the rails, and, moving after the train, managed to accelerate to a speed of 100 kilometers per hour, while driving one mile in less than a minute. His name was Charles Murphy. To reduce air resistance, a rigid visor was fixed at the end of the last car, which helped him set a world record. In a further series of attempts to establish the best speed, this principle of driving (following any vehicle) was used by many athletes. The race took place on Long Island, on the section of the railroad between Farmingdale and Babylon.

The next record was a speed of 139 kilometers per hour. It was installed by Albert Marquet in 1937 in Los Angeles, California. He "chased" a racing car, behind which a special frame was installed, covered with fabric. The athlete's bike has also been modified by increasing the gear ratio, which can be seen in the photo below.

And if you were surprised by the huge front sprocket of the previous record holder, then look at the Alf Letourne bike, which set a record - 175 kilometers per hour on it, which could not be broken for the next 53 years.

He also moved behind a car with a frame attached to it. This race took place in California in 1942.

Relatively recently, in 1995, on the plain of a salt lake, moving after the car (to reduce air flow resistance) and using large gear ratios, a new record was set. The maximum speed of the bike was 268 kilometers per hour. The athlete's name is Fred Rompelberg. He comes from the Netherlands and at the time of setting the record he was 50 years old, yes, you were not mistaken and this is not a typo. We will give a photo of a cyclist with his "iron horse" below.

From the mountain

Previous records were united by the use, to one degree or another, of other vehicles, but the following were set when descending from hills. In 2007, while descending a snow-covered mountain slope, Austrian Markus Stoeckl managed to reach a speed of 210 km / h. But the absolute record holder for downhill is Eric Barone, who in April 2014 reached a top speed of 223 kilometers per hour. It should be noted that Markus used, albeit a very expensive, but serial bike, while his opponent used a conceptual, unique model.

In a straight line

The record on a perfectly flat area was set by Sebastian Bower, who accelerated to 134 kilometers per hour on a special bike. His bike looked like a butterfly cocoon with wheels poking out slightly. All this provided excellent streamlining, which made it possible to develop such a speed.

More recently, in 2014, François Gissy attached a jet engine to his bike and raced a Ferrari car to a landslide victory. He accelerated to a speed of 333 kilometers per hour in 4.8 seconds and left the famous supercar far behind. At the moment, this is the absolute speed record on a bicycle.

Conclusion

All these achievements are the fruit of titanic efforts, both physical and engineering. The development of new frontiers pushes humanity forward and provides a steady trend towards excellence and development.

Can a person develop while cycling? There are many records achieved in different conditions, in different situations and at different times.

Cycling speed

An ordinary untrained person, not in a hurry, can move on a city highway at a speed of about 12-15 km per hour, taking into account both the descents and the ascents of the road. This value is taken as a bicycle.

A little training person on a bicycle with certain amenities (for example, there are toe clips, a gear shift, good brakes) is able to move faster - at a speed of 30 km / h.

And if the same person is transferred to a lightweight road bike, for example, without a rear and front fender, then on the flattest area he will be able to accelerate it to 40 km / h and continue to maintain this speed for several minutes.

There are not only cycling speed records, but also world speed records. In 2005, on the famous cycle track in Krylatskoe, the representative of the Czech Republic O. Sosenka kept the achieved speed (49.7 km / h) on a bicycle for 60 minutes. He was unable to maintain 50 km/h due to the fact that his bike had only one gear and a rather high saddle. Such a record is difficult in terms of wear and tear.

On good roads, you can safely maintain a high speed of 60-70 km / h on a 9-kilometer descent, even on heavy mountain bikes. It turns out that these values should be taken as the maximum speed for simple amateur cyclists.

Where did it all begin?

Cyclist José Meifret set the world speed record on a bicycle (204.73 km/h) in 1962 in Friedberg (Germany). And it started even earlier. Since the creation of the bicycle, many attempts have been made to achieve maximum riding speed.

Perhaps it is worth talking about the most significant and important records in the history of the development of this sport, and of transport itself.

In 1899, Charles Murphy, after training for about 2 months, decided to set a record for the speed of riding in Long Island on the railroad. To do this, it was necessary to attach one wagon to a steam locomotive and equip it with a cap so that the cyclist could hide from the wind. At first, due to the mistake of Murphy himself, he lagged behind the train, but then he nevertheless caught up with him. Thus, in June 1899, the maximum speed record was set. It was 100.2 km / h.

The next bicycle speed record was set only in 1937. It happened in Los Angeles, California. The record holder moved behind the car, which was also equipped with a fabric frame for the cyclist to move inside it. His record was 139 km/h.

After 5 years, in 1942, a new record was set (again in California). And in this case, the car in front was a racing car, and the bike was improved. At that time, the record holder Alf Letournet developed the highest speed on a bicycle.

The record was recorded at around 175 km / h. But the global achievements did not end there.

Records. World speed record on a bike

The absolute speed record for cycling was set in 1995. Its value is 268.8 km / h. This was achieved by the Dutchman Fred Rompelberg. The record was important and valuable not only for the cyclist, since he turned 50 that year.

This event took place on the track in Utah (USA). It was an ideal flat surface of an ancient lake (salt), this is the Bonneville Plain. And the bike was specially equipped (significantly increased and a special transmission system on the rear sprocket). And, as always, a car was moving ahead of him, which also created a zone of reduced pressure behind him.

Descents from the mountain can also be under different conditions: on the ice surface and on the ground. Therefore, the records are divided.

On a winter mountain bike track, with excellent transport equipment (excellent aerodynamics of the bike, aerodynamic equipment), the speed record on a bicycle is firmly held by athlete Eric Baron. In 2000 in the Alps (April 12) he accelerated his bike to 222 km/h.

Despite the fact that he was descending from the mountain, his record was lower than the absolute one (F. Rompelberg). And yet it must be taken into account that the air resistance during the descent increased more and more, and the vibration increased, worsening the stability of the transport. This vibration also prevented him from setting a record on a gravel descent (sad finish).

Two years later, on the slope of the Sierra Negro, the same athlete took 3rd place, after his own previous second, literally “driving” about 400 meters down the gravel. It was a real hell for the cyclist: at the finish line of this terrible period, the maximum speed of the bike reached 210.4 kilometers per hour, and his bike literally exploded.