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

  • Pilosio Building Peace Award: think past the balance sheet
    April 20, 2016
    Construction companies have the power to make a positive impact on the lives of people in need around the world, but the sector must think past the corporate bottom line. So said the former president of Uruguay, José Alberto Mujica Cordano, in his impassioned acceptance speech as recipient of this year’s Pilosio Building Peace Award.
  • Milling versatility on German road job
    March 22, 2017
    Milling efficiently with a versatile, mid-sized machine has offered benefits on a German road job. A German contractor has found that using a mid-sized milling machine from Wirtgen has offered a good combination of both versatility and productivity for a road rebuild job. Kassel-based milling specialist VORO has used a Wirtgen W 100 CFi to upgrade the surface of a section of the busy B3 route. The B3 is an important route and runs 755km from Buxtehude in the north of Germany through to the Swiss border in t
  • Aggregate machinery makers raise the efficiency bar
    May 22, 2018
    Manufacturers of crushers and screens are making their equipment more efficient as well as quieter. Among new entrants into the jaw crusher market is the MC 120 Pro, from Writgen company Kleemann. It was launched last September at the industry trade fair in Homberg/Nieder-Ofleiden, Germany. Both the diesel-electric jaw crusher – operating as part of an interlinked machine combination additionally comprising the MCO 11 PRO cone crusher and MS 953 EVO screening plant – and the MBRG 2000 granulator showed off
  • The Mersey Gateway bridge project continues on schedule
    October 18, 2016
    Work continues on the 2.3km Mersey Gateway signature bridge project close to Liverpool in the UK. David Arminas reports on some of the construction highlights. Under construction is a cable-stayed structure with three towers that will span the Mersey River’s expansive mud flats between the towns of Runcorn and Widnes near Liverpool. Including the approach viaducts on each side, it will be 2.3km long with a river span of 1km. The main bridge deck will be reinforced concrete. The 80m-high central tower will b