70mph on a 16" folder... World Record?

[snafu21]

Keep your sprint bikes:

"AS WORLD speed record attempts go, it's one of the more unlikely.
That's because Yorkshire stuntman Rob Jarman won't be behind the controls of a high-powered car, superbike or speedboat.

Instead, Rob, of Harrogate, will be pushing the pedals of a FOLDING BICYCLE."


Ya. It's a Mezzo, natch. Full story here (http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/Stuntman-puts-his-life-on.4140844.jp):

[Caaah]

Ew! Ow!

"you can lose an inch of skin per second if you go down on dry tarmac."

[neilfein]

I get nervous when I get near 20mph on my Curve. Good luck to him.

[jur]

I've been to 74 on my Downtube Mini. So that's faster. :thumb:

[JSnow789]

I'm happy cruising by the stopped traffic on my Strida at 10mph.

:commute:

[EvilV]

I've been to 74 on my Downtube Mini. So that's faster. :thumb:

Yeah but that was when it was in the back of your car. My TSR has did 87 mph on the way back from collecting it.

:)

[Sammyboy]

I hit 34 on my IXFS today, and given the gearing, I was spinning like a demon. Only gravity will get me faster than that!

[LittlePixel]

I topped out on a downhill on my Raleigh Twenty back in the SRAM 7 speed days at 41mph which was pretty special. What size chainring does that guy have?

[jur]

Yeah but that was when it was in the back of your car. My TSR has did 87 mph on the way back from collecting it.

:)Oh wait. You guys are talking the furlong-fortnight-stone system. I was talking SI.

87mph - how many furlongs per fortnight is that?

[alhedges]

Oh wait. You guys are talking the furlong-fortnight-stone system. I was talking SI.

87mph - how many furlongs per fortnight is that?

Eleventy-one, assuming imperial furlongs and fortnights.

[itsmoot]

What size chainring does that guy have?

At least a furlong and a half.

Lose 1" of skin? More like 1/16" of skin, the remaining 15/16ths would be muscle and bone.

[stevegor]

70 MPH??.....Phfftt, let me introduce..."THE WASP"

[mrbrown]

The fastest I ever did on my Curve was 42mph. Scared the **** out of me. Haha!

[Bacciagalupe]

I hate to be a skeptic, but... ;) I don't think this guy quite understands what's involved in going from 50mph to 70mph.

In general, 40+ mph on a downhill is totally doable on just about any bike. Heck, even I've done it. :D So, let's say you are on a descent with a 10% grade, no wind, in the most aerodynamic position possible without using a recumbent. You can descend at 60mph with no effort -- assuming you can control the bike.

However, under the same conditions, getting up to 70mph could require you to put out 1200 watts. FYI, that's ~300 watts more than David Millar or Christian Vande Velde's peaks, and 100 watts more than Magnus Backstedt's peak, during the TTT at this year's Giro. I.e. even going downhill on a 10% grade, he'd have to put out more power than some of the top competitive pros.

Remember, drag does not increase in a linear fashion with speed, it increases exponentially. So the faster you go, you need to put out significantly more power to increase your speed.

I'm sure he can get close to 50mph for brief periods on a properly kitted out Mezzo. And it is possible that he may break a record (especially since it doesn't sound like one has been set yet :p). But even with the aero advantages of small wheels, and assuming the bike itself is tremendously aero (possible but not likely), unless he's got a rocket pack hidden in the bike, I don't see how he's going to hit 70.

[itsmoot]

+1

If this thread was in the recumbents forum they'd get a good laugh. Just a couple years ago the world speed record for a bicycle was just shy of 80mph in a streamliner (a 2-wheeled recumbent fully enclosed in an aerodynamic shell). Google "Fast Freddy Markham" or check out the video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5C-rwPP_gQ).

Now back in the late 70s some guy rode a diamond frame bike BEHIND a souped-up truck that had a canopy that extended back around the rider. The canopy allowed him to easily draft the truck. IIRC the final speed record set was around 180mph. And LP, that time the crank was about the size of a large pizza pan.

Around 50mph if he's on an unfaired upright bike with no trickery like drafting a high speed vehicle. Whos taking bets?

[snafu21]

I hit a 'massive' 24 mph for a moment on the Hammerhead yesterday. I was feeling kind of gloaty until I popped into the roadie thread and read of +30 mph averages... :-(

[Fear&Trembling]

70mph will not happen unless he is drafting.

[snafu21]

Is this the same Rob "Ride like a b*st*rd" Jarman who rode an MTB down the ski slope/bobsleigh thing at Lillehammer?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWW4TCltVYo

Cripes!


I don't see how he's going to get that Mezzo up to 70mph, unless he's powered by baked-Bean gas.

But we should support him. Perhaps he'll come along to the next Hyde Park Meet, do a few stunts with his trousers on fire, then buy us all buns and coffee..

[jur]

I hate to be a skeptic, but... ;) I don't think this guy quite understands what's involved in going from 50mph to 70mph.......... But even with the aero advantages of small wheels, and assuming the bike itself is tremendously aero (possible but not likely), unless he's got a rocket pack hidden in the bike, I don't see how he's going to hit 70.
+1

The aeroness of the bike is small compared to the chunkiness of the rider. He will have to wear something unbelievably slippery and go down a long 20% slope. I got over 80km/h on my Swift in a bunch down a steep road. (The roadie bunch kept rather wide of me. :D )

[rhm]

I hit 30.4 mph on my Downtube Mini yesterday,coming down off a railroad overpass. And I hit 31.8 coming down off the Queensborough Bridge last week! That was my record on this bike, and I was pretty pleased with it. One of these days I'll find a real hill and top 35....

[LittlePixel]

(The roadie bunch kept rather wide of me. :D )


In case of dislodging hubcaps lol...

[EvilV]

Is this the same Rob "Ride like a b*st*rd" Jarman who rode an MTB down the ski slope/bobsleigh thing at Lillehammer?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWW4TCltVYo

Cripes!


I don't see how he's going to get that Mezzo up to 70mph, unless he's powered by baked-Bean gas.

But we should support him. Perhaps he'll come along to the next Hyde Park Meet, do a few stunts with his trousers on fire, then buy us all buns and coffee..

That's nothing - take a look at the feat of my brother here ->

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKRx1Vd0XFo&feature=related

[EvilV]

I hate to be a skeptic, but... ;) I don't think this guy quite understands what's involved in going from 50mph to 70mph.


I think you are right. Even these guys in impeccably faired recumbant racing machines only get to about 76 mph - did I say only?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUgXtZFdUcs&NR=1

[EvilV]

I'm tired of small wheels. I want one of these.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ui4kI-RHS1Q&feature=related

[pm124]

I've hit 30MPH on a flat (max, not an average) and 46MPH on a downhill. That's about 10MPH faster than I feel comfortable going. Suspended small wheeled bikes might be faster than large wheeled bikes under many conditions, but they are not as stable at high speeds. At 46, even the roadies around me were braking, but I'm sure they felt a bit more steady than I did.

He should at least be riding a Moulton!

[BruceMetras]

I'm tired of small wheels. I want one of these.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ui4kI-RHS1Q&feature=related

Just add engine to hit big numbers! :roflmao2:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4YmVP6i4qw&feature=related

[kiwichris]

Just add engine to hit big numbers! :roflmao2:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4YmVP6i4qw&feature=related

and if you don't wanna die in the process then try this model >
http://nz.youtube.com/watch?v=I_TTCsxMhTs&NR=1

wa wa wee wow!

[LittlePixel]

I hear he's getting Kuwahara's special projects division involved with the power assist:

http://www.rintendo.com/Pics/TU-FireTrickBOB01c-m.jpg
http://www.rintendo.com/Pics/TU-AquaTrickBOB01c-m.jpg
http://www.rintendo.com/Pics/TU-ElectricBOB04b-m.jpg

[v6v6v6]

I hear he's getting Kuwahara's special projects division involved with the power assist:

http://www.rintendo.com/Pics/TU-FireTrickBOB01c-m.jpg Well, sure, stickers and bright colors make anything go fast! :thumb:

[owenfinn]

Managed to get my Curve SL to 37 MPH - going down a mountain. It was a thrill to say the least and I felt like I was pushing the sound barrier, but, the bike performed really well and was stable enough for me to take a hand off in order to push back my messenger bag a couple of times. I had to ride the brakes often because of traffic and some very sharp turns, so, on a good, straight, steep road I suppose about 50 MPH could be possible, but 70!! - I'd think a light folder might take to the air before reaching that speed.

[Maxximum]

I'm tired of small wheels. I want one of these.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ui4kI-RHS1Q&feature=related

looks like the "It" gyroscopic bike from South Park, invented by Mr. Garrison.
http://byfiles.storage.live.com/y1pRc6Yas_JYZdkQjiSMZDAIuMAwTj-Yixm57n3QZJwUx7zVawj5xPoIS8_eccWEHpFaL3vwjKHizc