Break a bicycle land speed record with the help of Porsche

Imagine riding your bicycle to 240 km/h while being towed behind a vehicle

For most cars nowadays, hitting 240 km/h is a relatively easy thing to do. The same can't be said for bicycles however. As you alone power the bicycle, pedalling from a standstill will likely tire you out even before reaching the bike's potentital top speed. Should you be chasing land speed records, you can get a tow from a fast car, which is exactly what Neil Campbell did.

The British cyclist set a new European bicycle land speed record of 240 km/h with the help of a Porsche Cayenne Turbo over the stretch of a 3.2km long runway. Porsche's SUV was only modifed with a large panel attached to the rear holding the towline attachment and a camera. British champion drag racer Andy Frost was enlisted to drive the high-performance SUV.

For the run, Campbell used a special bicycle built by Moss Bikes and uses a mix of carbon fiber and 3D-printed components. He was then towed up to 168 km/h before the towline detached from his bike. He then had to pedal on his own to 240 km/h. Thanks to the large panel fitted on the Cayenne, it helped reduce Campbell's drag as he followed behind the SUV, making him more aerodynamic.

“All the time the Cayenne was right ahead of me, clearing the air – it was so stable. I look back on the pictures and think ‘what was I thinking’ but I was focussed I didn’t really take it all in. It’s an incredible feeling – to get 149 mph on such a short runway is beyond anything I expected,” said Campbell.

Needless to say, this is something you shouldn't try at home.