1974 10-speed Bicycle Acceleration Figures

[Fleet 500]

Back in the '70s, I did some acceleration times with my '74 Huffy 10-speed bicycle because I was curious.

Me on the bike and a brother doing the timing using a watch.

Here were the results:

0-10 mph--------- 1.4 seconds
0-15 mph--------- 3.2
0-20 mph--------- 5.0
0-30 mph--------- 18.0
0-35 mph--------- 33.0

Passing: 5-15 mph- 4.0

Actual 1/4 mile---- 33 seconds @ 35 mph
Top speed-------- Approx. 37 mph

I don't think I could match those times now, being about 30 lbs heavier and 30+ years older.


I also did a similar test with my early-'70s dirt bike, but I can't find those figures. They are around somewhere.

[manlas]

ah yes... a '74 Huffy 10-speed, nice bike.

I had a colnago 18 speed. Still have it stored in the garage for my future kids to use

[coolieman1220]

pedal bike or gas?

[Fleet 500]

Originally Posted by coolieman1220

pedal bike or gas?

Who are you directing your question to?

[cmcpokey]

Originally Posted by coolieman1220

pedal bike or gas?

being that it's a huffy... i'd say pedal.

[Fleet 500]

Originally Posted by cmcpokey

being that it's a huffy... i'd say pedal.

Yes, it was a regular pedal-type bike.

[RSOWNER]

I think the closest i came to doing anything close to that was a drag race back in the 80's over 100 metres between myself on my Skyline TA bmx against an old friends AR50 motorbike. I beat him by a good 15 metres since his motorbike had a restricted top speed of 26mph :P

Likewise i couldn't do that now either since i'm about 5 stones heavier and +24 years

[Fleet 500]

Originally Posted by RSOWNER

I think the closest i came to doing anything close to that was a drag race back in the 80's over 100 metres between myself on my Skyline TA bmx against an old friends AR50 motorbike. I beat him by a good 15 metres since his motorbike had a restricted top speed of 26mph :P

I once raced a moped from a standing start. I easily won but it was one of the slower mopeds.

Likewise i couldn't do that now either since i'm about 5 stones heavier and +24 years

Yes, age and weight are a factor!

[drakkie]

Originally Posted by Fleet 500

I once raced a moped from a standing start. I easily won but it was one of the slower mopeds.

Sounds familiar I once raced my friend on his moped (restricted on 27mph) as well. I won easily. In the time it took the scooter to wind up revs for the CVT i was waaaay ahead

Yes, age and weight are a factor!

Don't talk me about it.. I get tired by even looking at the bike nowadays..

[henk4]

Interesting figures...
Questions:
What gear ratio did you use? Front blade and rear please.
Did you shift and if so to what gears?
and btw 10-speed is purely theoretical, there will certainly be overlaps, and using the large front blade in combo with the largest sprocket on the wheel will wear out your chain very rapidly. When the weather gets a bit better here I'll see what I can do with my 30-speed gearbox....

[Fleet 500]

Originally Posted by henk4

Interesting figures...
Questions:
What gear ratio did you use? Front blade and rear please.
Did you shift and if so to what gears?
and btw 10-speed is purely theoretical, there will certainly be overlaps, and using the large front blade in combo with the largest sprocket on the wheel will wear out your chain very rapidly.

That is a tough question, having done the test so many years ago.
I know I started out in 1st gear. IIRC, I did "jump" a gear or two because it would have hurt the acceleration times if I shifted one gear at a time. It was probably something like 1st to 3rd to 7th to 9th.
I always did like to keep the chain on the smaller of the two on the front sprocket.

I did forget to mention that my bicycle had a speedometer. For the mph acceleration, I called out when I reached a certain speed and my brother would tell me the time on the watch.

When the weather gets a bit better here I'll see what I can do with my 30-speed gearbox....

It would be interesting to see the results.

[Aloser]

Originally Posted by Fleet 500

I once raced a moped from a standing start. I easily won but it was one of the slower mopeds.

I started out behind a moped which was already moving at full throttle and passed it on my 3 speed bicycle. Of course, I was much younger then.

[VOGUE_MAN]

1/4 mile time is faster than I thought it would be.

[Fleet 500]

Originally Posted by VOGUE_MAN

1/4 mile time is faster than I thought it would be.

I was kind of surprised, too, when the time came out to 33 seconds. Unlike a car, though, I couldn't do one run after another... to tiring.

[wwgkd]

Originally Posted by Fleet 500

I was kind of surprised, too, when the time came out to 33 seconds. Unlike a car, though, I couldn't do one run after another... to tiring.

I saw a test of a ladder (fire) truck that ran the 1/4 slower than that. I did similar when riding my bike in places with no sidewalk. You find that it is possible to keep up with traffic in the city, although quite a bit more tiring than driving.