Watch a Madman Do 65 MPH on a Bicycle
If you’re after a little midweek pick me up then might I draw your attention to cycling YouTuber Safa Brian, who just posted a beautifully shot video of himself going 65mhp on a bike. No, your eyes aren’t deceiving you, he went 65mph on a road bike with nothing but a helmet and some lycra shorts to keep him safe.
If you aren’t familiar with Brian’s channel, you are in for a treat! Real name Brian “Safa” Wagner, the filmmaker and cyclist has built a name for himself as one of the fastest downhill cyclists outside the professional circuit. On his channel, you’ll see him tackling downhill road sections, gnarly gravel trails and some peaceful looking cross-country rides, all captured in stunning detail for you to enjoy at home.
For his latest upload, Wagner heads to California to take on the road down from Whitney Portal, a point in between Sequoia National Park and Death Valley near the state’s border.
Riding his lovely Scott Addict RC Pro road bike, Wagner describes the descent as being “a little bit more technical up top,” before becoming “pretty flat down below.” Sounds like a lovely 6 a.m. ride to me.
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When he starts cycling, he quickly surpasses 40 mph and freewheels below the 50 mph mark. The brakes are given a slight tap to take a bit of speed out going into a sharp hairpin but, on the whole, he is flying.
He continues down and breezes above 50 mph after less than a minute on the bike, making himself as streamlined as possible to cut down any potential wind resistance. All the while, his long brown hair blows majestically behind – it’s quite the sight.
The valley opens up and the speed stays high as the video progresses. Two minutes in and Wagner is already at 58 mph. Above the speed limit for any car in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Quick bursts of power keep Wagner’s speed high as he negotiates a tight section of corners on the mountain pass. The onscreen data shows his power output and the revolutions per minute at which his pedals are spinning, as well as his speed. Still well above 40 mph.
As he hits the flat, the legs start working and the speed starts rising. He’s at 55, then 56, then 57. Slowly creeping up and up. After five minutes on the bike, he’s topped 60 mph and broken the speed limit in Hawaii.
He flies past a minivan at 63 mph and edges onto that magic 65 mph.
Wagner completes the 12-mile ride from top to bottom in just 15 minutes and 57 seconds, which gives him an average speed of around 46 mph. Or described in a word: fast.
It’s an incredible film to watch, so if you have a spare 15 minutes in your afternoon I implore you to check it out. Let the sights, sound and spectacle of the whole ordeal wash over you and take away any stresses you might have.
