2023-09-30 08:57:16
Descent of a pass without brakes and without handlebars, crossing Niagara Falls, rocket bike, distance or speed records of all kinds: when it comes to pushing the limits of the impossible, cyclists have no shortage of ‘imagination.
To tickle your sense of challenge a little, Sport Equipements has brought together here some of the craziest records achieved with a bike. Enough to give some ideas to fans of unusual challenges.
#1 Descent of the Stelvio without handlebars and without brakes
In 1985, Giuliano Calore launches from the summit of Stelvio at an altitude of 2,758 meters, without handlebars and without brakes.
Launched at 80 km/h, the crazy cyclist hurtles down the 1,848 meters of altitude difference and negotiates the 48 bends in 27 minutes and 1 second.
His driving techniques?
Shifting your center of gravity to bring the bike in the right direction, a straight torso to limit speed gain and rubbing your heel to slow down the wheel.
Arriving safe and sound at the bottom of Stelvio, the record will be approved by the Guinness Book. He will repeat the feat at night in 2015, then aged 77.
Let us point out in passing that Giuliano Calore holds no less than twelve other unusual cycling records, including the ascent of the Stelvio using his right leg alone in 1 hour and 36 minutes.
#2 Cycle 56.375 km in one hour
The conditions for the hour record on a bicycle are still debated among purists.
While some accept the use of aerodynamic models, others prefer to stick to traditional equipment.
On the “classic” side, the bicycle per hour record is held by Ondrej Sosenka, with 49.7 km covered in 60 minutes (July 19, 2005).
The absolute time was achieved by Chris BoardmanSeptember 6, 1996. His achievement: travel 56.375 km in one houraided by a dynamic frame and the use of extenders.
In Superman position, the cyclist even broke the sound barrier! Suffice to say that the cardio and power were there.
Among the veterans, Robert Marchand covered 22,547 km in one hour, at the age of 105. Another crazy record…
#3 Launched at 333 km/h on a rocket bike
In 2013, the Alsatian François Gissy sets out to break the bicycle speed record.
His rocket bike prototype was tested for the first time on May 19, 2013 on a military track.
Measured speed: 263 km/h.
The oven inventor then attracted the attention of the editorial staff of Automoto, who decided to organize a confrontation between the cyclist-astronaut and a Ferrari 430 Scuderiapiloted by Éric Hélary.
The result is clear. Sending hydrogen peroxide at 35 bars to the catalyst instantly generates a geyser of water vapor at 600° C which leaves the Ferrari far behind.
The same day, exhilarated by his victory, François Gissy set off again on the track on the handlebars of his rocket bike.
Its objective: to exceed the 300 km/h mark. His goal was achieved, with 1,800 meters cleared in less than 5 seconds and a top speed recorded at 333 km/h.
The inventor unfortunately died a few years later on a new rocket bike prototype, while he hoped to break the 400 km/h mark.
#4 A top speed of 296 km/h using only the strength of your legs
The Bonneville Salt Desert in the United States is a popular place for cyclists to try to set new speed records.
It must be said that the immense virgin expanses and the absence of roughness make it ideal for this type of challenge.
So it is right here that Denise Mueller-Korenekthen aged 45, shattered the bicycle speed record, with 296 km/h reached on September 16, 2018.
Or a power of 700 watts maintained for more than a minute.
On the technical side, his bike had been specially designed to improve its stability at very high speeds (“chopper” motorcycle type) and the dragster at the front provided optimal shelter from the wind.
The double 62 x 12 transmission allowed it to cover 39 meters in a single pedal stroke, all at 110 rpm.
Suffice it to say that no place had been left to chance!
#5,139,296.3 km traveled by bike over a year
The cycling endurance record has existed for over 100 years and its rules have not changed.
The goal is simple: cover the greatest number of kilometers over a calendar year.
Since 2017, this crazy record has been held by the American Amanda Coker, with 139,296,300 km traveled in one yearor 17,000 km more than the previous record set in 2016 by a Belgian.
And because that wasn’t enough, the young 24-year-old cyclist continued to cycle for another four months to set a new record for 100,000 miles (the equivalent of 160,934 km), which she would eventually complete in 14 months.
If you think that the sportswoman took the opportunity to discover the world by bike, think again!
The feat was achieved on a loop of only 11.2 km in Floridaat a rate of 360 kilometers per day, or approximately 12 hours of daily effort.
Who said anything about boredom?
#6 24 hours and 26 seconds in static balance on a bicycle
In 2019, an unusual record took place in parallel with the Tour de France: that of static balance on a bicycle.
For 24 hours and 26 seconds, the cognitive psychologist Clement Leroy managed to balance on his bike, without its wheels moving more than 10 centimeters forward or backward.
He then beats the previous time by more than 6 hours.
At the age of 13, the young man had already distinguished himself in cycling by becoming world champion in rear-wheel cycling. At the time, he had covered 50 km in less than three hours, pedaling backwards.
A book released in 2020 (The sense of balance: daring to stop to better succeed published by Intervalles) recounts his journey and his motivations.
#7 Crossing Niagara Falls by bike
Let’s end with an older record, but just as impressive.
In 1859, a certain Charles Blondin initiated a new fashion: cross Niagara Falls on a 330 meter long hemp rope.
Among the crowd who came to admire the feat was Andrew Jenkins, a 15-year-old Englishman who had recently immigrated to Canada.
Ten years later, after a lot of training and a successful crossing in the courtyard of his high school (at a height of 15 meters all the same), the young spectator of the time repeated the crossing, this time by pedaling on a thread.
Carried out on August 28, 1869, the bicycle crossing took him eleven minutes and marked his entry into the history of totally crazy cycling records.
Updated by Manon on: 09/30/2023
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