What with the Tour de France one of the highlights of the sporting calendar, we thought it’d make sense to big up our own cycling tours. So check them out. From cycling extravaganza through Vietnam taking in all of the best bits to kicking back and enjoying the scenery of Cuba.
But during the research that went in to putting the trip together, we came across stacks of absolutely insane cycling world records that we just had to share. They’re all completely legit, too. Our mates at Guinness World Records said so.
Be amazed, then go make your own world records cycling round Vietnam, like: “Most amount of banh mi consumed on a cycling trip without being sick ever.”
1. Cycling the most vertical metres in 48 hours
Not content with seeing how far he can cycle on a normal route, an Austrian guy called Wolfgang (we love him already) Mader cycled 25, 346 metres (83, 156 ft) up the face of a mountain between Telfs and Mösern, Austria. This means he cycled UP the mountain 46 times.
2. The longest distance cycling backwards
We have no idea why someone would want to try and break the record for longest distance cycling backwards, but we’re not about to judge. It’s still an incredible feat. An Australian bloke named Andrew Hellinga cycled 337.60km at the Holden Performance Driving Centre, Norwell, Queensland, Australia, between 7-8 October 2013. For all the BMXers out there, this the longest ANYONE has ever ridden fakie. Take a bow, Mr. Hellinga.
3. Highest altitude reached whilst cycling
A guy named Peer Schepanski and another guy named Gil Bretschneider (whose second name may or may not translate to ‘bike rider’, in German*) rode their bikes at an altitude of 7,211 m (23, 658 ft) on Muztagata peak slopes, in the Xinjiang province of China on July 10 2009. And now they are the first two world-record breaking Germans to ever be featured on Geckos Tales. These guys just won’t let up.
4. Deepest cycling underwater
If cycling above ground, up mountains and backwards wasn’t enough for you, an Italian named Vittorio Innocentre cycled at a depth of 66.5 m (218 ft 2.11 in). We have no idea what on earth inspired this record-breaking attempt, but again, we’re not about to judge.
5. Farthest distance cycled (statically) in one hour by a female
A woman from Slovenia called Tina Ternjak once cycled 35.3 km on a static bike in the space of an hour. The irony is that despite her speed on a bike, she was going nowhere fast. Tina also smashed the record for farthest distance cycled on a static bike in 12 hours about a week later. This woman just doesn’t let up.
6. Fastest round the world cyclist
With a minimum of 40,073km having to be cycled to qualify for this one, this is some serious business. But whilst most people probably wouldn’t cycle that much throughout the course of their whole life, a British guy by the name of Alan Bate did so in 106 days, 10 hours and 33 mins. Which isn’t bad.
There’s this other guy named Mike Hall who did the whole thing in 91 days and 18 hours, but Guinness World Records changed the rules slightly upon his return to include total travel time, which meant his epic feat finally clocked in at 107 days, 2 hours and 30 mins. Tough break, Mike.
7. Oldest dude to cycle the farthest in a velodrome
Frenchman Robert Marchand is 102 years old. He can also cycle 26.9 kms round a velodrome in just one hour – which he proved back in January 2014. We’ll repeat – a guy who’s 102 years old can cycle at nearly 30 kms an hour.
*We checked. It doesn’t.
Got the cycle bug? Keen to find your next adventure Check out our tours.