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I am not taking away from this feat because that is an amazing speed. Someone having the courage to stay on a bike going nearly 200 mph is incredible. I don’t

by S_A_P 8y ago

I am not taking away from this feat because that is an amazing speed. Someone having the courage to stay on a bike going nearly 200 mph is incredible. I don’t want to get into the gender aspect of this either. My question is that it seems peculiar to even attempt a speed record under circumstances that are so completely artificial. Trailing a vehicle that blocks the wind? Having to be towed more than half way to the final velocity? Sure it’s a record, but it isn’t one that reflects any real world scenario. I would be very interested in what the speed record is when someone gets on a very expensive well engineered bike from a stop and under ideal yet still realistic conditions is able to reach x mile/km per hour under human power only. I don’t mean this as snark either it just seems like there are infinite stilted scenarios where we can imagine some “world record” such as “world hang gliding speed record holder exceeds Mach 1 while tethered to supersonic plane”. Maybe I’m answering my own question here when I say maybe it’s about the engineering required to do this safely.

contravariant 8y ago
You'll want to look into the hour record then, currently held by Bradley Wiggins at 54.526 km.
mannykannot 8y ago
I also feel the same way about using reaction motors (jets and rockets) to set land and water speed records - they seem to fall into the rather arbitrary category of "let's do everything we can to go as fast as possible except put wings on on it." Ultimately, though, it is even more about the courage to try it than the technology.
- S_A_P 8y ago
  indeed- the idea that you can strap a rocket to anything to increase its velocity really only serves to advance things like braking and tire technology. That is, however, a valid pursuit.
- NullPrefix 8y ago
  >except put wings One could argue that spoilers fall into the category of wings. Only difference is the lift direction.
  - mannykannot 8y ago
    One could be technically correct, while missing the point, by so arguing.
gameswithgo 8y ago
>but it isn’t one that reflects any real world scenario Neither is the tour de france, the HPVA record, the hour record. such is life, enjoy it.
- S_A_P 8y ago
  Well the TDF is at least theoretically supposed to be run by folks who don't dope, train hard and do the entire ride under their own power. The fact that you mention it in the same vain as this record did make me laugh though since reality is about the same level of "fake".

by S_A_P 8y ago

contravariant 8y ago

You'll want to look into the hour record then, currently held by Bradley Wiggins at 54.526 km.

mannykannot 8y ago

I also feel the same way about using reaction motors (jets and rockets) to set land and water speed records - they seem to fall into the rather arbitrary category of "let's do everything we can to go as fast as possible except put wings on on it." Ultimately, though, it is even more about the courage to try it than the technology.

S_A_P 8y ago
indeed- the idea that you can strap a rocket to anything to increase its velocity really only serves to advance things like braking and tire technology. That is, however, a valid pursuit.
NullPrefix 8y ago
>except put wings One could argue that spoilers fall into the category of wings. Only difference is the lift direction.
- mannykannot 8y ago
  One could be technically correct, while missing the point, by so arguing.

gameswithgo 8y ago

>but it isn’t one that reflects any real world scenario Neither is the tour de france, the HPVA record, the hour record. such is life, enjoy it.

S_A_P 8y ago
Well the TDF is at least theoretically supposed to be run by folks who don't dope, train hard and do the entire ride under their own power. The fact that you mention it in the same vain as this record did make me laugh though since reality is about the same level of "fake".