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

  • New compact slipformer widens G&Z range
    March 17, 2016
    A new and more compact slipform paver is being introduced by Guntert & Zimmerman, widening the firm’s range of models. The company has been known in the past for its large slipform pavers used in road and airport runway jobs but in recent years has developed smaller and more compact units. The S400 shares many of its features with the existing S600, which was previously the most compact model in the line-up. The firm’s German representative, Peter Hedke said, “It’s the smallest machine we’ve ever built.”
  • New compact slipformer widens G&Z range
    March 17, 2016
    A new and more compact slipform paver is being introduced by Guntert & Zimmerman, widening the firm’s range of models. The company has been known in the past for its large slipform pavers used in road and airport runway jobs but in recent years has developed smaller and more compact units. The S400 shares many of its features with the existing S600, which was previously the most compact model in the line-up. The firm’s German representative, Peter Hedke said, “It’s the smallest machine we’ve ever built.”
  • Weigh in motion technology reduces road damage
    February 8, 2012
    Overweight vehicles cause enormous damage to road structures but they can be caught, even at high speed. Weigh-in-motion or WIM devices are designed to capture and record axle weights and gross vehicle weights as vehicles drive over a measurement site.
  • New asphalt paving technologies boost performance
    February 28, 2012
    Sophisticated new paving technologies are coming to market that will help boost quality and performance. New paving technologies are being introduced to meet the differing demands of both North American and European customers. Although North American and European paving techniques do vary, there are also some control technologies being introduced that will help quality for both approaches.