Mont Ventoux - Malaucène descent (Max. 117.5km/h)

[@utrapzab]

Admirable concentration, oversized testicles, utter faith in the rubber, no regard for personal well being Brilliant

[@zoomustard]

+zoltansocrates oversized testicles.......of titanium Did this climb and descent last year.........about 27 minutes down, but I'm from Illinois USA

[@jmg9808]

On peut être desUSAetaimerladescente!!!!!!!!avec un casque êtres matins de freins neufs!!!et... réglés

[@marcusantonyledulx]

With brand new tyres, perhaps slightly wider at 28mm; marginally heavier spoking and alloy frame with hydraulic disc brakes, there is no reason that this couldnt be done safely. His maximum speed was probably brief and his average speed much lower - so its probably not as unsafe as you think. There only wide sweeps and few tight corners.

[@SKBKER]

Not sure whether that's an insult or a compliment

[@dinos7185]

zoltansocrates ....he's got long straight aways check this other Video this rider got short turns and twists slicing through the mountain the road on the camera looks vertical.....it takes skills to master the downhill runs. kzbin.info/www/bejne/oYDcaWeKfbmVprs

[@jamesunger8433]

Kiss your prayer beads because this is insane. Even for me who loves descents. But after I had a big moment on a slippy near 90 km/h descent and ran really wide into a wet corner almost coming to grief I now keep myself well within my limits. No hero moves for this lad. I want to cycle a long and hospital free life!

[@lazarus321]

fantastic memories, i did this in August, took 2 hrs to get up from Bedoin but nearer 30 mins coming down this way. I hit a small stone in the first kilometer that nearly had me off and then in the forest section around 3.20 i came across a really bad accident where a young lad came off and hit a tree and was in a very bad way..after that i was on the brakes most of the rest of the way scared silly. fantastic skills here, well done.

[@gwpee1727]

Great descent,well done.One of the best cycling descent videos on youtube.Too many cycling descent videos don't show you how you should descend,by using the full width of the road,with minimal braking.Not done Ventoux,but have ridden elsewhere in Europe.Excellent.

[@hotwillypepper]

for a 20 minute descent, you got amazing concentration. good job man

[@ashtin1958]

Hit the switchbacks pretty hard there friend. Great descent, what a thrill.

[@亨利-p5p]

Road bike can let you experience sense of speed well,but sometime it is dangerous to ourselves and other people.If we had accident that would be hurt serious. amazing skil ,thank your sharing

[@5610winston]

I made a descent topping out just shy of 70 mph on my Santana Elan tandem many years ago. At the end of the ride, I realized just how lucky we had been that there wasn't an oily spot or a patch of gravel in our path, or that a stray dog or a deer hadn't darted in front of us. I almost got a deer on my Paramount single on Owl Creek Road coming off Brasstown Bald once at blistering speed. Yeah, scary, but what a ride!

[@chrisrnli]

Recently taken up road cycling. Love descents but find myself getting a bit out of control as the speed increases. Practice is the key I am told and wet roads are not for beginners as I found out. 67 kmh is my max so far 117 is amazing. Great clip really enjoyed it

[@DiegoTelmo]

Important to ride with other people for many reasons, you learn faster too. I used to ride alone for a long time because there weren't many cyclists in he area and when i moved to another place i finally had the opportunity to ride with other people. I tought i was decent at descending but one day i did a descent with an experienced rider. He just followed me in the beginning just testing the waters i guess but soon he realized what i was worth and moment afters he just flew past me, each corner we did the distance increased betwen us till the point where i no longer saw him. Well at the end i did meet at the cofee where we planned too, but he already had time to fill up bottes, go wc and order coffes hehe

[@doublefault8850]

Big mistake at 8:17 . You decided to overtake and the other car coming in the opposite direction only appeared 3 seconds later . Solved the problem calmly but could have been a disaster . take care.

[@qpae123]

+doublefault 88 You realize this is road bike...44 cm wide ?:)) The can go between lanes without any problem. PS: Every second you ride ''can be a disaser '' :))

[@doublefault8850]

You realize if the car coming was any faster the outcome would have been totally different ? Going between lanes is something and overtaking at that speed while you can't see the road ahead well is something else . Has nothing to do with a bike here . It is a dangerous overtaking , simple . I am a cyclist myself and i know how dangerous this sport is and how easy it is to lose control completely if you find a surprise on the road so no need to add more risks by riding recklessly . Regarding disasters every second you LIVE can be a disaster . You don't have to be on a road bike to be at risk . This doesn't mean we intentionally increase risks and say anything might happen .

[@qpae123]

doublefault 88 If you believe I have no ideea what I was saying, check my channel lol :)). I am a cyclist too, and I race for a club. In reality there was a lot more space than you see on camera.

[@qpae123]

doublefault 88 Forget the traffic, here we have stray dog infestation lmao. this is me :)) /watch?v=blAxzvSXilU

[@qpae123]

And I ride myself on a lot more dangerous roads than this guy lol /watch?v=vq3gPLLVUHI

[@hamadalhussain1286]

Great videos man! I think down hill road cycling is yet to gain more popularity. It is fast, very exciting and affordable.

[@Joan-ot9nf]

Incredible control. I envy it

[@markusbjrno608]

Dude!!! Youre crazy!!! Nice vid

[@Tutschel]

Thanks! Glad you liked it.

[@izziel11]

15:25 HOLY SHIT!!!!

[@ericrobert5296]

Downhill rockstar. Deadly passion...just one out-of-place rock, and this rider is gone.

[@AndreiZavada]

8:25 was quite scary, too.

[@nicholasarguimbau7776]

Wow! ice video. I'm with the gentleman who said he'd feel safer wih white sharks You nearly lost it the two times you were scissored between up and down cars, but MOST of the time you seemed to be very well in control of the curves. Impressive. And I see you took another descent of that moutain that was much faster. It's nice to be able to relive old thrills. Except for the width of the road, this is comparale to a descent I did (woops!) 43 years ago. I was 21 , 115 pounds, 5'4" - not much room for fear or sense or for that matter, testosterone. I looked at the map and found a loop out of Boulder Colorado - "Nice day trip, I say to myself. 2000 feet up from Boulder, then south through the mountains, then 4000 feet in about 20 miles down onto the plain, the north and up another 2000 feet back to Boulder. My bike and I were old friends, used to schlepping around but nothing quite like this. We were definite amateurs. The bike was a sweet old French tenspeed, worn tires, worn-thin rubber brake pads. I of course had no helmet because no one else did then either. And the afternoon weather was classic Rockies - a good hard cold rain, so much of the way down was effectively without brakes. Made me shiver in more ways tha one. but my old friend and I made it to the bottom safe and sound in half an hour or so, top speed probably 60 mph. I checked my brake pads. They were fine - had hardly been used at all since they weren't working anyhow. Your video made me think of that. As for the curves, I would have said what you said about the near-collissions: "It looks a bit more dangerous than it really was." A once-in-a-lifetime experience, good to savour for 40 years behind a desk. Once-in-a-lifetime because I was either going to arrive back in town ded, or arrive back with a little more sense. It prepared me for many adventures, but not quite like that one. So continue to live your life to the fullest.

[@Tutschel]

Thanks for the comment. A nice anecdote. The 2 "nearly lost it" occasions, were actually nowhere near to how close it looked due to the camera angle making it look a lot closer than it actually was. Both times, it was carefully calculated and precision managed risk.

[@Tutschel]

No special protection suit or parts for this run except for a Black Sheep Bikes Road Rage Custom 2 downhill road bike. Otherwise just lycra, a helmet and some gloves. When racing Red Bull Road Rage, full protection is worn, including full face helmet with moto goggles, full body armour (chest, dorsal, shoulder and elbow protection), moto cross crash pants, knee and shin protectors and full leather kevlar reinforced motor cycle race gloves.

[@bowtiemountain]

I want a go! What a beautiful road to descend on.

[@kevinyao6672]

Dude, you are risking your life! Really good video!

[@we73]

15:28 - really, really crazy, you don´t like your life, indeed.

[@mateagoston7113]

He likes his life in this way.

[@Pr1vateer]

the asphalt is good indeed no holes. some cracks in one part . and good brakes nicely done ! 😉 i've done something similar but with mtb ,cantilever brakes(faulty front) and a damaged road (Old Mountain,Buzludzha peak,Bulgaria) . it was scary ...so i know what is the feeling. and its awesome! 🤗😋

[@klonsteam]

🤟🤟🤟 That was amazing! That's why you climb up that bloody mountain!!! 👊💪👏

[@rosscads]

There's so much I want to say about this video. But firstly, what's with all the people towing trailers?

[@ashtin1958]

Camping gear, bikes.

[@Tutschel]

I think they may have had paragliding gear inside: Drive the guys up with the gear and then head back down to pick them to repeat.

[@rosscads]

Tutschel That explains it! Thanks.

[@ynotnilknarf39]

Nice vid, I understand why some people are upset about the 2 overtakes that have being mentioned several times in the comments but as you rightly say the camera doesn't give a true account of the amount of space and your actual vision of everything. They do 'appear' close to the untrained eye but I know that the 'risk' factor is judged and executed using skill, knowledge, experience & understanding of not just the situation/conditions but also of your machine & your own abilities. It's a failure of just one of those that often causes people to have crashes including the pros. We don't have anything as long a downhill in the UK but I have hit 92km/h on an old steel Raleigh racer many moons ago whilst touring in France.

[@ADCFproductions]

8:16 aih... aih aih aih aih aih!!! Uffff that was close xD

[@questpublishing4388]

came down backend of the hightown. crazy long slope

[@paulkirkwood]

Impressive stats! Well done.

[@hamadalhussain1286]

@ 15: 28 This cyclist is completely insane !!!!!

[@alexapirot32]

+Hamad Al Hussain That was insane? oh honey...you haven't seen some stuff I've seen/done

[@pitchpull]

alexapirot32 watch out we got a keyboard warrior

[@Triadii]

Close call

[@Chriswilliams-lx9mx]

Close call,he’s still got his eyebrows hasn’t he🤣😂🤣😂🚴🏻👍

[@HerdingDogRescuer]

How does he sit on the saddle with balls that big?

[@mark_nz]

...and he lived to tell the tale!

[@darbycurrie3391]

wow. My palms just got sweaty watching this!

[@bengraham2908]

Wow, I thought the car and trailer was tight... the RV!!! Wow. Hold on tight

[@psybin]

"Did a... bike just pass me?!" said everyone driving on that road that day.

[@亨利-p5p]

haha . this is funny.

[@kingoffifa]

what colour was your chamois at 8.11 ?

[@togusa7697]

Bravo. Moi, quand j’atteins les 55km/h cela me suffit amplement.

[@RHoon]

It's really fast. The road looks great, too.

[@marcelleclerc690]

Where did tou hit 117 ?

[@AngrierGorilla]

8:30 more or less. Then around 10:00 there is another long straight where he went over 100 kph.

[@Triadii]

@@AngrierGorilla Thank you

[@carlosj.orttega4275]

Hola, nice ride....have you raced Le France Tour?.. what bike is this?? how much does it cost? saludos desde Colombia

[@Tutschel]

Hola, gracias Carlos. I have not ridden the Tour de France. The bike is a custom build from Black Sheep Bikes in Fort Collins, Colorado. I'm not sure how much it would cost as it was supplied under a sponsorship agreement, but since it is fully hand built, it would be on the upper end of the scale. Saludos desde Irlanda.

[@nikolashopov7649]

You need to have heart to do this! My respect

[@nathantoyn4783]

Safe riding between the camper van and the car? My ars* Best of luck to you - you'll need it

[@Tutschel]

If you look more carefully, you will see the oncoming car moves over into the shared bike lane momentarily before I proceed around the camper van. It was at this stage I made a split second decision to continue the overtake, but had been equally ready to lock the brakes to pull in behind the camper van. Maybe you had to be there in the moment, as the camera angle seems to mislead quite a few viewers, but it was carefully calculated risk management and precision timed action.

[@ikesundays738]

Fantastic video!!!!

[@Tutschel]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it. :-)

[@mohammadmnm1]

wow ,,,, that's epic descent

[@alonsoenrriquerocavaca4685]

Fuulllll esto si q es vivir y sentir la velocidad y adrenalinaaaaa. Muy bueno

[@JGGuitarCovers]

Did you not have to pedal the entire way? That's when you know its a good descent! There's a few belters in Scotland!

[@Tutschel]

Johnny Gartland I pedalled quite a bit, like when it wasn't too steep, otherwise I just let gravity take over.

[@VelostradaDk1]

Beautiful descent, you are in control. No dangerous situations. Thumbs up

[@classicjetsims]

Any reason you can't give the cyclists you're overtaking more than a foot of lateral separation? At that closing speed you can't avoid them if they drift in front of you. I always give cyclists as much room as possible when I'm overtaking them and you had a whole lane most of the time. Otherwise it looks like a fun descent.

[@hamadalhussain1286]

+classicjetsims He was trying to pass him fast and close hoping that the other slow cyclists' pants would be ripped off by the drag created :) SPEED DEMON..

[@hepela1959]

I'm lost for words.

[@UsLEeZy]

Thanks for the vid. Great to see that area on a bike perspective. Great cycling skill. Just be careful though since there are cars on that road. I cringed a few times in this vid. Have you ever experienced skidding while trying to break on downhill? What type of tires do you have? Do they stick to the ground good?

[@decymcgraw]

I done this descent after the 2013 stage in which froome won, one of the best experiences of my life as I got to cycle in and out of team buses, cars and riders then to top it off got to 50 mph

[@postnavodi]

Best cycling video I've seen so far. I wanted to ask you some questions, but I did read previous answers, and that's it. I was sure you knew what to do in those 2 situations, although some people think you had luck, you're just pro. Can you point on which part you've ridden 117.5 km/h ? And, yeah, these roads are beautiful, clean and safe for this. I was wondering how much time would you take to do this ascent (without saving energy for descent). And, one more thing noticeable, there are more cyclist than cars, it must be famous route for you guys in France. Of course , besides mad skill and knowledge, there are balls for sure. And pay attention on the rocks, these little fellas are my phobia in the curves . I have amateurish m.b. so once I made like 75 km/h speed, I felt unsafe there, pedaling was dangerous (like loosing balance if tried) as I couldn't made it faster, so whats your trick ? Tucking ? (mine was short descent to do that) And one more thing. I'm not into Tour de France, but you seem to be really, really good , so are you a pro cyclist or just crazy, experienced one ? Because, I can't imagine that someone would ride this better and faster. Good luck and respect from Serbia.

[@Tutschel]

Thanks for your comment. 117.5km/h was on section where I overtook the car and trailer between 8 and 9mins. I paced myself up the climb to be fresh for the descent and took about 1h50mins. It is one of the most iconic climbs, made famous by the Tour de France. Tucking will add about 10-15% to your top end speed. I am a full time cyclist, albeit not like the Tour de France racers. I only race downhill (Red Bull Road Rage) or in the velodrome. Look at my other race videos and also the Red Bull Road Rage event videos, such as the one from Sarajevo in 2013. Some great memories from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

[@craighamilton5570]

I wonder what the car drivers being overtaken were saying as this rider passed them?

[@Tutschel]

@@craighamilton5570 The German guys with the car trailer, passed me down in Malaucène when they finally caught up, just as I was filling up my water bottles at the village fountain, and gave me a double 👍🏼👍🏼. 🤘🏼

[@powerballin26]

Hi may i ask what bicycle you are using? I want to buy a road bicycle and I want one that is stable at high speeds. Thank you

[@Tutschel]

Hi +steve117, It is a custom built downhill road racer. Just google "Black Sheep Bikes Road Rage Custom 2" for images and articles on the bike. :-)

[@legionofwarriors]

serious speed dude a couple of dangerous maneuvers though but still pretty damn good!

[@bonusstamp7343]

I almost died just watching this! LOL. I would love to learn fast descending like you do. But I don't think I will no matter how hard I try. @ 80kph I already feel the panic :) Ride safe :)

[@nasos_kayak_fishing]

ok that was very very good down!please next time mount the camera like this video road bike high speed downhill 72kmh top speed-gopro hero3+ so can see the km (this own video)!please tell me....1st-what bike?2nd-what tires? 3rd-what brake pads?thanks and keep going the crazy down...

[@MarkVStrava]

You sure got lots of balls mate, I'll give you that. It just looks like you took some unnecessary risks too. Overtaking cars like that in corners isn't one of the brightest things in my opinion. But I do have to say, great video, and you got some great skill keepin' it on the road in some of the corners.

[@WellRaverOfficial]

Nice video. Was it around 8.20 when you got to max speed?

[@Tutschel]

Thanks for dropping in. Yes, I got some nice wind shelter behind the car/trailer and used it to gain that extra bit of top end speed for the overtake. Then straight into the supertuck (thankfully before the UCI ban). 🚴🏽‍♂️💨

[@Hypersonicbiker]

Mr Kohler, are You ok? Why You don't upload any videos?

[@Tutschel]

Yes, I am fine, thanks for asking. I just haven't filmed any descending recently, but once I do, I will be sure to upload it. 👍🏼

[@Hypersonicbiker]

@@Tutschel Glad to hear that. Take care Yourself. Waiting Your videos.

[@Fluxtime9399]

Great Video ! And to the people moaning , what's the difference to doing this and a Motorcycle doing same descent .?

[@ethansloss6854]

*****, on a motorcycle, you have leathers and a full helmet. On a bike, if you fall off you die. At least you stand a chance of living on a motorcycle.

[@ethansloss6854]

***** He asked the difference between doing the decent on a motorbike and a bicycle. Also, at what point did I say I had problem with doing it on a bike? Boo hoo my ass.

[@alanwaterworth6464]

superb riding and handling skill! what frameset is this? I guess it must be pretty stiff.. I've made descents at speeds at around 80kph many times, but one time got hit by a gust of wind from the side which put the bike into a speed wobble when I corrrected.. several seconds of terror to avoid colliding with a stone wall! I'd like to know what tyres you used too. thanks for sharing :)

[@Tutschel]

Thanks Alan. I am riding a full custom Black Sheep Bikes - Road Rage Custom frameset, specifically designed and developed to race downhill road races (Red Bull Road Rage). I used Schwalbe Ultremo ZX tryes (@100psi) for this run. I also recommend Schwalbe Ultremo Aqua for wet conditions.

[@hedleythorne]

Tutschel Love your videos. Can I just ask - do you ever worry about (or have you ever experienced) a speed wobble? Not sure what creates them - perhaps misaligned brakes. I am a very heavy bloke but cycle in the Alps/Pyrenees occasionally and am off to Teide in Tenerife next month - just want to prevent any chance of speed wobbles!

[@Tutschel]

Thanks for your comment and question. I don't worry about speed wobbles with my current equipment as long as I keep my hands firmly on the handlebars. I did experience a brief bout of the speed wobbles down the home straight of the final at the Red Bull Road Rage in Sarajevo, but that was because I took my hands off the bars to celebrate. Needless to say, I grabbed them again in a hurry and saved myself some potential embarrassment! It's important to make sure your wheels are perfectly aligned, bearings aren't worn in your hubs, tyres are in perfect shape, your frame is aligned and your headset is snug. All of those can have an impact on whether you experience a smooth high speed descent or if you end up giving yourself the fright of your life with some unexpected speed wobbles.

[@ethanashe1779]

This guy has some serious go nads comign that close to cars

[@archiejack363]

i camped up there at last years tour i went down it thought 20 mins of descending was great until i released i had to go back up it

[@KarimReed]

Unreal!

[@FaizAbdelhafid]

15:28 ouch ^^ Rush Hour :-)

[@inafusabi]

This ride is a joy to watch. A thorough-bred racing machine going down a nice nature enclosed mountain road. At which time did you reach the peak speed +Tutschel?

[@Tutschel]

On the straight overtaking the car with the trailer.

[@jlw19491]

what tires and pressure?

[@VegasCyclingFreak]

@Tutschel What groupset do you have on your bike?

[@Tutschel]

Campagnolo Record 10s with 55t front ring upgrade and Avid BB7 road disc brakes. Would like to upgrade eventually to full wireless Sram Red with hydraulic discs.

[@VegasCyclingFreak]

+Tutschel Thanks for the enlightenment

[@Tutschel]

+RTD RD Tha Vegan No, as one is not travelling by motorised vehicle, which are the only ones required to have a speedometer by law.

[@robinbantigny8640]

+Tutschel Italian quality :-) And what frame ? It doesn’t sound so much like carbon… I wonder if you used some aerodynamic position during your ride ? Thanks

[@Tutschel]

+Robin Bantigny The frame is a full custom titanium downhill road racer with a titanium truss fork by Black Sheep Bikes. On the fastest straight sections I sit down on the top tube in a full aero tuck.

[@rachelkraimer5170]

Faster Than a Speeding Bullet by John Kraimer The “need for speed” was an urge that called out to my buddy Tom and I. An urge we satisfied with our favorite and most adventurous activity - high speed downhill biking. The feeling you get from propelling yourself over 50 mph on a bicycle is incredible. We routinely made vertical assaults down our favorite hills around Cincinnati, but in our quest for speed we began making a yearly pilgrimage to the mountains of West Virginia. Tom and I made many intense solo speed runs down the mountains before discovering that by drafting behind our car we could greatly increase our speeds. Drafting provided a thrill for both the biker and driver because it required teamwork to get the most out of each hill. In this sport the bicyclist starts peddling full blast down the hill. After the biker reaches a speed of around 35 mph, the driver pulls in front of them to block the wind. The biker drops into an aerodynamic tuck position and tries to keep his front wheel about a foot away from the rear bumper of the car. The wind tunnel created behind the car sucks the bicycle closer and closer requiring the driver to adjust his speed by following signals from the biker. Nodding your head “YES” means, “Go faster” (I'm going to run into you), while “NO” means, “Slow down” (I need to get closer so the wind doesn't blow me away). On a 1989 trip to West Virginia we were both able to reach 58.5 mph on draft assisted speed runs at the Gauley Dam. After practicing our drafting technique locally we returned the following year on a mission to break the 60 mph barrier. To prepare for our vertical assaults we stripped our bikes down, lowered the seat and handlebars for stability, and put on new tubes and tires. Back at the Gauley Dam we broke the 60 mph barrier with relative ease. As we discovered better roads and bigger hills, our speeds kept increasing to 65 mph, then 70 mph and beyond. On Scenic Highway # 150 near Cranberry Glades, Tom registered a 73.9 mph run while I cranked out an insanely fast top speed of 87.5 mph. I consider this daring feat to be the pinnacle of my life as an able-bodied extremist. There were actually two speed runs where I broke the 80 mph barrier. My first time, at 83.5 mph, was the most intense because it occurred at the top of a mountain where I was buffeted by winds. What follows is an account of that event to give you a feel of what it's like to pull such a stunt. Tom and I are at the top of a mountain pass which is excellent for speed biking. The road is newly paved and there are no other cars around. There is a very steep downhill grade for one mile, followed by a sharp left hand bend, and then the road continues to wind down the mountain for a few more miles. Adding to the character of this hill is a "Bear Crossing" sign near the top - it's perfect. While the cool, gusty wind blows, I nervously adjust my helmet and peel off my shirt so I'm more aerodynamic. No time to waste (a bear might eat me), I hop on the bike, slip into my toe clips, and pedal like crazy. Tom whips the car in front of me and I slip behind it. It doesn't take long to build up speed and soon we’re flying by the "Bear Crossing" sign. The hill is so steep I have to apply my breaks to keep from running into the car. All I can do is keep nodding my head, faster! Faster! Faster!! FASTER!!! As we approach maximum speed, pieces of road grit are flying up and sting my skin. I can see the road surface and yellow lines zipping past under my front wheel. With the car blocking the wind, the loudest sound I hear comes from tires humming against the pavement like a nest of angry hornets. I try to maintain around a foot distance between my front wheel and the car bumper, but at times only inches separate them. It's a very dangerous position to be in because it's necessary to look up at the road occasionally, and during that instant your wheel can move several inches closer to the bumper. The term "inches from death" is no exaggeration in this case because if your wheel touches the bumper, you'll wipe out and splatter all over the pavement. As I look through the car windows, I see the turn approaching and nod for Tom to floor it and leave me behind. I'm scared because I won't be able to make the turn at this speed while drafting the car, but will experience severe turbulence once I leave the protective wind tunnel canopy. Whoosh! The car pulls away and I am immediately blasted with a gust of wind so powerful it stretches the skin on my face, pulling my cheeks back to my ears. The wind rushes between my scalp and the helmet, lifting it an inch off my head and pulling the chin strap tightly underneath my jaw. I grip the handlebars firmly as they shake in my hands while the bike is pounded by crosswinds. In a matter of seconds the wind resistance causes my speed to drop and I scream through the turn at around 60 mph. Tom is waiting on the other side of the bend and slows the car so I can catch him and draft the next stretch of road. I sneak a peek at my speedometer and see it locked in a top speed of 83.5 mph. I have just broken the 80 mph barrier and I’m ecstatic. A powerful wave of adrenaline is surging through my body as I motion for Tom to drive on and let me finish the run solo. I want to revel in my achievement of reaching a new plateau of speed run nirvana. I find myself hooting and hollering at the top of my lungs but then realize I'm still cruising at 50+ mph and better save my celebration for the bottom. Blue Bullet On a mountain top in West VA It's a cool and blustery April day At the crest of a road we survey the scene There's a long steep hill, a speed demon's dream It's a smooth highway with a straight decline A breeze sends chills all through my spine I lose the shirt and bare my skin The ride of a lifetime is about to begin I hop on the bike and gain speed fast The car flies by and makes its pass I draft behind and tuck down low Ready or not, here we go Faster and faster the lines blur on by If my wheels were wings I'd liftoff and fly I'm just inches from the bumper, to kiss it means sure death At times I’m so close that I gasp for a breath I’m maxing out now at 80 plus The draft saves me from windy gusts Up ahead I can see a turn I gotta lose speed or I'll crash and burn The car pulls away and I feel the blast As I hurtle down that mountain pass The handlebars shimmy in my grip Gotta hang on tight don't let it slip My speed drops to 50 as I lean through the bend I cruise to the bottom and then do it again Looking back on that scene years ago I was a crazy young man rearing to go The need for speed was in my brain Like a drug to the junkie, it flowed through my veins I have many fond memories, I don't sit and lament About the speed run gone bad and my final descent My body was broken but my mind is still whole I'm still the same person, still have the same soul There's a whole new world of which I'm aware In some ways a gift I’ve been privileged to share And so goes the story of that day on the hill A moment of glory, one Hell of a thrill John Kraimer

[@silentmike4320]

U Sir got balls !

[@quedecree]

Awesome and scary at the same time! Have you done this descent many times before?

[@Tutschel]

Thanks. It was the first time I rode that descent.

[@terminatah500]

I've been through a pack of cigarettes watching this. I rather go back to combat than doing that. Great balls of steel

[@poly_hexamethyl]

Gosh, why don't they close the road during races? This looks really dangerous having to fight it out with all the cars that are in the way! :-O

[@frv84]

The only race here is against himself, nobody else is racing..

[@danial_s]

I like how you manage a little laugh right after giving death a little bye-felicia at 15:26

[@MicroageHD]

Would love to go down there, even if the ascend would be pretty hard

[@BusyB07]

when does he hit top speed?

[@Tutschel]

On section after car and trailer overtake.

[@Tutschel]

Rob Rol thanks for dropping by. I understand there is risk in everything we do, but I don't ever plan to live my life governed by the fears of others or by every conceivable "what if". I have had a front tyre blowout at 80km/h and while it was pretty scary, I kept my calm and brought the bike to a controlled stop. If these kind of things are beyond your risk appetite, then just take it easy and don't do them. Stay safe.

[@jamspandex4973]

Tutschel I think his point was that there are other people there who could be put in danger if something goes wrong - my own feeling is by all put yourself in danger if you feel it is worth it, but on public roads it is almost certainly irresponsible. 117 kmh is over 70 mph, and in the UK that is speed limit on a motorway - on all other roads it is significantly less. In France the limit for this type of road in these conditions, is 90 kmh, so you were almost certainly breaking the law for much of this. Whether you agree with the laws refarding speed limits or not, they are there to protect other road users, not just the foolhardy who would like to go extremely fast.

[@Tutschel]

Jam Spandex Thanks for your comment. I understand what he was saying. I also understand everything we do carries risk and that everybody's perception of acceptable risk is different according to their risk appetite. We just have different risk appetites, that is all. Speed limits apply to vehicles that are by law required to have a speedometer, which excludes bicycles, therefore at no time was I breaking the law in this regard.

[@robrol8365]

Bailey Frost He doesn't give a fuck for other people,this is the point,do you get it ?

[@spaisios]

Really great rider... Best descent I have ever seen. Great positioning, really strong guy... I loved this passing by from the trailer... No choice for staying back of it. I wish you luck my friend... Life hides behind adrenaline...You found it, though... ;) In which part you reached this max speed? Really fast turns, even the u-turns... You are ace...

[@Tutschel]

Thanks for the comment. Really stoked you enjoyed it so much! Top speed hit just after car and trailer overtake. Take care.

[@aventador65]

Hi man!Amazing videos!Do you think my bike can also up to 100-120 km/h?I know mostly it depend from me, but just asking?I had Carrera Zelos aluminium.Tnx for answer!

[@TeamSteamRacing]

thats some speed! subscribed!

[@adembenhammouda5461]

fucking awesome i wish we have this road in my country

[@questpublishing4388]

superb!!

[@questpublishing4388]

brilliant man

[@Festaddict555]

"Custom downhill bike", what would happen if you did this on a not so rigid carbon frame?

[@Tutschel]

To be honest, the most important element is the rider. If the rider is used to the bike and knows how the bike reacts and handles under certain circumstances and also adaptes their riding to the ride characteristics of the bike, then it shouldn't be much of an issue. You may lose a little power accelerating out of the corners, but otherwise it should be not be much of an impediment.

[@jfilm1635]

What gopro mount was used for this? And where?

[@Tutschel]

Jay Using standard GoPro mounts, one on the handlebars, another on the seat post.

[@MattFixesStuff]

8:00 top speed. Insane :D. Be careful friend.

[@griffgriffo9746]

Awesome ride..

[@supergarsdjo]

tendu le premier virage , nice ride !

[@AhmadFitrie1992]

4:11 nice one!

[@MuppetAlex1]

That looked fun. Luck

[@khandodsfkhan]

do you use any special protection suit or parts? because i've already had 2 accident where i went way to fast into the curve and ended with some painfull abrasions, and you seem to ride those curves quite fast. respect! hope you answer my comment, bye

[@cyclestorieslive5605]

What did the wind feel like!?

[@Tutschel]

Cycle Stories Live The wind felt absolutely great!

[@gixxerboy555]

Tutschel ..how can you become such an awesome speed with a bicycle? BTW...very nice video... :)

[@chessiesystemrailfanman3741]

Awesome man, I love it!! Thank you so much for sharing and stay safe my fellow cyclist :-)

[@antonm3366]

Did you go all the way up there by bike before descending?

[@terminatah500]

@@komquistador3904 😂😂😂😂😂😂😭😭😭😭😭..great answer

[@ashleydavidatkinson2547]

How long is the clime up?

[@tomdecorel7342]

very long....

[@Nismo1337]

Sehr GEIL !

[@Tutschel]

Danke sehr. Gern geschehen!

[@BerraLJ]

Brakes sure seem to pack some punch, but i assume you don't weigh like i do :) only managed to hit around 62kph on my alu shimano sora bike, but at 120kg that was bit scary :) and i don't live near any descents like this.

[@Tutschel]

Thanks for dropping by. Yes, the disc brakes definitely give a performance advantage over rim brakes, something you would find an advantage with 120kg to bring to a halt. It is especially noticeable in the wet.

[@BerraLJ]

I live on a hill so can ride close to 1km before i even need to pedal, had to replace the rear brake pads after 1400km surprised they lasted that long, not hard to reach 40kph+ going down and the corners are very tight, will be nice to test the new bike with Di2 and ultegra calipers, but need to loose some weight first i think :)

[@zariefaiman6312]

What's the gradient ?

[@cameltrophy3]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mont_Ventoux

[@TortaSabrosa]

Still alive, 4 years later?

[@Tutschel]

ceryan83 Thanks for dropping by. Never been more alive! Appreciate your concern. Enjoy the clips.

[@boazyu3084]

Did u wear a helmet?

[@Tutschel]

I sure did. I never cycle anywhere without one.

[@MurkyDregs]

What kind of disc brakes? Hydraulic or cable?

[@Tutschel]

Avid BB7 cable disc brakes. Have been tempted to go for a cable/hydraulic mix setup, but plan to upgrade to full hydraulic once Campagnolo develop and release a set of compatible non electronic shifting levers.

[@MurkyDregs]

You mean BB7...BB9 was rumored for a while...? Why not the Shimano non electronic? You're a pure Campy guy? Just curious...

[@Tutschel]

Apologies for the typo, yes BB7 not BB9 - amended in original comment. I don't like the brake lever as a shifter at the same time and Shimano shifters just lack the ergonomics Campagnolo have (mainly the thumb shifter to shift down). I also like the solid positive clicks for shifts Campy gives (the Shimano one is too light for my liking). I have always ridden Campy on the road and wouldn't 'downgrade' to another brand, so I guess that does make me a Campy guy. :-)

[@MurkyDregs]

Lmao... OK. I have to tell you, give 6800 Ultegra a shot, I kinda "massage" into the gear, can feel it, but the engagement requires half the effort of previous iterations and the front shifting is superb.... Leaps and bounds ahead of 6700. I have yet to ride Campy, I plan on it one day... I keep hearing good things about Shimano Hydraulics... Next upgrade for me... I ride BB7, I think they're great... Ever have any fade issues with the speeds you descend at?

[@Tutschel]

I have tried both SRAM and Shimano on various other bikes I have ridden, but just don't like them as much. I would go for SRAM over Shimano. None of the 3 make bad products, it's just a personal preference. No brake fade issues experienced yet, as I generally stay off the brakes as much as possible on the way down. I find they slow me down too much! ;-)