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Video: Cyclist straps jet engine to his bike – and hits 133kph

“I was shocked,” says Taiwanese rider, who says the bike went a bit faster than expected

A cyclist in Taiwan has hit 133kph on his bike – after strapping a jet engine to the back of his bike.

It took the rider, a 37-year-old man named Wang, less than 30 seconds to reach his top speed, reports Taiwan News. Afterwards he said he was “shocked,” and had not expected the bike to go so fast.

With the fuel propelling him contained in a 700ml water bottle and a burn rate of 1.1 litres a minute, perhaps fortunately for the cyclist it ran out before he could go even faster.

The jet engine was one originally intended to be used in a radio-controlled aircraft – something Wang dreamed of owning when he was younger – and he had a custom rack made to secure it to his bike.

It’s quite a sight as he zooms up the road – startling a nearby dog on the way as he gets up to speed.

After the video went viral, police in Tainan warned Wang over potential traffic violations, although apparently the law is unclear on permitted modifications to bicycles.

However, reportedly mindful that he might inspire others to stick a jet engine on the back of a bike, he’s been given seven days to satisfy police that is bike is fully street-legal.

He is said to have researched how to go about building his jet-powered bike by studying videos online – and we imagine as part of that, he’ll have come across madcap British inventor Colin Furze and his converted Raleigh Shopper, which is now getting on for 40 million views on YouTube.

> Video: Jet-powered Raleigh shopper

While 133kph is certainly fast, it was less than two weeks ago that Adam Blythe claimed to have beat that on a bike without a jetpack strapped to it by hitting 136kph according to his SRM head unit... wonder what Wang's contraption could get up to on a descent? 

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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14 comments

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OldRidgeback | 2 years ago
0 likes

This is so utterly bonkers that I love it. I hope the cops let him off with a warning. 

Maybe it could be a 'thing' in the future for high speed runs and record attempts at Elvington Airfield.

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the infamous grouse | 2 years ago
1 like

i wonder how much ram-air intake efficiency is lost in that mounting position

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mdavidford replied to the infamous grouse | 2 years ago
1 like

Are you talking about the rider or the jet engine?

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OldRidgeback replied to the infamous grouse | 2 years ago
0 likes

I wondered about that too. I suppose that if the rider has consumed fart inducing food prior to testing the turbine it might give a slight performance boost.

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eburtthebike | 2 years ago
0 likes

133kph?  Pathetic; should have been supersonic at least, but I guess that might have tested his brake to the limit.  Or did it have a thrust reverser?

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Mungecrundle | 2 years ago
1 like

Bummer, something else for the anti cyclist brigade to beat us all about the head with. "Bloody cyclists, road tax, two abreast, holding up the traffic, keeping everyone awake with their sodding jet engines, no insurance, hi viz helmets, bollocks, bollocks, bollocks etc...."

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Captain Badger | 2 years ago
5 likes

what if your tackle got sucked into the intake.....

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Mungecrundle replied to Captain Badger | 2 years ago
6 likes

I guess you would find out if you can scream louder than a jet engine.

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Rick_Rude replied to Captain Badger | 2 years ago
1 like

The guy's called Wang. BIG Wang.

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Philh68 replied to Captain Badger | 2 years ago
2 likes

Clearly unsuitable for the naked bike ride. Though I did think he's only one fart away from having an afterburner.

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Steve K | 2 years ago
6 likes

Proof that there's still a role for racks in these bike packing days.

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aerobean replied to Steve K | 2 years ago
1 like

Agreed, can't wait to try this out on the King Alfred way

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joe9090 replied to Steve K | 2 years ago
4 likes

Comment of the week that! Stupid bike packers, its called cycle touring!

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eburtthebike replied to joe9090 | 2 years ago
1 like

joe9090 wrote:

Comment of the week that! Stupid bike packers, its called cycle touring!

Or just shopping.

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