# Bicycle speed records **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 15, 2002, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-speed-records/109165 "2002-05-15T07:02:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Falchoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/76d3ee/32.png) [@Falchoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Falchoon)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2002, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-speed-records/109165/1 "2002-05-15T07:02:08Z")
Sorry if this has been done before but I couldn’t find the answers I was looking for by doing a search on here but I’m trying to find out world records (or even US or Australian records would do) for the fastest speed achieved on a push bike. Not towed along behind a car, just pedalling, preferably on flat ground. I have a mate that reckons he used to do 100km/h keeping up with cars when he was a teenager (20 year ago) on his 10spd racing bike. I think this is highly unlikely, the fastest I have gone, downhill (couldn’t keep up with the pedals), was a shade over 70km/h measured with a reasonably accurate Cateye bike computer and that was as quick as I ever want to go! ---
**Author:** ![heresiarch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/278dde/32.png) [@heresiarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heresiarch)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2002, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-speed-records/109165/2 "2002-05-15T07:49:45Z")
My guess is that your friend was exaggerating, or maybe estimated badly. However, it’s possible to break 100 kp/h on a bike, but [take a look](http://www.wisil.recumbents.com/wisil/speedruns2000/worlds-fastest-bicycle-2000.htm) at the kind of bikes we’re talking about. Recumbent bikes, full fairing and professional cyclists. In 1985, [John Howard](http://www.canosoarus.com/08LSRbicycle/LSR%20Bike01.htm) set a record of 152 mph, but he was drafting a motor vehicle. And in 1995, [according to Exploratorium](http://www.exploratorium.edu/cycling/timeline.html) a new record of 166.9 mph was set by 50 year old Fred Rompelberg. ---
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2002, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-speed-records/109165/3 "2002-05-15T12:27:08Z")
I think the last time I saw a record posted, the holder was Caroline “Curlie” Curl. It was downhill in a speedsuit and aero helmet, and may have been on snow. If you Google her name, you may find an accurate answer. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2002, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-speed-records/109165/4 "2002-05-15T15:32:48Z")
For flat course, over 200 meters, the current record appears to be 80.55 MPH. [http://www.wisil.recumbents.com/wisil/whpsc2001/speedchallenge-2001.htm](http://www.wisil.recumbents.com/wisil/whpsc2001/speedchallenge-2001.htm) I’ve done 50 MPH downhills, and the bike racers in the Tour de France regularly do 75 MPH on downhills. If you are drafting behind cars you can do those speeds on straight sections of road easily. ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2002, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-speed-records/109165/5 "2002-05-15T17:22:53Z")
I have it on good authority that the speed record for a long hallway similar to one that might be found in a college dormitory is 14.2 mph (22.8 km/h). The actual distance over which this occurs is undetermined. (The hallway was L-shaped. One had to ride full-force – at a mirror – in the long direction, then manage to exit the bicycle by jumping onto objects similar to mattresses found in a college dormitory, while avoiding breaking the mirror.) ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2002, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-speed-records/109165/6 "2002-05-15T17:29:06Z")
Apologies if this double-posts I have it on good authority that the speed record for a long hallway similar to one that might be found in a college dormitory is 14.2 mph (22.8 km/h). The actual distance over which this occurs is undetermined. (The hallway was L-shaped. One had to ride full-force – at a mirror – in the long direction, then manage to exit the bicycle by jumping onto objects similar to mattresses found in a college dormitory, while avoiding breaking the mirror.) ---
**Author:** ![parisms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@parisms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/parisms)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2002, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-speed-records/109165/7 "2002-05-15T23:07:31Z")
that’s interesting, I just saw an article similar to this the other day from [fark.com](http://fark.com) [http://www.mycfnow.com/orlpn/news/stories/news-145865020020514-130549.html](http://www.mycfnow.com/orlpn/news/stories/news-145865020020514-130549.html) The video makes you cringe