Since I’m an anal-type record-keeping twerp, I have the advantage of some data on almost every ride I’ve ever done on a Coker. I probably rode 100+ miles on my original standard Coker before I bought a computer, but have been tracking ever since. Here are the stats in chronological order from stock coker to custom, then custom with a switch from 150s to 170s, then custom again with 150s. I recently switched back and am happier now.
8.48 mph was my average speed over 136 miles on my standard Coker, with 150s.
8.86 mph was my average speed over 514 miles on my GB4/U-Turn 36, with 150s.
8.64 mph was my average speed over 156 miles on my GB4 with 170s.
8.89 mph is my average speed over 62 miles on my GB4 with 150s again.
That may give you some idea on differences between crank length, at least for the gap between 150 and 170. It is interesting, however, that even with the 170s, my average speed with the custom wheelset was still higher than with shorter cranks but on my original standard wheelset. I chalk this up to inexperience and poor riding skill more than to the wheelset, as Bruce Dawson owns my original standard Coker and can smoke me w/o breaking a sweat.
My fastest speed on my 36 is 14.4 mph, with 150s. I’ve only made it over 14 a handful of times. Right now, that’s more a function of my brain than riding skill. I hit it last night, but I really don’t like to get there on pavement because it’s faster than I can run out of. My fastest recorded speed was actually on a woods trail with a kind of bark mulch surface. It was flat and fast and felt safer than pavement.
I have gone faster than the 14.4 once, on Harper’s Blueshift with an effective 43.5" wheel size. Unfortunately didn’t have a computer to clock it. I only know from the visual clues, as I did it on a local track where I’ve ridden my 36-er at 14. My guess is 17-ish. For some, no big whoop, but it was exhilarating terror for me. That thing just hauls ass…
On the “how far you go before getting tired” question, I think it’s mostly a matter of doing enough riding to build up comfort with the distance. When I first got my Coker 5 to 10 milers felt big. I do that now as an after-dinner joy ride. I can do up to 20-25 miles and still be okay with doing a shorter ride the next day. I’ve only done two rides above 25, one was 33 and one was 55. The 33 wasn’t so bad, but I definitely didn’t ride the next day. The 55 burned me out and the last 5 miles were ugly. I didn’t remount for 2 weeks after that.
To me, the important thing with longer distances is just to give yourself some breaks to get the circulation going. When I do neighborhood rides, I’ll pull up to a mailbox every 4 or 5 miles and just stand on the pedals for a minute, have a drink, re-rack, then continue. On longer rides, will try to dismount at least every 7-10 miles and take a bit of a break. Our group distance rides, as Harper noted, tend to be break-filled affairs.
Have fun with that thing when you get it. I bought my Coker on kind of a lark, but it’s become a bit of an obsession.
