Are you a speed junkie?  I wouldn’t say that I generally am, but when I’m on a bike it’s a totally different story.  It’s like the faster I’m going, the better I feel.  I really think my mind was made to go the speed of a pro rider….now my body just has to catch up to actually deliver those speeds.

c/o cgilker

When I’m riding solo and pedaling along at speeds of between 28 and 32kph I’m okay with it, but when I’m rocking my upper speeds of 34 to 36kph I feel alive.  When there is a tailwind or a decline and I’m flying along at 45, 55, and more kphs….even better.

But my need for speed only goes so far.  On those rare rides when I’m at the top of a very big decent, I do find myself getting a little nervous as that speed starts creeping into the high 60′s.  As far as I can remember, the fastest I’ve ever gone was while coming down the hills of the St. Kitts Peninsula….somewhere in the neighbourhood of 70+kph.  Maybe not that fast for a pro rider, but definitely fast for a punk like me.

I once heard Lance Armstrong say that the fastest he ever clocked himself at was close to 70mph….that’s 112kph.  Insane….even he said that it was.  But going 50 to 60mph (80 to 95kph) on a decent is pretty much commonplace for a pro rider.  Still very insane.  Just a little too far off the register for this so called cycling speed junkie.

How about you?  What’s the fastest you’ve ever gone on a bike? What did it feel like?  Would you do it again?