This article was taken from the January 2014 issue of Wired magazine. Be the first to read Wired's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online.
In April, Tom Donhou reached speeds of over 120kph -- on a pedal bike. The custom-frame and bike builder designed the cycle from scratch with speed in mind, and rode it in the slipstream of his old Ford Zephyr to beat the wind. "The bike wanted to go faster on the day, but my old car was struggling," he says. He shares some tips on how you can give your road bike a boost.
Get the right frame and fit
Donhou uses steel and suggests going for one of the super-lightweight carbon frames only if you're a pro who needs to shave off every tenth of a second. In the past, people would drill holes into their frame to reduce the weight, but it's not safe to modify modern frames in this way. To get the most out of your frame, visit a professional bike-fitter.
Lower your handlebars
This reduces wind resistance by forcing your head down and elbows in. "You're trying to reduce your frontal area," says Donhou.
Simply loosen and reposition the stem holding your bars in place; how you do this depends on if you have a "threadless stem" (a tube that clamps to the steerer and handlebars) or a "quill stem" (a tube with an L-shaped bend in it).
Minimise wheels
A lighter wheel makes for faster acceleration, and minimising weight around the outside is very important: lighter tubes, tyres and rims will make a huge difference. To streamline the wheels, select rims with fewer spokes - but make sure you have just enough to stay strong and sturdy. Donhou used 24 Sapim CX-RAY spokes.
Finally, pump your tyres hard, to 700-800kPa (100-120psi).
Enhance gearing
The most striking aspect of Donhou's design is a huge 104-tooth chainring, which was custom machined by Royce. This provided the gearing to reach the speeds obtainable behind a car's spoiler -- but won't make your bike faster in regular conditions. "You need to remove the wind to go that fast," Donhou says. Remember to add a soft bumper to the car in case you outpace the motor...
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
