Skip to main content

Cycling heavyweight

A German man from Schleswig-Holstein has set a new world record. With his 1.1tonne bicycle he has now had his name listed by the Guinness World Records for the world’s heaviest bicycle. The man rode his monster, self-built bicycle a distance of 100m to claim the record, beating the previous title holder which tipped the scales at a mere 860kg. Because of its immense size and weight, the bicycle did have to be equipped with training wheels at the rear to ensure it remained stable. Novel features for the bicy
January 27, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
A German man from Schleswig-Holstein has set a new world record. With his 1.1tonne bicycle he has now had his name listed by the Guinness World Records for the world’s heaviest bicycle. The man rode his monster, self-built bicycle a distance of 100m to claim the record, beating the previous title holder which tipped the scales at a mere 860kg. Because of its immense size and weight, the bicycle did have to be equipped with training wheels at the rear to ensure it remained stable. Novel features for the bicycle include secondhand tyres previously fitted to a muck spreader and a seat made of a beer crate, with a piece of bent sheet steel bolted on top. A low gear ratio ensured the man had sufficient strength to cover the distance required to claim the record, while clocking a cruising speed of 5km/h. Its enormous weight and low gear ratio means that its use for long distance cycle touring or regular commuting will be out of the question. The man, a truck driver, said he found inspiration to build his bicycle while sitting by a local canal and watching the ships go by.

Related Content

  • Formwork developments in bridge construction
    February 23, 2012
    Major infrastructure projects worldwide are relying on innovative formwork solutions for speed and safety as Patrick Smith reports. The 970m long cable-stayed Golden Ears Bridge crossing the Fraser River in Vancouver, Canada, is the core element of a six-lane, highway project near the Canadian west coast.
  • SANY Mining is expanding its rigid truck presence
    October 14, 2013
    SANY Mining is gearing up to expand sales of its rigid haul truck range, as well as developing new models - Mike Woof writes. The global rigid dump truck market is at present dominated by a small number of manufacturers, but SANY Mining intends to challenge its main rivals internationally, having developed its presence in its home market. SANY Mining is continuing to expand its SRT range of off-highway dump trucks, as well as boosting its sales of these machines in China and for export.
  • Caterpillar’s 966K XE wheel loader will take centre stage at INTERMAT
    January 6, 2017
    Caterpillar, in cooperation with the Cat dealer in France, Bergerat Monnoyeur, says that innovative design of its 966K XE wheel loader will take centre stage at Intermat.
  • Caterpillar’s 966K XE wheel loader will take centre stage at INTERMAT
    February 2, 2012
    Caterpillar, in cooperation with the Cat dealer in France, Bergerat Monnoyeur, says that innovative design of its 966K XE wheel loader will take centre stage at Intermat.