Bump for evening folk.

Does it count as a cycling record if you get a tow up to 105 mph?

I can understand why they did the tow (runway too short) but with Porsche involved it is a shame they couldn't arrange using the Schnellbahn at VW Ehra.

Meh, post again when he does a standing start no tow.

Meh, just waiting to see if guiness will accept my endomondo recording of 989.24mph on the tandem.

Its long, low and slack, must be good.

It's good, but..

You'd never get anywhere from a standing start with a gear big enough to hit max speed.

Genuine question.  Is this a technical achievement or a fitness one?  What sort of power numbers is the guy having to put out - or is it just a question of getting the right car/bike setup to reduce drag enough whilst he spins up a massive gear?

I assume the turbulence at the rear of the vehicle produces a forward airflow, meaning if anything help from the wind.  So it is just rolling friction and stability you have to worry about.  Must get interesting when you leave the slipstream, that may be why the bikes are long.

Very unimpressed. I reckon if I had bigger balls I could be towed to the same speed. What actual effort was required for that?

The question @potato and I are pondering is what power is requred to keep up with the vehicle once you let go of the tow.

I think it was mentioned in the PB article for the new record.  Don't remember really, but it was something like a constant 700 watts for whatever time is required to break the record after the car lets go.  So, sounds pretty impressive to me, and then, you know, the death and stuff too.

Edit: mentioned in this article here  https://www.wired.com/story/denise-mueller-korenek-bike-speed-record-168-mph/

Thanks warpcow.

I haven't found a reference for the governing body for such records yet.  On some photos, Mueller-Koronek's bike looks to be partly inside the fairing, which is a more sophisticated looking thing that that used by Campbell.  If the rules allowed, you could make a fast van with a hole in the floor and some ducts to create an internal tailwind.  The limiting factor does apear to be finding a vehicle for the tow, or rather finding the money to develop one.

I really can't image what it would be like to be that close to a vehicle at 184mph with cycle brakes even if there is a bubble of smooth air.

Massive respect.

What tyres for !84mph? #26aintdead

The Guy Martin speed episode where he tried to break a record like this was pretty cool. Cool bike (impressive approach to gearing) and he was wearing leathers and a motorbike helmet to pedal in. Did a lot of training for it to be able to put down enough power

I can't imagine the air would be at all smooth, but it would be moving on average at around the same speed as the vehicle. I guess the tyres are motorbike tyres rated for the speed.

If you put a tag along bike on the back and towed a 5yr old, would they be the fastest 5yr old on a bike?