How fast is an ungeared 36" for an avg rider

mtnjeffe · 2008-12-11, 04:18 PM

I am considering buying a 36 for some bike path riding. I currently only ride MUni and with middle of the road abilities I was curious what approx speed I would be able to hold on a flat path with a beginner 36.

ntappin · 2008-12-11, 04:30 PM

I can cruise for as long as I want at 15 KM per hour, and I tend to top out at about 26 on flat.

corbin · 2008-12-11, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtnjeffe

I am considering buying a 36 for some bike path riding. I currently only ride MUni and with middle of the road abilities I was curious what approx speed I would be able to hold on a flat path with a beginner 36.

I have a log book of rides, geared and ungeared (during/before March):

http://www.corbinstreehouse.com/blog...cling/logbook/

I include speeds, time, etc.

corbin

ntappin · 2008-12-11, 04:50 PM

Keep in mind, Corbin is in no way average!

rob.northcott · 2008-12-11, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by corbin

I have a log book of rides, geared and ungeared (during/before March)

But you couldn't really be called an average rider!

I tend to cruise at about 13mph on the flat, possibly 14 or 15mph for short spurts. I don't consider myself a quick rider on a 36er - I'll sit at 13mph forever, but I'm no sprinter. Certainly over 10mph is very easy even for a new 36er rider.

Rob

capuni · 2008-12-11, 06:34 PM

The slowest maintainable speed (on the road) is probably somewhere around 8.5-9mph. Once you're rolling, you'll probably be up around 12-13mph in no time.

After you get comfortable spinning, you should be able to stay somewhere between 13-15.

goldenchickenIV · 2008-12-11, 06:46 PM

My average (while enjoying the scenery) on a 20 km track is 18 km/h.

johnfoss · 2008-12-11, 07:59 PM

It's as fast as you pedal it. Beyond that, you have to get more specific. Flat bike path? Tons of traffic with stops? Hills? Bumpy? All will affect your speed. For normal, flat riding, 10mph is a piece of cake for most people. 15 is more of a workout, the fastest speed I can maintain for any extended period (like half an hour if I'm in shape).

naturequack · 2008-12-11, 10:16 PM

I top out at about 26 km/h and can cruise along comfortably at 20 km/h. But I'm pushing on long cranks (165 mm). They're great for hills but definitely limit my top speed on the flats.
I would definitely be comfortable in the "average rider" classification. Although my nose might not be "average".

Geoff

CoreTechs · 2008-12-11, 10:21 PM

I have a cruising speed of around 22km/h. I can max somewhere between 25 and 30km/h

nathan · 2008-12-11, 10:31 PM

I think that when you start, and are able to actually ride for several km at a time, you'll pretty easily go 16km/h. With some practice you'll get that up to 20km/hr without much problem. 25+km/hr for a sustained distance is harder but can be done.

UnicycleJuggler · 2008-12-11, 11:25 PM

Come on guys, lets keep it to one measurement of speed so there's not faffing about with conversions!
Does anybody commute or do long rides on a 20"? I only have one unicycle at the moment and can't afford another. I mainly use it for street and trials but I recently mangled one of my fingers in a fixed gear bike chain, so I'm not able to commute on my bike for a while. I've tried a few 1 mile rides and it seems to be taking me around 9-10mins, so I would guess at that being about 6-7Mph average. This does seem pretty slow and I'd like to go faster without pedalling faster then a mosquito on heat. I'm running 127mm cranks and find that if I go any smaller I lose a lot of control. Is the only option to either buy a 24/29/36" unicycle or design a gearing system for my 20"?!

GizmoDuck · 2008-12-12, 12:53 AM

On our Unitours, riders usually average about 16-22kmh/r riding on the flat. Actual average speeds are much slower because of breaks/stops etc.

Check out:
www.induni.adventureunicyclist.com
www.uninam.net
www.sinzuni.org
www.lut.adventureunicyclist.com

Probably SINZ and Uninam had the highest cruising speeds.

On the flat, my comfortable cruising is about 24-25km/hr. I can usually wind it up to 28-30km/hr for a few minutes at a time. I can't sprint so I probably top out at about 33k-35km/hr.

Ken

camrocl · 2008-12-12, 10:15 AM

How can you tell you speed. Do you work it out mathmaticaly or do you use a cycle computer.

Ive searched for a few cycle computers but they only go up to wheel size 28"...no good for a 36"

Thanks in advance

goldenchickenIV · 2008-12-12, 12:18 PM

I use this:

Quote:

Originally Posted by camrocl

How can you tell you speed. Do you work it out mathmaticaly or do you use a cycle computer.

Ive searched for a few cycle computers but they only go up to wheel size 28"...no good for a 36"

Thanks in advance

2008-12-11, 04:18 PM	#1
mtnjeffe Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Orange California Age: 50 Posts: 155	How fast is an ungeared 36" for an avg rider I am considering buying a 36 for some bike path riding. I currently only ride MUni and with middle of the road abilities I was curious what approx speed I would be able to hold on a flat path with a beginner 36.

2008-12-11, 04:30 PM	#2
ntappin Ask me about the Ottawa unicyclists Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Age: 22 Posts: 4,002	I can cruise for as long as I want at 15 KM per hour, and I tend to top out at about 26 on flat. __________________ how to build a strong comfy saddle from junk.

2008-12-11, 04:50 PM	#4
ntappin Ask me about the Ottawa unicyclists Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Age: 22 Posts: 4,002	Keep in mind, Corbin is in no way average! __________________ how to build a strong comfy saddle from junk.

2008-12-11, 06:34 PM	#6
capuni Perry Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Albany, NY Age: 38 Posts: 105	The slowest maintainable speed (on the road) is probably somewhere around 8.5-9mph. Once you're rolling, you'll probably be up around 12-13mph in no time. After you get comfortable spinning, you should be able to stay somewhere between 13-15. __________________ 2008 Evolution of Balance Award - Panama Expedition My Ride The Lobster Photo Album

2008-12-11, 06:46 PM	#7
goldenchickenIV On the toe of Scandinavia Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 140	My average (while enjoying the scenery) on a 20 km track is 18 km/h. __________________ I rarely post comments. Mainly because I run out of different ways to say the same thing. Russ Stutler

2008-12-11, 07:59 PM	#8
johnfoss Ridin' my KH Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Carmichael, CA Posts: 12,542	It's as fast as you pedal it. Beyond that, you have to get more specific. Flat bike path? Tons of traffic with stops? Hills? Bumpy? All will affect your speed. For normal, flat riding, 10mph is a piece of cake for most people. 15 is more of a workout, the fastest speed I can maintain for any extended period (like half an hour if I'm in shape). __________________ John Foss "jfoss" at "unicycling.com" (I don't use the PM feature) www.unicycling.com ------- "Old school Miyata used to be the go to saddle. But the KH owns it in the face." -- Kerosian

2008-12-11, 10:16 PM	#9
naturequack Latest Igloo wall \l/ Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ashland, Oregon, USA Posts: 235	I top out at about 26 km/h and can cruise along comfortably at 20 km/h. But I'm pushing on long cranks (165 mm). They're great for hills but definitely limit my top speed on the flats. I would definitely be comfortable in the "average rider" classification. Although my nose might not be "average". Geoff __________________ monocycle monstrosity Mustn't sleep! Clowns will eat me!

2008-12-11, 10:21 PM	#10
CoreTechs James - Coker,MUni,Trials Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada Age: 22 Posts: 783	I have a cruising speed of around 22km/h. I can max somewhere between 25 and 30km/h

2008-12-11, 10:31 PM	#11
nathan BIG rides: 24"/36" on/off road Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Los Gatos, California Posts: 1,291	I think that when you start, and are able to actually ride for several km at a time, you'll pretty easily go 16km/h. With some practice you'll get that up to 20km/hr without much problem. 25+km/hr for a sustained distance is harder but can be done.

2008-12-11, 11:25 PM	#12
UnicycleJuggler Street tyre, here we come Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: London, UK Age: 24 Posts: 464	Come on guys, lets keep it to one measurement of speed so there's not faffing about with conversions! Does anybody commute or do long rides on a 20"? I only have one unicycle at the moment and can't afford another. I mainly use it for street and trials but I recently mangled one of my fingers in a fixed gear bike chain, so I'm not able to commute on my bike for a while. I've tried a few 1 mile rides and it seems to be taking me around 9-10mins, so I would guess at that being about 6-7Mph average. This does seem pretty slow and I'd like to go faster without pedalling faster then a mosquito on heat. I'm running 127mm cranks and find that if I go any smaller I lose a lot of control. Is the only option to either buy a 24/29/36" unicycle or design a gearing system for my 20"?! __________________ Unicycle Vids On Vimeo

2008-12-12, 12:53 AM	#13
GizmoDuck Uni Hour Record Holder 29.993km Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Wellington, New Zealand/ Middle of NSW, Australia Posts: 2,878	On our Unitours, riders usually average about 16-22kmh/r riding on the flat. Actual average speeds are much slower because of breaks/stops etc. Check out: www.induni.adventureunicyclist.com www.uninam.net www.sinzuni.org www.lut.adventureunicyclist.com Probably SINZ and Uninam had the highest cruising speeds. On the flat, my comfortable cruising is about 24-25km/hr. I can usually wind it up to 28-30km/hr for a few minutes at a time. I can't sprint so I probably top out at about 33k-35km/hr. Ken __________________ Adventure Unicyclist Induni: The India Unicycle Tour Uninam: The Vietnam Unicycle Tour SINZ: The South Island, New Zealand Unitour The Laos Unitour Last edited by GizmoDuck; 2008-12-12 at 12:56 AM.

2008-12-12, 10:15 AM	#14
camrocl Registered User Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Armagh, Northern Ireland Posts: 125	How can you tell you speed. Do you work it out mathmaticaly or do you use a cycle computer. Ive searched for a few cycle computers but they only go up to wheel size 28"...no good for a 36" Thanks in advance

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