Earlier today we reported that Neil "Soupy" Campbell secured a new European bicycle speed record of 149 mph (240 km/h) while riding in the slipstream of a Porsche Cayenne Turbo. While that's certainly impressive, the overall record of 166.944 mph for such a ride was set in 1995 by Fred Rompleberg of The Netherlands. Until last Sunday, when 45 year-old mother of three Denise Mueller-Korenek took to Bonneville Salt Flats and recorded a speed on 183.932 mph (296 km/h).
A Paced Bicycle Land Speed Record involves a cyclist riding behind a motor vehicle of some sort – usually with a wind shield mounted to the back – to minimize wind resistance. The first record of this type was set by its inventor in 1899, when Charles Murphy rode behind a locomotive to get up to 60 mph.
On Sunday September 16, Mueller-Korenek sat in the rider's seat of a custom two-wheeler with 17-inch motorcycle wheels and an elongated frame for stability. It rocks a steering stabilizer to keep wobble to a minimum and a double reduction gearing and drivetrain. She was towed behind a dragster driven by Shea Holbrook until about the mile and a half mark and then the tethers were released and she rode the next 3.5 miles tucked in behind the huge wind shield.
You can see Mueller-Korenek make her record run in the video below.
Source: Project Speed
