Improving Top Speed

[mhill]

Just picked up a 2011 Ridgeback Flight 05 from my LBS wasn't my first choice but for the money its a bargain @ £600 http://www.ridgeback.co.uk/bike/flight-05

Went out for a nice 15mile ride yesterday and coming from a Stumpjumper FSR its a different world but the speed is in a different league but i find its not geared high enough on the top end, im maxing out at 35mph on a flat straight and feel my cadence is far too high. Its currently got a Shimano Ultegra 50/34 group set and i was hoping by just changing the rear cassette over i could improve this.

Any suggestions?

[itsnotarace]

What is the rear casette now? Are you genuinely spinning out? (read this http://cyclingskills.blogspot.com/2009/05/speed-le... )

[NitroNick]

That bike looks like great value for money.
Considering the wide tyres and not very aerodynamic riding position I think 35mph is very fast on the flat.
Have you a cadence metre on it?

[BliarOut]

Try riding it into wind and see if you spin out then I was out in the fens yesterday and I struggled to crack 15MPH

[anonymous-user]

assuming its a 25/12 cassette, a 50/12 combo at 90rpm with regular 175mm cranks should be good enough for somewhere in the region of 32 mph...

[HundredthIdiot]

Ridgeback Flight 05 comes with 50/34, 11-25 according to BikeRadar.

If you're spinning out on 50/11 with flat bars you're doing it wrong.

Pros used to race on 53/13 with drops.

[robsti]

mhill said:

Just picked up a 2011 Ridgeback Flight 05 from my LBS wasn't my first choice but for the money its a bargain @ £600 http://www.ridgeback.co.uk/bike/flight-05

Went out for a nice 15mile ride yesterday and coming from a Stumpjumper FSR its a different world but the speed is in a different league but i find its not geared high enough on the top end, im maxing out at 35mph on a flat straight and feel my cadence is far too high. Its currently got a Shimano Ultegra 50/34 group set and i was hoping by just changing the rear cassette over i could improve this.

Any suggestions?

Become a professional bike racer!

[Rocksteadyeddie]

35mph on the flat? With no tail wind? Really?

As above drop this man a mail.

HTH

[mcelliott]

mhill said:

im maxing out at 35mph on a flat straight

[pattyg]

Well that's one gold in 2012 secure

[b2hbm]

pattyg said:

Well that's one gold in 2012 secure

magic !

[Kermit power]

How long until we get another thread started by the OP saying "How do I change my bike computer from KPH to MPH"?

[okgo]

He could be getting to 35?

I can get to 30 on the flat and stay there for a little while, and I'm no Mark Cavendish...

I'd say its unlikely though.

[Parrot of Doom]

50x11 on relatively fat tyres on the flat? 35mph?

Oh look, there go some green pigs. With pink beards. Flying.

[Koing]

I've done 1000m in 1:29.xx 500m in 28.xx....the same gearing as Chris Hoy but on a turbo trainer with no wind resistance :P

To improve your top speed being more explosive is the key as well as good pedaling technique. Being able to jump high will help you pedal a higher speed. So I'd hammer deadlifts and squats for you.

Koing

[CooperS]

Booked marked cant wait for someone to come up the answer!

Personally i'm toping out at 3.5 mph i havent worked out how to turn thoses things in the middle of the bike yet.... help!

[Steve UK]

I think someone has set their cycle computer wrong

[okgo]

Its more than possible without being in a velo. Cavendish does a fair whack more.


I am going to test myself tomorrow and see how fast I can get to on the flat.

[raymanh]

mhill said:

im maxing out at 35mph on a flat straight

Jog on, that's only possible if your a both a pro cyclist and in a velodrome.

Someone definitely had their computer wrongly calibrated

[BliarOut]

Ahem, my MTB comp still shows a max speed of 46.9