What is your comfortable Cruising speed ?

Russell

Russell

Well-Known Member
If you have time to kill & little or no traffic. What speed do you like to cruise at?

I like 22 to 24 Mph. However, My only ht Ride is a non suspension stingray. After 24 MPH the motor seems to wind out (I'm guessing 4500+ rpm).
usflg
 
depends on traffic, and the road conditions. there's a lot of smooth, wide bike lanes around here, so i'm usually all the way on the gas. it's like i'm trying to kill my motor on purpose, to see what kind of abuse it'll take. i ride 30 to 50 miles almost everyday, and there's times when i'll be on a 10-15 mile stretch at full throttle, around 35 mph. the thing just won't die.

but when i'm forced to ride the gutter on the side of the road, i keep it around 15, i guess.
 
Around here (Illinois) it is mainly flat roads but way to bumpy to cruise over at 20+MPH on most roads.I usually take it easy going around 15mph depending upon traffic,roads etc.I ride at night most of the time for a couple of hours because of work an plus the traffic being to heavy in town during the day,so I usually full throttle it quite a bit cruising around town to.The other day i hit 2ft pothole down a dark street an of course cruising no hands luckily i balanced it out an kept riding(^)
 
Russell said:
Aron,
I missed something in your post! " Hit a 2 ft pothole cruising no hands"
What do you mean?
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Oh sorry! Well basically I like cruising "no handers" without your hands being on the handlebars..Yes it is dangerous if you don't know what your doing,that is another reason i need a more comfortable bike!I have been riding MTB quite awhile with thousands of miles into my few bikes an with the experience it makes me feel freeusflg
 
I like to cruise from 25-29, do most of my riding out in the country.

Riding no handed is no big deal, used to go for miles when I was a kid on my 10 speed. For some reason it's not as easy as an adult on a MTB, don't know why.
Don't know how you'd ride no handed on a MB unless you have a sticky throttle.
 
Kevlarr said:
I like to cruise from 25-29, do most of my riding out in the country.

Riding no handed is no big deal, used to go for miles when I was a kid on my 10 speed. For some reason it's not as easy as an adult on a MTB, don't know why.
Don't know how you'd ride no handed on a MB unless you have a sticky throttle.
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Sometimes it will stick other times I can't get it to.Although I'm thinking of making some type of cruise control into the throttle handle!
 
>.<

I lost a buddy cause of the cruise control on his motorcycle... I don't like 'em at all - but I'll leave ya alone on this one, to each their own I figure and these are bicycles after all ;)


Generally I ride frm 24 - 27mph (my HT's "happy spot" lol) or WOT, depends on my mood *shrug* Seems like my build hasn't a problem with WOT all day, haven't had any heat probs or anything - I'm quite pleased :D
 
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I cruise at 27, about quarter throttle with a 36 tooth sprocket, i live in tucson and i can hit this side rode to go across town where i can cruise a decent bike lane comforotably, when i go through town i slow it down to 22 or so do to the fact that tucson has a speed limit of 20 for mtb's. As far as the cruise control goes, I read on here the other day that a guy used a twist grip shifter assembly for cruise, if you do this please dont kill your self...
 
bairdco said:
depends on traffic, and the road conditions. there's a lot of smooth, wide bike lanes around here, so i'm usually all the way on the gas. it's like i'm trying to kill my motor on purpose, to see what kind of abuse it'll take. i ride 30 to 50 miles almost everyday, and there's times when i'll be on a 10-15 mile stretch at full throttle, around 35 mph. the thing just won't die.

but when i'm forced to ride the gutter on the side of the road, i keep it around 15, i guess.
Click to expand...

It's the same situation here in Gainesville.....some roads have great bike lanes where I just blaze as fast as I can.....you come up on an intersection and turn right....no bike lane at all just the damn curb.. ( ever hit a curb doing 30? )...also there's lots of country roads around here with bike lanes and some not.....catch-22 aint it ya'll ?


Laters,
Salty.shft.
 
30MPH seems comfortable for me and my bike. It gets to this speed fairly quickly and except for steep hills holds it with less than half throttle. Much over that and the engine sounds are not pleasant and handling gets sketchy.
 
Tolly,
30 @ 1/2 T.
What Size Wheel And Gearing? My 20/24 In. With 32t It Seems To Wind Out Over 24mph.
Are You Using A Jack Shaft, Slant Head, Tuned Pipe?
 
If I tried to go 25-30 MPH where I live I'd be in the hospital or morgue in a few days max. People here don't even know bicycles exist or they just don't care. They hit me, I go to the hospital or grave and they get a citation. Why should they care? I do about 12-14 MPH and still have close calls constantly.

I've learned to avoid main streets unless there's no other way, back streets are FAR safer. I still get hosed but not near as often. Unfortunately I can't get everywhere on back streets, most places I go require some riding on main streets.
 
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I think one of the best ways to avoid getting ran over is to become a car. What I mean is when I'm in town and can ride at the same speed as the traffic I ride with the cars right in the middle of the lane. I keep up fine with the car ahead of me and I don't have problems with anyone trying to pass me to close. Now this is only during daylight hours. As soon as the car behind me sees that I am keeping up and not slowing him/her down they usually hang back a little and anyway it's working for me.
 
I agree, ride agresive and make eye contact while being aware of your surroundings once the car sees that your not going to slow them down they will actually protect you from getting hit to a point, if you ride scarred of getting hit you end up in everyones blind spots and that when people cut you off or dont see you, than again i only do this when i have to if i can i will avoid it but where i live i cross under the interstae alot where there is no bike lane, please dont kill your self, and always make eye contact to make sure people see you..
 
All I can say is you people don't live where I do. There's NO safe way to ride on main streets here. A bike can't go the 40-50 MPH or more people do around here and it doesn't make any difference how much lane I take they squeeze by no matter how close they have to get. Try having someone turn right into a business right after passing you at 20+ MPH and having to lock up the brakes and go sideways or someone pull out of a business right as you're passing by, both of which have happened to me. You'll give up that 25-30 MPH real fast or end up in the hospital, if you're lucky. Riding agressive here is a quick trip to the hospital or morgue. It's more like ride slow enough to stop on a dime at any time because I can guarantee you'll have to constantly where I live.
 
I'm in the club that thinks 'faster' is sometimes safer.
When we ride down main streets, & the cars are cruising @ 35 MPH, we ride @ WOT & take a whole lane to ourselves.
We try to ride side streets as much as possible tho.
On the side streets we just cruise @ 1/2 throttle.
 
I wouldn't ride like that even if I could. First off, it's not legal, at least not where I am and I suspect most or all other places too. Second, I don't need any unwanted attention, it's bad for me and bad for MBrs everywhere. That's the kind of thing that's going to get laws passed making these bikes illegal. I cruise along at 15 MPH or less on the side of the road cops pay no attention to me, I'm just another bike.

Me thinks it's crazy to go 35 MPH on a bike. Hope you people live long enough to keep on enjoying the riding.
 
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Not to step on any senior members toes....we all live in differant places and have to use our own judgment as to how to interact with our fellow road users....i find my fellow motorists very friendly...with the odd exception....they seem to like when im shareing the same speed with them.....seem to appriciate when i take the shoulder as speeds increase....where i live we deal with lost tourists constantly...so caution and courtasy is the rule....
Im quite sure motor bicycleistists..are quite welcome here
..typo ill leave...
 
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