Top Speeds at Tour de France?

[KaBoom21]

I briefly searched for this and couldn't find anything. Anyone have an idea what the approximate top speed is that they reach on a downhill portion?

[RacinM3]

Don't quote me, but if I remember right they can get up to around 65-70 MPH on the straight downhill stretches. Maybe RichK will chime in.

[RichK]

I'd guess ~65mph or so.

When living in San Luis Obispo and training for bike racing, we used to draft 18 wheelers down a long hill called Cuesta Grade. We regularly saw >65mph, and rarely saw the 2X4's laying in the road that the trucks ran over....! :eek:

[KaBoom21]

Thanks. FYI - my GF has been getting her cardio on the mountain bike lately and she hits about 38 MPH on this downhill straightaway (with knobby tires)and the subject of TdF top speeds came up. I wasn't sure how long the downhill straightaways were but still said I would be surprised if they broke 60 MPH (ignorance has never stopped me from expressing an opinion ;) ).

I'm an idiot.

[Methanolandbrats]

I'd guess ~65mph or so.

When living in San Luis Obispo and training for bike racing, we used to draft 18 wheelers down a long hill called Cuesta Grade. We regularly saw >65mph, and rarely saw the 2X4's laying in the road that the trucks ran over....! :eek: Pretty much why I quit road biking. Crash at 60 per + gaurdrail = dead. Call me a *****, I don't care. I got really serious about it and one day while winding down a steep hill at big speed with cars behind us and cars coming at us I decided it was just ****ing insane. I hung it in the garage.

[oddlycalm]

The descents on those skinny little tires are truly insane, but the speeds that fry my brain are the average speeds on days with multiple major climbs. Seems almost impossible.

oc

[Methanolandbrats]

Averaging over 30mph on those flat solo runs is the most amazing part to me.

[KLang]

draft 18 wheelers down a long hill

Did that a few times on RAGBRAI many, many years ago. No idea how I survived my youth. :o

[coolhand]

somwhere in the 60s is the terminal velocity on a bike

[Beevis]

The descents on those skinny little tires are truly insane, but the speeds that fry my brain are the average speeds on days with multiple major climbs. Seems almost impossible.

ocPharmacology is an amazing science!

[Gnam]

I'd guess ~65mph or so.

When living in San Luis Obispo and training for bike racing, we used to draft 18 wheelers down a long hill called Cuesta Grade. We regularly saw >65mph, and rarely saw the 2X4's laying in the road that the trucks ran over....!
That's crazy. I didn't like driving down that hill.

[Al Czervik]

somwhere in the 60s is the terminal velocity on a bike

I think you can get killed at a lower speed. :D

[emjaya]

I've seen 110 kph on the speedo of a camera-bike wile he's been keeping pace with the riders,then he went past. :eek:

The motorbikes with the cameraman on them,they're the crazy ones. :)

[Tifosi24]

Did that a few times on RAGBRAI many, many years ago. No idea how I survived my youth

Where did you find a decent on RAGBRAI that would be long enough to even draft an 18-wheeler. I can think of a few areas in Iowa with hills of that variaty around where my girlfriend lives, but RAGBRAI doesn't venture into those parts.

[KLang]

Where did you find a decent on RAGBRAI that would be long enough to even draft an 18-wheeler. I can think of a few areas in Iowa with hills of that variaty around where my girlfriend lives, but RAGBRAI doesn't venture into those parts.

I went back in 75, so I don't really remember the route but the only real elevation changes in Iowa are river valleys. We went through a couple of those.