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news
Eskil Ronningsbakken.pngVIDEO: Death-defying mountain descent, backwards
Most people find steep, winding mountain descents bum-clenching enough as it is. Not Eskil Ronningsbakken.
The daredevil Norwegian cyclist has made a film of his 50mph descent of Trollstigen, a 10% gradient serpentine mountain road in Norway.
In the extraordinary video, filmed from helmet cal, support car and helicopter, Eskil encounters cars and hairpin bends, all the while struggling to perch backwards on his saddle in wet and slippery conditions.
But of course, Eskil is a pretty extraordinary stuntman, as these photos of his other death-defying feats prove.
And at the bottom, what’s left to do? Go back up of course - backwards.
Still no record-breaker
Didn't know backwards cycling was a 'thing'? Earlier this year, we reported how Australian Andrew Hellinga cycled 337km in 24 hours, backwards - in the process breaking the Guinness World Records for the longest distance cycled backwards as well as the longest distance cycled backwards in 24 hours; he is waiting for confirmation of both records.
Hellinga’s riding style, sat atop the handlebars and facing backwards, was efficient enough to allow him to break the original 24-hour record of 180km in a short 10 hours and 15 minutes.
Following a short break to take in his supporters’ congratulations, the Aussie continued his journey to achieve his target of 333km.
Going on to beat that target by 4km, Hellinga described how his body responded to 24 hours on the handlebars: “My bottom was screaming out “Ouch”! And my legs just groaned when I moved them.”
Latest Comments
- imajez 33 min 1 sec ago
Nothing new about zebra [or light controlled] crossing on roundabouts. Sheffield has had them for decades, possibly since the 1970s.
- David9694 2 hours 3 min ago
Herefordshire man fined after throwing parking ticket...
- OnYerBike 3 hours 23 min ago
I'm sure that sort of thing will come sooner or later. But presumably a key ingredient (and why you'd turn to a big brand like Fizik) is knowing...
- muhasib 3 hours 28 min ago
"the cost to rebuild the M25 junction 10/A3 Wisley interchange is £317 million. The project is expected to be completed in 2025. "
- mark1a 3 hours 52 min ago
I think they did, from memory back in the 70s/80s... haven't seen one for years though, our current milkman uses a standard van, albeit hybrid.
- kingleo 5 hours 6 min ago
I believe that straight forks that are used on carbon frames are more dangerous than the old steel forks because they are more rigid, the old steel...
- S.E. 5 hours 38 min ago
Yes, sleep apnea produces more CO... I'm not aware of any doping effect but what do I know....
- Gd29 7 hours 46 min ago
That's true enough. But doesn't address my point that the chainset you get as a replacement will not physically fit chainrings from the chain set...
- brooksby 8 hours 17 min ago
In all fairness, it almost certainly NEVER happened…
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26 comments
[[[[ Oh yeah? I bet he couldn't do that without a bike...
P.R.
This guy has got to be off his tiny head,albeit wearing a helmet. What fat good would it do if he had gone over the edge?
His weight distribution is all on the front forks and wheel,that has surely got to make the bike more unstable than a drunk on a high wire.
Aye, rendered totally pointless by Danny!
Not bad until you see Danny McAskill going backwards downhill just on his front wheel. Road Bike Party 2 has landed
At last a valid reason for disc brakes
Off his box, but funny nonetheless.
My wife wouldn't watch it; said it was too scary. what have I married...
Impressive and crazy, but not 50mph!
Why?
Almost as brainless as the scientists in Prometheus.
nice road
50kph maybe, but 50mph in that position on a mtb?
"I think there's only 1 thing missing" he says, yes mate your brain!
It doesnt look as impressive if you drop the music from Benny Hill over the top of the clip.
80kph, my arse.
Mad as a fish....and the point.
TAWATTTTTTTT
It also strikes me that, technically, he's cycling forward but only facing backward. He should try cycling backward, that would be impressive.
That's just ridiculous!
Safe as anything. He was wearing a helmet and hi viz, and stopped at all the red lights.
I was thinking about that, if he fell he would be spun backwards onto his back, which is actually a very strong protection system, so as long as he didn't fly over the edge of the barriers, or hit his head then it maybe safer than going down on your from (those are two big 'but's admittedly).
I also wonder about the change in dynamics for breaking and turning. More weight over the front wheel, less on the back - may make traction on cornering a bit better, but you'd want to practise the braking before you hit a hairpin.
I've been up Trollstigen..in a coach mind...pretty frightening doing it that way let alone coming down backwards
Erk!
Falls plumb within the "just because you can, doesn't mean you should" category for me.
Very clever.
It's a bit jerky because of the way it's filmed but doesnt look sped up to me.
The way it's filmed? At 1 minute in 1080p it's clearly sped up.
It's impressive, I wouldn't do it but, it is speeded up in parts, isn't it?
Yeah, there is one bend where the cornering is sped up. I'm not sure he did 50mph either. I'd like to see the evidence of that on a mountain bike, without turning the cranks. When I do 50mph on my racer, I have to be cranking it and I'm no slouch either.
All said very impressive and butt clenchingly scary. Especially the amount of wobble he starts out with. I thought his buddy was going to knock him off!
sorry, video should be there now
Is there a link to the video?