How to go 272 km/h on a mountain bike

How fast can you go on a mountain bike? How fast should you go on a mountain bike? For most of us, those are very different questions. For Elias Schwärzler, the owner of a new world speed record at 272 km/h, they are one and the same.

The German rider just set a new world record for going 272 km/h on his Scott bike while being towed by a motorbike. “Fastest standard bicycle towed by a motorcycle” is, admittedly, a niche category. But that is still a very terrifying speed to travel on a mountain bike.

Now, if you’re thinking, what’s the big deal? He’s just being towed by a motorbike? Think again. Just watching his hands and handlebars shake as the bikes get up to speed makes me sweat. Being tethered to a motorcycle at that speed must be one heck of a rush!

Plus, with the incredibly sketchy way in which the rope is attached to Schwärzler’s bars, a clean release was far from guaranteed. Watch the full – thankfully successful – world record attempt below.

272 km/h (169mph) on a Bicycle: New Guinness World Record

What’s Elias Schwärzler say about his record-earning ride?

This Project was a hell of a ride! Months of planing and testing for this one moment testing out the limits of bike, tires and my mind. Now it’s official – I´m the fastest man on earth on a Standard Bicycle with 272km/h towed by a Motorbike. Cheers to Geri Gesslbauer for pulling me and supporting me for the whole Project! THANKS!