New world cycling speed record... 174mph...

[HiAsAKite]

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/aug/...

Clearly using a "slipstream" vehicle to ride behind, removing the impact of wind resistance etc..

Pretty impressive, but it appears he didn't have to accelerate to 174, but was towed to 174mph by the slipstream vehicle, then released, and he had to sustain 174 mph between two timing posts of 200m...

I guess keeping the bike stable, and mechanical resistance would be "significant" at that speed, but without needing to accelerate to 174, I would have that most top/pro cyclists would also be able to manage that.

Or am I being unreasonable, how much energy/power does it take to sustain that speed, without wif resistance/drag.

[mac96]

That looks very scary- hats off to the rider.

Surely it's now it's approaching the point where the limiting factor is the towing car and the design of the attachment? It must slow the car down- it's presumably making the car tow a block of air behind, rather than slipping through- so to do much better than 174mph will take something seriously fast. Especially if it needs to be SUV shaped in the first place.

[HiAsAKite]

I think in the article it mentions the next attempt to be on salt flats with a target speed of 220mph.....

[mac96]

So it does. Bit beyond a Cayenne!
I seem to remember hearing/reading that the surface of the salt flats gives a bit under the weight of the vehicle so increasing rolling resistance. That will make it even more impressive.

Found it:

https://saltflats.com/traction.html

[cheddar]

How is this a new world record when a lady averaged 183.9mph over a mile at the salt flats?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6CFTqHbgsKs

[mac96]

Article says it's the male record, and they have lazily assumed the best woman's speed must be less?