Unless you’ve been sleeping under a rock, you’re likely to have heard about recently successful attempt to break the hour record by Alex Dowsett. This got us thinking, what other cycling world records have been set?
This is a list of certified and recognised cycling records as recognised by the Union Cycliste Internationale, International Human Powered Vehicle Association and World Human Powered Vehicle Association, Guinness World Records, International Olympic Committee, the UK Road Records Association or other accepted authorities.
Fastest Speed Record
In this edition of cycling world record, we decided to start with the fastest speed records. There are several different categories to this, according to terrain, bike type and type of pace setter.
Fred Rompelberg 1995 167mph / 268km/h Flat surface, motor-paced |
Eric Barone 2000 138mph / 222km/h Downhill on snow, on a prototype bicycle |
Eric Barone 2002 107mph / 172km/h Downhill on a volcano, on a prototype bicycle |
Eric Barone's bike disintegrated during his 2002 world record attempt as he crashed at incredible speeds. Eric also broke a second world record that day (unofficially) of the world’s luckiest person. Despite the horrifying wipe-out, Eric only sustained a broken rib and some bumps and bruises.
Markus Stöckl 2007 130.7mph / 210.4km/h Downhill on snow, on a serial production bicycle |
Sebastiaan Bowier 2013 83.13mph / 133.78km/h Flat surface, unpaced |
Markus Stöckl 2011 102.5mph / 164.95km/h Downhill on a volcano, on a serial production bicycle |