[fiamme red]

Originally Posted by Mark McM

I think this description misses a variety of things regarding the physics of speed records. Firstly, riding a highly geared bike is not similar to trying to start a car in overdrive, because the characteristics of the motor are vastly different. It takes a lot of torque to turn a big gear, and an internal combustion engine does not develop full torque at zero speed - it generally requires a few thousand rpm. Conversely, the human "engine" can develop full torque at zero speed. If the human doesn't have the torque to turn the pedals from zero speed, then they can't turn the pedals at a higher speed, either. Also not mentioned is where the majority of the drive power comes from for bicycle speed record attempts (hint: It doesn't come from the rider). The wind fairing on the pace car does more than just reduce or eliminate wind drag on the rider - it generates an eddy current in the air that acts to push the rider forward. One reason to tow the rider up to speed is that the wind fairing needs some speed before it starts generating an eddy current strong enough to propel the rider.

Jobst in the early days of bicycle newsgroups (when it was just rec.bicycles) used to argue that land speed records were all about the skill of staying upright and at a constant distance from the fairing, not at all about the generation of power.

https://groups.google.com/d/msg/rec....E/myLjisXsDxwJ

Anyone who has ridden in a convertible car with the top down will recall that your hair, if any, gets blown forward over your face. It should be evident, 1) that with a suitable wind screen, air can be turned around to blow in the direction of travel, 2) that records are set behind windscreens that are designed to turn air around are used to push the rider, 3) that these record breakers often must brake to avoid being pushed into the pacing vehicle, 4) that the power required to spin bicycle wheels in still air at these record speeds generally exceeds human ability by a large degree (see John Howard's land speed record).

I am not impressed mainly because this record misrepresents bicycling effort and is more a test of not falling off the bike than athletic performance. I find it similarly significant to swallowing live
goldfish for the record.