It’s fair to say that German track cycling star Robert Förstemann has the most thunderous thighs in cycling, with a circumference of 74cm – but just how much power can his legs put out? Well, the answer, according to this video is … enough to toast a slice of bread.
We’ve come across harnessing pedal power to generate electricity before – mobile-phone battery charging and a Christmas tree powered by cyclists are two examples, and a sheriff in Arizona even got prisoners pedalling to generate power so they could watch TV.
And back in 2009, with the help of the company Electric Pedals, BBC One show Bang Goes The Theory recruited an entire peloton of cyclists to power a family home in Cheltenham.
Here’s Förstemann, winner of a bronze medal at London 2012 in the team sprint – improbably, he’d been included in the German team as a mountain biker thanks to a UCI rule that allows cyclists to switch disciplines if needed – taking on the Toaster Challenge.
We’re not sure who exactly is behind the initiative, but it is certainly grabbing attention including on Twitter with the #toasterchallenge hashtag, and the message seems to be one about how much energy even the most routine of daily tasks takes up.
Since the video of Förstemann was uploaded yesterday, two more clips have gone up on its YouTube channel, both featuring Swedish athletes – Olympic rower Lassi Karonen, and cross-country skier, Ida Ingemarsdotter.





















13 thoughts on “Video: Thunder-thighed track cyclist Robert Förstemann takes on a toaster”
Another Heath Robinson fan,
Another Heath Robinson fan, that’s two this morning!
but where does that man buy
=D>
but where does that man buy his jeans?
gthornton101 wrote:
but
Why would he need jeans? It’s clear that the spends all his time at the track or in the gym and you don’t need jeans for either!
gthornton101 wrote:
but
Joking aside I had this problem myself recently and had to return a set of trousers that otherwise fit perfectly. I found a set that are an acceptable fit but I’m still taking up more room in them than I’d ideally like. Maybe road cc could provide a buyers guide to casual and smart dress for the fuller thighed bike lover?
Just wraps denim around and
Just wraps denim around and around
They could have at least put
They could have at least put a second piece of bread in, they just wasted 50% of the power.
Probably got another 50w
Probably got another 50w above his normal performance from the additional motivation of the toast smell
Seriously people. Why is
Seriously people. Why is there only ONE slice of bread in the toaster!?
Can’t prove it, but I just
Can’t prove it, but I just get the feeling that they set the ergometer to 700W and that the toaster was actually powered separately.
Unless they did a bit of engineering, a lab ergometer doesn’t produce electrical power from the rider. And if they did do that, wouldn’t they have mentioned it?
Indeed, the only reason to use a lab ergometer is to apply the method I described above. If they actually produced power from a bike, there’s no need to start the build using ~£20k ergometers.
I don’t think this video quite shows what it claims to, in short. 🙂
Know who could do it quicker?
Know who could do it quicker? Movistar’s Giovanni Hovisconti.
I just did a piece of toast
I just did a piece of toast and my Heart rate didn’t go above 54. I also didn’t break out in a sweat. B-)
Now if there were a picture
Now if there were a picture of Jesus on the toast we would have a worthy exercise. Plus he could then sell it on E-Bay for 10,000 dollars.
Yeah ! But how many toasters
Yeah ! But how many toasters have you seen riding bikes !