Beach cruiser bikes are built for comfortable riding and cruising around the town, but what if you are commuting on a beach cruiser bike and you are late for work, your first question will be how fast can each cruiser bike go? right.
Beach cruiser bikes might not be the fastest bike on the market but beach cruiser bikes can go at a certain speed on flat terrains.
You definitely can’t use beach cruiser bikes for racing with road bikes but you can ride at moderate speed on beach cruiser bikes.
Typically beach cruise bikes are heavy in weight, and the frame design is not built for speed riding purposes, in this article, I will explain everything about how fast beach cruiser bikes can go and 10 tips you can make them even faster bikes.
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How fast can beach cruiser bikes go?
The average speed on a beach cruiser bike is 5 to 15 mp/h, depending on the bike and how fast you’re pedaling it, since beach cruiser bikes are built for cruising over speed, heavy frames, and designs of the bike make it hard to ride at high speed, but in descending roads, you can reach up to 20 mp/h.
The name itself says cruiser bike is built to give the most comfort out of riding a bike, with this type of model bicycle you can’t expect to ride at high speed when it’s not built for one.
With a cadence of 70 to 90 in the single-speed bike, you can ride at 15 mp/h, but on-road bike you can ride at an average speed of 20 mp/h, the only difference between single speed and a road bike is that the road bike is built and designed for speed riding purposes, whereas single speed bike is built for all-purpose use with a simple gearing mechanism.
Beach cruiser bikes are more like single-speed bikes but with more comfort and heavy weight, the bike makes it hard to ride at high speed unless you have a multi-gear shifter.
They’re also more low-key and peaceful than other types of bikes, so you can take your time and enjoy the ride. The main downside is that you can’t go as fast on a beach cruiser as you can on a road or mountain bike.
The fastest beach cruisers can reach speeds of up to 35 miles per hour but don’t expect to get a lot of speed from a bike that isn’t built for it.
These bikes are built for a more leisurely pace and for cruising rather than racing down the road. But don’t let the slower speeds fool you. These bikes can still get you where you need to be in a hurry, especially if you’re used to faster modes of transportation.
10 tips to make beach cruiser bikes faster?
The tips that I am about to share with you will help to make your bike faster, but it also depends on your fitness level, and your bike riding experience, I can’t say after you apply these tips your bike will be as fast as a road bike, No, but it will be faster than before.
Buy the lightest bike:
A light bike is a bicycle with a light frame and light components. Light bikes are more fun to ride than heavier bikes, and they’re usually less expensive. Light bikes are also easy for beginners to ride, and many kids love to ride them.
A Beach cruiser bike on average weighs around 30 to 40 pounds, you cannot carry the beach cruiser bike in a subway or while climbing downstairs. The frame material is built mostly from steel or aluminum to have durability.
Adjust your seat to your height:
To get the most out of your bike, it’s important to know that you should adjust the bike seat to your height while riding. A low seat height can help you achieve a longer, more comfortable ride. It can also make you look cooler,
In the low-seat riding positions, you can’t generate full power just through your lower body, the higher the seat, the more energy you can put into pedaling, and it is easier to pedal.
The best way to adjust your seat to your height while riding is to stand next to your bike and your seat should be equal to your hips. The higher the seat, the faster you can pedal.
Gears shifters:
This one is obvious, when you have the multi-speed gear you change into any speed that is suitable for the terrain, this helps you to go much faster than you can ride on single-speed gear, And you are less likely to get tired.
Installing multi-gear to your bike can be expensive, instead, you can add a 3-speed gear or 7-speed gear that comes with a hand shifter with rotation motions, these gearing systems can help you as much as multi-gear shifters, and it is cheaper too.
Get an electric cruiser bike:
Electric cruisers are the fastest, most comfortable, and most fun way to travel around town. An electric bike has a motor that provides assistance when you pedal, just like the motor on a traditional bike. But unlike a traditional bike, an electric bike has battery packs that are built into the frame of the bike.
This means that when you ride, the motor helps you go faster and also provides you with power when you need it.
A 7-speed beach cruiser bike costs around 2000$, if you really want a bike that is comfortable with faster speed then you can invest in an electric cruiser bike.
Or if you are happy with the speed of a regular beach cruiser bike, that can be okay too.
Keep up with regular maintenance:
Maintenance is important for your bike. A flat tire is a common problem that you’ll run into on each ride. Also, you want to look for damage to the chain or the transmission. If you find damage, you can fix it yourself or you can buy a new chain or transmission.
“How to clean and maintain your cruiser bike?” (click here to read)
It is important to keep the bike clean and dry and to clean the bike, it is necessary to use a water-proof cleaner. It is also recommended to use a bike oil that is safe for motor oil and has a low level of carbon in the oil.
Slick tires help you to make your bike faster:
The best tires are the ones that give you the best grip and the best sliding while riding a bike, for that matter slick tires are good on flat roads they will help you ride a bit faster than you can on average tires with knobs on it.
Nothing is better than slick tires if you want to go speed on the road, slick tires don’t have any knobby button on tires, and slick tires are famous for fixed-gear bikes because it has good grip and is easy to skid.
Cruiser bikes come with all-around use tires that you can use for the type of terrain, but if you want your beach cruiser bike to go faster than before slick tires will definitely help you.
Perfect tire pressure:
A lot of people tend to not care about air pressure while riding a bike, having perfect air pressure according to your weight is important, it determines your smooth riding, your bike speed, and getting a flat tire. Pumping up too much air can lead to a flat tire, but low air can lead to a slow speed.
Check out this chart, this will give you [erfect psi for your weight. (click here to read)
Lubricate your bike often:
You should lubricate your bike every month or every 150 to 200 miles (240 to 320 km) for smooth riding.
Not lubricating your bike can lead you to make squeaking noises from the chain, and it starts to rust slowly, trust me you don’t want your bike to make a squeaking noise while you are riding in the streets that will be a little embarrassing.
Check the alignment of the brake:
Check the alignment of the brakes, and make sure there are no brake rubbers touching the rims, this can cause you to slow down your bike and wear off the brakes pretty fast.
You just have to make sure that the brake rubbers are not touching the rims, and the brakes are on point means when you apply brakes the brakes should be smooth and stiff.
Remove extra components on the bike:
Cruiser bikes come with fenders, baskets, back seats, and bells, removing unnecessary components on the bike it making it look simple and less weight than it was before.
Cruiser bikes are typically heavy bikes, weighing around 30 to 40 pounds which is considered a heavy bike, you cannot carry cruiser bikes on your shoulders, all this weight is put into cruiser bikes because of the durability purpose, and for long-term usage.
Conclusion
Cruiser bikes are as fast as any other normal bicycle, they can reach up to 15 mp/h, but if want to increase your bike’s speed a bit more make sure you go through all the tips mentioned above it sure does help you to get your cruiser bikes faster.
First of all beach cruiser bikes are not built for speed riding, the main motto of beach cruiser bikes is to provide comfort to the rider over speed.
Cruise bikes offer a low seat and upright riding position with a wide curved handlebar that is close to the body, in this design expecting to ride at high speed is not the right thought. But it can go in 20 mp/h on descending roads.
if you are wondering “Are cruiser bikes good for touring?” (click here to read)
