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Cyclist pedals 184 mph

I met the previous world record holder, Fred Rompelberg, in Mallorca a few years ago. He organised cycling trips on the island.
 
Mueller-Korenek set a women's speed record of 147 mph in 2016. It took her two years to return to the salt flats to attempt to best the men's record, in part because of a string of setbacks in 2017: a crash that broke a shoulder blade and a rib, as well as an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound to the leg.
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Hmmmm.
 
Prior to Fred Rompelberg, Jean Claude Rude attempted to break the record set by José Meiffret at 204.7km/h (127.2mph) back in 1962 whilst riding behind a Mercedes-Benz 300SL on the Autobahn. The only reason I remember this is because I was into Porsche at the time and Rude's attempt was with the aide of the 800bhp Martini 935. Rude didn't beat the record, but created a different one of his own by safely coming to a stop after blowing his rear tyre at 100mph!

Check out that crankset!

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According to the txt she was towed up to 100mph then released. Still quite an achievement though but I don’t remember Guy Martin being connected to the truck when he made his attempt.
 
wow&flutter said:
According to the txt she was towed up to 100mph then released. Still quite an achievement though but I don’t remember Guy Martin being connected to the truck when he made his attempt.
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Indeed. If I’m towed up to 200mph and turn the crank once to achieve 200.00001 have I set a new record?

It takes massive guts to sit on a bike at 50 (60, 70?)mph+ but I’m not sure that any speed record can rely on a tow?
 
Whaleblue said:
Indeed. If I’m towed up to 200mph and turn the crank once to achieve 200.00001 have I set a new record?

It takes massive guts to sit on a bike at 50 (60, 70?)mph+ but I’m not sure that any speed record can rely on a tow?
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To be fair she got from 100mph at release up to 184mph over the remaining 3 miles, albeit slipstreaming all the way, which is a bit more than a single turn of the crank.
 
There is no way to get these bikes rolling from a standing start with these crankset to final gear ratios.

Watch how fast she drops behind once she backs out of the slipstream, having set the new record...

 
Craig B said:
Watch how fast she drops behind once she backs out of the slipstream,
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Reminds me of the several times I've overcooked it at the front of a chain-gang and then missed the rear wheel of the rider at the back. It's bye bye with no way back.
 
And you'd still have one or two miserable fishes complaining of her holding them up/riding too fast/wearing silly clothing etc
 
Craig B said:
Prior to Fred Rompelberg, Jean Claude Rude attempted to break the record set by José Meiffret at 204.7km/h (127.2mph) back in 1962 whilst riding behind a Mercedes-Benz 300SL on the Autobahn. The only reason I remember this is because I was into Porsche at the time and Rude's attempt was with the aide of the 800bhp Martini 935. Rude didn't beat the record, but created a different one of his own by safely coming to a stop after blowing his rear tyre at 100mph!

Check out that crankset!
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Check out also the forks! The rake is back to front, there must be some weird geometry going on there.
 
AndrewM said:
To be fair she got from 100mph at release up to 184mph over the remaining 3 miles, albeit slipstreaming all the way, which is a bit more than a single turn of the crank.
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Surely the slipstreaming is the weakness of these record attempts?

They are cycling in still air.. effectively the only resistance is that of the mechanical elements of the bicycle?... the tyres and the bearings . After that it is just a question of spinning that huge chainring for a certain amount of time. ( and obviously keeping the bike as still as possible and not wobbling. )

How fast could you set the record if you could possibly do it in a vacuum?

It is the only record that I know of that is allowed with so much assistance.

It is a hell of an achievement but , to me , a bit of a hollow one.
 
Joe said:
Surely the slipstreaming is the weakness of these record attempts?

They are cycling in still air.. effectively the only resistance is that of the mechanical elements of the bicycle?... the tyres and the bearings . After that it is just a question of spinning that huge chainring for a certain amount of time. ( and obviously keeping the bike as still as possible and not wobbling. )

How fast could you set the record if you could possibly do it in a vacuum?

It is the only record that I know of that is allowed with so much assistance.

It is a hell of an achievement but , to me , a bit of a hollow one.
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V. hollow. They might as well add a tow rope and see if it can do 500mph.
 
Should get a special Mutley medal just for what might have happened if she fell off at 180 mph. Bigger testicles than mine.
 
Why criticise this particular record? There are records for unassisted, so maybe concentrate attention on that if you don't like it?

Road race cyclists use slipstreaming. Downhill racers use gravity. Are they all wrong too?
 
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