Is Top Speed THAT important?

[rustycase]

Participation in the Top Speed thread seems to be largest on the board...

I'm new to the china MB's.
I'd like to know what's REALLY best, all around, so I can build mine right.

Is Top Speed THAT important?

My question is, What configuration HANDLES best ?
..and of course, which braking setup works best?

Thanks to all
rc

 

[Al.Fisherman]

My bike can probably hit 30+. But I hardly push it faster then 20. If something goes wrong I'd like to stop before I hit the pavement. These old bones and thin skin doesn't heal as well as when I was 30. Speed means NOTHING to me...maybe years ago yea. I'm not in ANY HURRY to get anywhere, If I am then I'll take mu truck. Other then loading my bike in the truck (to climb Oak Mountain).. http://www.alapark.com/oakmountain/ I stay within 10 miles. Town is 5 miles, and the three other towns close are within the 10 mile range.

 

[Happy Valley]

That's kind of a loaded question, regardless of the opinion of others the thing to ask is how important is it to yourself?

 

[5-7HEAVEN]

Participation in the Top Speed thread seems to be largest on the board...

I'm new to the china MB's.
I'd like to know what's REALLY best, all around, so I can build mine right.

Is Top Speed THAT important?

My question is, What configuration HANDLES best ?
..and of course, which braking setup works best?

Thanks to all
rc

Personally, I am afraid to see what my top speed would be.

I've had my bike up to 43 mph in a 35 mph zone. Then I start worrying about getting a speeding ticket. If stopped by a policeman, that would bring me and my MB under scrutiny, legality, etc.

So top speed is not important to me. I avoid 45 mph speed zones, because cars are travelling up to 55 mph there. Since I always claim the lane, I'd be a sitting duck in the middle of the road.

Enough low-end torque to climb the steep ramps at my workplace garage is very important to me. I start from a complete stop at the bottom of the ramp. Since I'm using a shift kit, pedalling is nowhere as helpful as with friction drive or ancilliary sprockets.

Quickness/acceleration and low end/midrange power means EVERYTHING to me. First and second gear ratio is critical for me to distance myself with the impatient drivers behind me. I claim the road, so I need to be out there quickly.

Yesterday, I was at a traffic intersection stop on a hill, sandwiched between two city buses. The bus driver behind me gave me a honk, but I ignored him. I KNEW he thought I was a slowpoke bicyclist, and wanted me to pull onto the sidewalk. When the light turned green, I let him know why I am entitled to claim the lane. I put several hundred yards of space between that bus and me. He caught up to me at the traffic intersection on the next hill, and I zoomed away.

My next build is Project 29er. It will have twin 4.2 hp GP460 engines, rack-mounted and running through a NuVinci hub. It will have BRUTAL acceleration. Top speed will probably be 55 mph, but there's no way in **** that I will push that bike to its speed limit.

Well, maybe up to 50 mph in a 45 mph zone.

 

[tone2crazy]

My next build is Project 29er. It will have twin 4.2 hp GP460 engines, rack-mounted and running through a NuVinci hub. It will have BRUTAL acceleration. Top speed will probably be 55 mph, but there's no way in **** that I will push that bike to its speed limit.

Well, maybe up to 50 mph in a 45 mph zone.

that sounds crazy fast, i was working on a twin 460 goped, but i gave up the sprot b4 it got finished. i was planning on an engine on the side of the wheel and one on top, with chain/gears on both sides of the wheel.

sounds like a crazy, adrenaline pumping project.

 

[tone2crazy]

an rc, im sure the more you ride your bike, the less of a rush you get at top speed. which is why alot of people are so concerned with more top speed. plus the bragging rights. imo

 

[Happy Valley]

an rc, im sure the more you ride your bike, the less of a rush you get at top speed. which is why alot of people are so concerned with more top speed. plus the bragging rights. imo

Heh, I get a chuckle out of the that. When I ride with my bud on his 50cc Yamaha Zuma scooter I guess he's got bragging rights cause he's always leaving me in the dust, lol.

 

[5-7HEAVEN]

that sounds crazy fast, i was working on a twin 460 goped, but i gave up the sprot b4 it got finished. i was planning on an engine on the side of the wheel and one on top, with chain/gears on both sides of the wheel.

sounds like a crazy, adrenaline pumping project.

I built a twin-engine cruiser bike. It ran two 2.2hp Mitsubishi engines with ADA S1 pipes. Top speed was only 39 mph, but acceleration, especially uphill, was excellent.

Quickness, not speed, is what I need.

I'll also need to solve the weight distribution on Project 29er. It'll be very heavy at the rear and light up front.

 

[5-7HEAVEN]

an rc, im sure the more you ride your bike, the less of a rush you get at top speed. which is why alot of people are so concerned with more top speed. plus the bragging rights. imo

To keep things in perspective, I keep repeating three words when riding at 60kph(37.5mph)..."This is crazy, this is crazy, this is crazy".

At 48-56kph(30-35mph), I say..."This is okay, this is okay, this is okay".

Nearing home, on the last two blocks, I cruise between 24-32kph(15-20mph)in the bike lane and say "This ride is over... this ride is over... this ride is over".

 

[Big Red]

Top speed.

tone2crazy is right about it some of it being bragging rights. MY OPINION, A solid build is MUCH more important than speed. Most of my bikes can hit 35 or 40mph. (depending on gear ratio, tire size,ect.) The speed limit in California for M.B's is 30mph, So anything over that is rarely used,(by me) anyway. I just feel that if ya wanna do 60mph, get a motorcycle.
Thanks,
Big Red.