Long commutes....what's your average mph?

I run about 18mph. I ride through mostly residential neighborhoods and am watching for cars and kids, so I figure that's plenty. Of course, I expect mine will only top out at 25mph or so (33.5cc friction kit), but I haven't opened it up, yet.

At 18mph I feel like I can stop in a hurry, dodge things and still hear the kids in the neighborhood. I enjoy hearing, "Wow, that old guy has a motor on his bicycle!"
 
commute speeds

I cruise on my 4-stroke mountain bike at about 20-25. It can do 30 if I want but it's a huangsheng engine so I'm being good to it.
 
I am building a second bike that I hope goes above 30 mph on a mountain bike frame. I am building it extra strong using downhill parts. Downhill racers are hitting speeds in excess of 60 mph with a bike that weighs about 30 pounds complete. They are relatively safe for several reasons. The parts are built extra strong with high quality materials and workmanship. For instance I will use US made Stainless Wheelsmith spokes that are 2.35 mm at the bend and 2.0 mm the rest of the spoke length. This is what the racers have found is needed to not break spokes.

I will use Deore and Deore XT hubs, Hayes 8 inch hydraulic disk brakes, the down hill spokes, a wider rim as well as heavier stronger downhill tires. That makes up a critical part of the bike it's control and stopping power. Wherever I can I analyze the part, it's use and what is available for performance fast riding. If it is too light I look for better stronger parts. With the frame I can reinforce or rebuild to what I think is strong.

The mechanical maintenance is just as important as all the rest. Yesterday I was tightening up a loosening threadless headset. In the process I discovered why it had loosened, a breaking pincher bolt in the stem. Fortunately good stems have 2 pincher bolts so mine did not fall apart but gave a warning that something was not right. You have to read these signs of part failure and do maintenance to find if anything is breaking. I try to do pretty good maintenance checks every 2 hundred miles. Daily I do a less thourough one but it often finds problems before the problems get bad.

I hope with all this expense of money and time I can almost guarantee a safe ride. Who would live if they needed a 100 percent guarantee, so I just ride my best with the best equipment I can have. I may not need a faster ride but I think I do want power to climb hills and speed out of intersections and other dangerous situations.
 
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I ride at exactly 29.3 mph, that's my sweet spot where the motor runs perfect.
And 20 in neighborhoods.
 
I pretty much run it WOT most of the time.... I do run it with a bit of extra oil for insurance. It runs smoothest at WOT for me and makes the least amount of noise... it's also very fun.
 
I have a 70cc on a 26" beach cruiser, 44T sprocket. I cruise at 20 - 23 mph. I want to see how long I can make my engine last.
 
Average speed for my last long run was 25mph over 21 miles.

I tend to run WOT because I get vibration and clutch wibbles at speeds lower than 25-26mph for some reason

Jemma xx
 
I've never taken my bike WOT before until this weekend. Seems to go right up to about 30 mph without much problem. I don't keep it there for very long. I run Amsoil at 25:1 mixture. Everything seems to run perfectly. I did notice a little more power when I ran it 32:1 but it's been a little hotter here and I thought the extra oil would be good for the engine riding in 90 degree weather. I ordered a Boost Bottle that should come this week. I'm anxious to see the effects it will have on the performance.
I think that anything above 30 mph is really unnecessary right now. I enjoy the 23 to 25 mph sweetspot. I feel like I'm movin pretty good and what's even more awesome is that I left for work last week with a full tank...to work - 21 miles...home - 21 miles...a trip to Taco Bell just for the heck of it 3 miles. When I got home there was still enough gas in the tank to cover the curved ridge on the bottom of the tank. I figure I had a good 10 miles left. Now that's hypermileing baby!!
 
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