Riding the Arenberg POV- Paris-Roubaix's toughest cobbled sector

[@Luko2912]

I have a similar piece of cobbles in my city, just around 200-300m I rode it at your speed and after watching you doing it for 2.3km straight you have my respect! and the rain didn't make it better, so props to you for making it through! ;)

[@LegSpinna]

Top effort, and in the rain to boot. Makes my arms and shoulders hurt just watching.

[@alexlintern9779]

Yup, my think out loud comment "are they nuts!?"

[@pit19931]

And to think that the riders hit that after 200km at full speed.

[@carlosperaro1605]

Ouch! That's amazing! Thank you very much for this astonishing first person experience. I knew that it hurts, but never imagined how much, and how deep the pain could ever be.

[@roadcc]

Glad you enjoyed it Carlos

[@corneliusreed4873]

Great perspective. If it is possible, I have even greater respect for those guys than I had before!!!!!!

[@hornetluca]

It sounds like some horses galopping

[@gabrieledalessio6707]

really immersive video, giving the idea what is it like due the combination of POV footage and precise/lived infos. Nice

[@philliplovesthwkiel]

How the Pros ride in a group, which is a challenge in itself, with 45k over those cobbles is beyond me. Huge props to those guys, and all of that with 150km already in the legs

[@johntrussell6373]

This is absolutely insane!!

[@waterboxer87]

If I could ride the cobbles of the Arenberg forest, I'd do it once on a high end bike and then again on a Walmart bike just to see how long the bike from Wally World would last.

[@daydreaming_aristocrat]

It's probably actually more bearable to ride it at the pros speed.

[@alexlintern9779]

Yeah, right! The tarmac path looks like the more intelligent choice.....together with a full suspension MTB LOL

[@roadcc]

Tell the legs that!

[@michel_dutch]

This is heroic, well done mate!

[@chrisvanbuggenum871]

That looked horrendous!! Never seen POV before.

[@OttoVanluchene]

Omg why do they guys at the end not move over a bit... no respect.

[@jamesbutler1949]

major cunts

[@simmer484]

I'm glad I'm not the only one that was pissed off with what they did. Totally imposing themselves

[@ojanssensande]

But the rider just went straight at them. No mercy, I love it

[@848nm]

It sounded like they were cheering him at the end. I wouldnt be so hasty to judge..

[@OttoVanluchene]

@@848nm 6:14 - Almost no room to pass. The guy at the left should take a step back. That's a narrow fit after 2.3km of cobbles

[@poly_hexamethyl]

Are you on tubular tires? I can't imagine clinchers surviving those ruts without pinch flatting?

[@polthomaskeeley7860]

Ive trained, raced, and meandered over this section. It's difficult to quantify, really. Yes, people say ride it at tremendous speed as you hit it, others say let the bike take the bounce (ie don't grip too tight), whereas others suggested sensing where your line should be. (Please.) You listen to all the tips. But at some point a part of your body starts to give. Then it compounds into a festival of horror jangles. Some riders -- light or heavy -- made me marvel as they glided past me(!) with far less damage. I had finger joint damage for weeks after my first race over those cobbles. Others experienced little other than minor aches and usual race fatigue. if you ever get the chance, I suggest you go and experience it for yourself (road bike). Bike tech is superb now, so that's all on your side too :) I can't guarantee how many times you'll be able to go up and down the section before you don't want to do it again, but you may also find that you have a natural talent; aptitude for consistent hard riding over cobbles.

[@TURST67]

There's a nice path on the right, take it!

[@errbud]

Good job my hands feel numb just watching!

[@mtnbikehead]

Hopefully he has dental coverage. My fillings shook loose just watching 😬

[@soldersucker1]

I just pissedl blood after watching that no thanks(well maybe 25 years ago)

[@charlificity]

2.3km feels so much longer when watching this video. My legs and arms hurt just watching it, and I’m sure I’ll find my bidon somewhere in the corner of the room as well.

[@Bikeflow]

I’m all of a sudden happy I cycle the desert 😂 well done!

[@xjankox]

Amazing video! Thank you for sharing this :O :)

[@roadcc]

Glad you liked it!

[@ribeaucourtsophie9443]

I live right in front of Wallers sarambert so every year I go there and each time the falls are spectacular and so yes I am French

[@jasoreed]

Its the wrists and ankles that hurt the most, i'm not sure the pro's average 40-45 over the whole sector maybe they hit it at that speed but towards the end they might be down to 30k.

[@beeble2003]

40-45km/h is over-stating it a bit: according to the data on Strava, they average in the high 30s.

[@Danskebjerge]

My screen is still shaking after I played this video.

[@sisaktamas]

Very decent speed, seemed like 20kph, hats off!

[@ViajeporelMundo]

I just arrive to ride all the paris roubaix dry track, all the cobbled sectors with my trek 520 disk and back panniers. My max speed was 25km/h! My handlebar tape ended up shattered, just like my arms, wrists and ass. But my satisfaction and pride is total

[@mediumrick7667]

This looks absolutely brutal.

[@sisaktamas]

Riding through the fields on clay roads, where after some rain the tractors left deep tracks, but in the dry the clay is like concrete - believe me it’s ripping the handlebars from your hands even at 15kph!!

[@SIvers-or2ke]

Awesome stuff. I couldn’t help but wonder how a steel bike like say , I don’t know, maybe a certain Fairlight Secan would ride across that same stretch.

[@roadcc]

There's also a huge amount of luck involved in this race. Been in the right place at the right time, not having a mechanical or flat tyre, and just having really good legs

[@pervertt]

At times like these, you'd wish that steel wasn't real ; )

[@sandydennylives1392]

@@pervertt I look forward to cobbles on me steel, but not Pawis Roobaixx.

[@dantelectro]

It's baffling how so many fellow cyclists are camping in the middle of the road.

[@roadcc]

It gets very busy in the week leading up to this race with amateurs and pros reconning the cobbles

[@nedster63]

And blocking the finish. Looks like the first third has been relaid since last year.

[@jamesbutler1949]

I'd plow into the fuckers, fucking instagramers too busy making videos of their sub standard effort, they need to harden the fuck up!!

[@robertfindeis9874]

I would not do this to my bike... 😬

[@_clemens_]

In the documentary style talkshow "De Kleedkamer" Sep Vanmarcke said it this way: A bike on which somebody rode the tour of Flanders, you can still buy. Never ever buy a bike which did Paris Roubaix if you buy it for riding on it.

[@davidarthur]

The sounds the bike makes underneath you is quite terrifying

[@danielgarrad]

I've done roubaix on my boardman alu, super fine, just gotta watch ya line, fell off twice though due to people in front panicking. Flanders completed twice on a Giant Tcr, both great fun, Flanders more so, you don't need a special bike just don't be a gutter bitch!

[@DrSpeedNL]

It goes on and on and on

[@RodolphoArrudanogoogle]

00:30 - can you believe that guy walking backwards like Michael Jackson in the middle of the road? I can't.

[@amatmulisha2978]

Amazing video. I love it. So how does the new roubaix perform?

[@roadcc]

The new Roubaix is good! Definitely helps provide a smoother ride on the cobbles. We'll have a first ride video up this week

[@ericbommelaere6720]

Belle maîtrise

[@GreenRC24]

During the race what keeps the riders from riding on the smooth asphalt next to the cobbles?

[@shawnoconnors3645]

a fence XD

[@andrewmurray5542]

Your poor bike! 😣 Did the future-shock thingy make that much difference?

[@roadcc]

it's certainly a benefit on surfaces like this

[@Ruanurbanratz]

if i was a bike manufacturer - seller i'd recommend this type of "terrain"

[@Tucsky]

Whaaat ? why would someone do this to his bike 😶

[@LewLew18]

I’m never complaining about pot holes again!! 54kms of that....🥴

[@paulthebox9164]

2.3 km in 6:10 minutes; that's about 22-23 km/h

[@DWhite-el4ih]

It's "smoothing out the bumps" alright.

[@_clemens_]

What is your weight and what was your tyre pressure?

[@roadcc]

66kg and 4.8 bar

[@Norman92151]

Hope you are riding 28mm tires at 4 bar.

[@IsaacBergman]

@redshiftsports can you help them?

[@andreaforcella1094]

is the guy riding the new S-Works Roubaix ?

[@roadcc]

Yup!

[@tomshield9730]

Anyone ever do a power comparison between on the cobbles and on the path?

[@roadcc]

David once road the Arenberg with a power meter and you need big power numbers to ride the cobbles fast

[@tomshield9730]

@@roadcc it certainly looks like hard work. Watt savings for various things (aero bike, aero wheels, etc) are often given, so I wondered how the extra effort of cobbles compared.

[@roadcc]

Aero is definitely a consideration, the speeds are high enough for aero but this needs to be balanced against the desire to try and improve comfort and control, and reduce fatigue

[@jayrpatel9]

I cringes, I hurts, I dies

[@Countrystock]

Brutal

[@nickthegr33kk]

It hurts to look,I thought that you were with 25mm at 100+ psi....

[@edgarstudillo5649]

What tire width and pressure did he used?

[@roadcc]

David was on 28mm tubeless tyres set to about 70 psi

[@pit19931]

@@roadcc Cant imagine what it would have been like with traditonal 21-23mm tube tyres and 120psi

[@anton5406]

That is like driving latvian roads

[@jordangraff2254]

Sounds wrong but the faster you go the easier it is... It'll beat you up but not as bad and easier to control at higher speeds..... Just make sure you're at speed when you hit the cobbles

[@popeontop]

This was so painful just to watch. Enjoying my 2020 Roubaix on nice paved rail-trail instead lol.

[@fwk010]

Year Cobbled Stone ;-) It's funny

[@poly_hexamethyl]

1:24 I felt for you when that moron spectator squatted in the middle of the road and made you hit the brakes. It was psychologically painful to see all that energy wasted and the work needed to speed up again.

[@thung22]

that's right the pros doesnt take much time going over this section.

[@dominicbritt]

Hold my drink please.... 😂

[@peterliljebladh]

They say really bad cobbles are more comfortable taken at high speed. What about safety and overall mechanical damage at low vs. high speed?

[@roadcc]

Riding the cobbles at high speed does make it a bit smoother, but it requires big power to keep going! Plus with higher speeds comes greater risk

[@Rendel1994]

why?

[@karlalvtorn5222]

Interesting. It would be amusing comparing this with a rigid roadbike equipped with 650b-wheels and 47mm tyres.

[@jackseph03]

GCN have a video on that from last year

[@roadcc]

I'd wager a bet that 650b would certainly be smoother and more comfortable. Faster, though, I don't know

[@jackseph03]

GCN found at the same power (on the cobbles) a CC bike was faster than a road bike and a hardtail was faster than both. @@roadcc

[@karlalvtorn5222]

jackseph03 I cannot find it over at GCN. What I’m looking for, is a rider passning the same distance and comparing how rough the ride seems.

[@karlalvtorn5222]

@@roadcc Bikeradar compared a Scott Foil vs a Mason Bokeh 650b 47mm. The Scott was faster, but the Mason way more comfortable. kzbin.info/www/bejne/raTTooyFpNWseZI

[@LaughingSaint66]

I rode new Tarmac today so ha! 😂😂🤪🚴🏽‍♂️

[@laszlozoltan5021]

those assholes blithely stood in your way- maybe we should start putting sharp spikes on front to encourage crowd dispersion I rely too much on my bike to risk damaging it or myself on cold wet stones like that...my level of invincibility has been declining more towards the vincible stage- it really sucks

[@CycoWarriorx]

Short of actually being there, how do you reproduce something like this for training..... btw, my eyeballs hurt watching this...

[@brendanpotash6262]

The sheer terror of seeing clueless boffins in the way. Eeeeessssh...

[@whosthere9666]

My butt hurts just from looking.

[@aapddd]

That looks mighty uncomfortable.

[@kendu5636]

Why go on roughest part. Racers go on smoothest!

[@ac80577]

insane

[@millsshumps1968]

OMG!

[@media1981]

I'd vomit, poop and pee myself then fell off side unconsciously. Watching this video makes me dizzy already.

[@methylmike]

go faster, you can sort of fly over them at speeds 18mph+

[@mino3800]

OMG

[@blcrusher]

That's nuts. No thx

[@stuartdryer1352]

Terrifying!

[@zeus9619]

Les Français n'ont plus d'argent pour améliorer leurs routes, ou quoi ? Developping country!

[@carlobalzer3238]

Bloody he'll 🙄🙄🙄

[@IznoLTB]

Comment défoncer un Bike gratuitement 😑

[@kwintin]

Why don't you ride on the bit of tarmac on the right of the path?

[@roadcc]

That's not the racing line!

[@beeble2003]

The whole point is to ride this famous section of cobbled road. If you road the tarmac to the side, you may as well be riding in a different country. And the tarmac is fenced off during the race.

[@Foxhound1Nine]

Dam, poor bike......

[@hayabusa27]

This is insanity, could had ruined a perfectly good bike here

[@sevintrix2962]

POV is just a bit.....well you know.

[@lorenzopilati758]

meow

[@stihldavebergen3469]

Fatbike

[@audible67]

oh...sorry...were you riding here? ffs...

[@Mesofs9]

Poor bike!

[@japadogi]

Idk what sense it make to add ones like this one to grand tours, you peddaling anyways, but just ass and arm pain, broken wheels and bones.

[@kargs5krun]

Did those folks at the end KNOW him or something? 😫😫😫 *MOVE THE F'K OUT OF MY WAY U SLIMY FROGS!!!!* 🤬🤬🤬

[@alainlazarosipov7523]

That is definitely the most unhealthy thing anyone could ever do to a road bike... I mean, buy afterwards a new pair of wheels, tyres, bolts... Dear God. !!!

[@simplecrusader7799]

I feel so bad for the bike. I would never do this to mine!

[@roadcc]

It’s violent for sure, but does highlight how well road bikes are made that they can survive this sort of punishment

[@seantaylor4313]

Brutal