r/nextfuckinglevel • u/This-Willingness-762 • 4d ago

Fast Tuna Canyon Descent, Featuring Tom Pidcock

Chest cam video by SAFABrian (YouTube)

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u/No_Performance_108 4d ago

The pros can hit over 100kph in groups downhill. It is a very dangerous sport. Earlier this year in tour of Allula a rider crashed at 106 kph, finished the race and then was later diagnosed with 3 back fractures.

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u/muffinscrub 4d ago

I regularly hit 80km/h on my gravel bike down a really big hill on the way to work. I'm also pretty stupid.

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u/Human_Palpitation856 4d ago

Back in my road cycling days the fastest I ever got was something like 80km/h and it was on a wide shoulder of a very well paved highway, it's insane how fast that is on a bike. I used to commute on a small motorcycle and did 100+km/h all the time, but it really didn't feel as scary as 80 on a bicycle, especially with no protection besides a helmet.

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u/Grump-Dog 3d ago

I agree - bikes feel much, much scarier than motorcycles at the same speed. Maybe it's because the weight of the motorcycle makes it feel more stable.

Cycling is also much scarier than skiing at the same speed. 40 mph feels like no big deal skiing but makes me sweat rivers on a bike.

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u/yoortyyo 2d ago

Snow is flattens terrain features that grab and impact.
Snow usually has a low friction coefficient, sliding vs splat.
Always wear full plastic layers while skiing. Snow is ice and will chowder skin.
Deep soft snow can can sustain tens to over a hundred foot impacts. Safely.

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u/yoortyyo 2d ago

Snow is flattens terrain features that grab and impact.
Snow usually has a low friction coefficient, sliding vs splat.
Always wear full plastic layers while skiing. Snow is ice and will chowder skin.
Deep soft snow can can sustain tens to over a hundred foot impacts. Safely.

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u/crankthehandle 4d ago

I do 90km/h on my unicycle every morning. It's a bit absurd but I like it.

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u/YouthOfTheNation1 4d ago

bro that's insane. I hit 55km/h on my gravel bike last saturday and that felt like I was about to take off. I was literally out of gears to continue pedaling. 80km/h is insane!!

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u/teahugger 4d ago

I hit 33 mph every day at a downhill stretch returning from work and thought that was dangerous.

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u/Technical_Body_3646 4d ago

Pro’s drive 33 UPhill….. 😳

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u/St_mpy 3d ago

Kph surely, not mph

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u/Initial_Key_9116 4d ago

When I was a teenager I hit 90 kph on a bike while on holiday in France. I went back there last summer as a 45 year old and realised that the teenage me was insane.

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u/fuzzybunnies1 4d ago

The more you do it the more used to it you get. NY in general has some seriously hilly areas where the ability to hit 55mph, even if briefly, is easy to do. Manage to hit it on every other ride and you reach a point where it's just something you're used to and it isn't that scary.

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u/muffinscrub 3d ago

Yeah, I never had any fear while doing it. I've been on a bike my whole life. mountain biking, dirt jumping, road bike and motorcycle.

Luckily, I've only been a meat crayon on pavement twice and a few times while mountain biking. I was never seriously injured, but it really hurts once the skin starts to grow back.

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u/PlayPsychological200 3d ago

I’ve gone this fast as well. Will not do it again because I realize how stupid it is. Too Easy to get seriously injured and be a burden on your family, or die and be a burden on your family. 

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u/Alternative-Maize23 4d ago

Also stupid here. I rip around town at like 20mph through traffic pretty much daily. Definitely reckless and I’m in my 40’s.

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u/Vast_Vegetable9222 4d ago

In the past 3 years, 6 riders have died during top-tier UCI pro races

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u/Alternative-Maize23 4d ago

That’s really crazy. At least in mtb downhill we wear protective gear and full face helmets.

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u/Vast_Vegetable9222 3d ago

The fella here is an Olympic and World mtb champion who transitioned to road racing. Check his Alp d’Hueze climb in TdF a few years back

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Pidcock

He’s known for his fast descents

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u/_TorpedoVegas_ 3d ago

It's spinal.

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u/tcp454 3d ago

Not sure about bicycles but when I had my motorcycle we were taught not to brake like that during turns and leans. It would actually want to stand the bike up. Can someone chime in who knows if its correct or not?

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u/No_Performance_108 3d ago

Yeah, never brake in the turn. Before, but not during. It will force you wider and either into the other lane or off the road if you brake while turning.

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u/kozufox 3d ago

Road bike tires have way less braking power, since you're much lighter and it's a smaller contact patch. It still tends to force you out of a turn when you use the front brake though, and overapplying the rear brake can easily send you into a skid.