Holdsworth
Über Member
Yes today I broke my speed record and reached a staggering 52 mph descending Cothercott Hill near Shrewsbury on the touring bike. I was staying at my Gran's house in the village of Longden and decided to do a quick ride up and back the hill as I didn't have the time to do a long ride today. It was painfully slow riding up the hill as it reaches well over 10% in places but I made the miles there and back in 35 minutes with an average speed of 14.9 mph.
The wind was in my face all of the way up which kept my speed down and my lung straining all of the way. I did manage to make it up the hill without stopping, thanks in part to my increased fitness but mostly due to my 28t chain ring on the triple
The tailwind coming back helped push my speed up and I pedalled up to 35 mph in my top gear and then just let go completely and freewheeled the rest of the way down and tucked myself in good and tight. The tailwind turned to a crosswind in places and caused unnerving wobbles as I streaked past 45 mph and beyond. I was worried with these wobbles and proceeded to grab the handlebars tight and kept my sight straight ahead. My last recorded speed that I remember seeing was 47 mph but looking at the speedo seconds later when I'd slowed a little with max speed showing I saw the magic 52 mph showing on the screen.
Then I went down a second dip at the base of the hill and again nudged 45 mph for one last time before bottoming out and climbing back into Pulverbatch at a steady speed.
I can only say that the adrenaline was truly pumping after that and I would love to tackle that hill again, with maybe a bit more pedalling effort and calmer winds.
I was really concerned about the handlebar wobble, it could've been a speed wobble but I am not sure. I am sure that if I had come off at that speed my helmet would've been worse than useless in protecting me. I have never taken the touring bike anywhere near to that speed before so I had no idea how it would handle at this hill (where I had done a very fast run on the Holdsworth last year).
So that's my record, I am interested in how fast others have managed to get to on their bikes?
The wind was in my face all of the way up which kept my speed down and my lung straining all of the way. I did manage to make it up the hill without stopping, thanks in part to my increased fitness but mostly due to my 28t chain ring on the triple
The tailwind coming back helped push my speed up and I pedalled up to 35 mph in my top gear and then just let go completely and freewheeled the rest of the way down and tucked myself in good and tight. The tailwind turned to a crosswind in places and caused unnerving wobbles as I streaked past 45 mph and beyond. I was worried with these wobbles and proceeded to grab the handlebars tight and kept my sight straight ahead. My last recorded speed that I remember seeing was 47 mph but looking at the speedo seconds later when I'd slowed a little with max speed showing I saw the magic 52 mph showing on the screen.
Then I went down a second dip at the base of the hill and again nudged 45 mph for one last time before bottoming out and climbing back into Pulverbatch at a steady speed.
I can only say that the adrenaline was truly pumping after that and I would love to tackle that hill again, with maybe a bit more pedalling effort and calmer winds.
I was really concerned about the handlebar wobble, it could've been a speed wobble but I am not sure. I am sure that if I had come off at that speed my helmet would've been worse than useless in protecting me. I have never taken the touring bike anywhere near to that speed before so I had no idea how it would handle at this hill (where I had done a very fast run on the Holdsworth last year).
So that's my record, I am interested in how fast others have managed to get to on their bikes?
