The Italians Are Coming

[@hoover2501]

Hands down the greatest coming of age movie of all time. Funny, heartwarming, and exciting at times. The acting and themes are timeless. Way back in 1979 when I was in the 10th grade our English teacher got the local movie theater to bring it to our high School auditorium. He had the whole class watch it. I've loved it ever since

[@tomstricklin3409]

I saw this movie in 1979, I was probably already drafting the local buses, I’m now 59 and I’m still doing this when I can, top speed behind an ice truck 47.5 mph about 15 years ago on a steel bike.

[@patriciaactis]

I m 59 and saw this movie in 1979 haha

[@cyclist7s]

What distance did you do that speed? And what gears were you using front and back??

[@tomstricklin3409]

@@cyclist7s it’s been a while, probably 53/11, the total distance was about 2 miles, I don’t know how long I was going top speed, just know the wired computer read 47.5 at the end.

[@tomstricklin3409]

@@cyclist7s it’s been a while, probably 53/11, the total distance was about 2 miles, I don’t know how long I was going top speed, just know the wired computer read 47.5 at the end.

[@Valtitude]

Go go go!

[@andyzacek9760]

About 20 years ago when I was a little kid living in suburbs of Oregon, I couldn’t sleep late one night and turned the TV on and saw this scene. I was inexplicably captivated, and for weeks I was obsessed with the idea of this bicyclist racing the truck, reenacting it with legos. I remember wondering if it could be real, if you could really ride bikes like a car, or if I had dreamed the whole thing, as for years no one who I described this scene to could remember what movie it was from. But I never forgot about this rogue cyclist doing amazing things on a bike... Flash forward to now, I’m a bicycle mechanic and avid cyclist, and I just completed my first brevet of 130 mi between sunrise and sunset. I suddenly remembered this scene this morning and decided to try to finally see it again after all these years. Lo and behold, the scene is just like how I remembered it, and it has the exact same vital spirit that’s inspired me to love bikes all my life

[@nelsonhibbert5267]

Damn Andy, that's really cool! Pretty much the same thing happened to me when I was inspired by American Flyers. I went on to become an amatuer time trialist and road racer. And you know what? I SUCKED!!

[@andyzacek9760]

@@nelsonhibbert5267 lol. Bikes are great. Sucking, not sucking, it doesn't even factor into it. It's all about the joy

[@nelsonhibbert5267]

@@andyzacek9760 Thanks Andy, good point! I enjoy cycling more the better shape I'm in.... but to get in that shape I have to take the joy away and go through the pain! Nothing worth doing is ever easy.....

[@thomashines1546]

Your not alone, I’m 58 now and back in the late 80’s I was a cyclist and did multiple races from 42-150 miles a day. I once tried drafting my van while my sister drove it, we eventually reached 56 mph on a smooth back road in the Deep South of Louisiana, I held 56mph, while drafting her for 5.5 miles. Trying to build more endurance for sprints in criterium races. I am no longer alone now. Live in Florida currently.

[@Vikp684]

One of the best comments I’ve read on KZbin!

[@-ZIO]

This movie was released about the same time I migrated to America from Italy. It is still my most loved American film of all time :)

[@b.e.coverdale8726]

moi aussi =)

[@cygnusustus]

I grew up in Bloomington and was in High School when this movie was made. We always thought one of the funniest parts of the film was where the cop pulls over the truck for doing 60! Never would have happened on that road.

[@generalzod7959]

Where in Italy did you come from?

[@generalzod7959]

@@cygnusustus it makes me wonder, is it possible to get a 10-speed up to 60 mph if you drafted behind a semi? I remember when Mythbusters was on, I went on the website and in the discussion board, there was a movie/TV myths section and I asked them to see if it was possible to go that fast but, they never got around to testing it. 🙁

[@cygnusustus]

@@generalzod7959 It probably is possible. As I recall, that section of road is sloped slightly downhill as well. If I wasn't lazy I'd do the math on the gear ratios.

[@nelsonhibbert5267]

I've been drafting behind all kinds of traffic for years. Doesn't matter how fast I go though, they only seem to stick one finger out the window.......

[@spidermancereal]

Somehow I don't think they're saying "You're number one"!

[@harrisdwjr]

Love is not too strong a word for how I feel about this scene.

[@bkav1355]

I agree

[@bkav1355]

I agree

[@fiLthy_Rx]

I love how he's drafting at 50mph+ in the small ring 😂

[@yirgster9842]

Exactly!

[@nelsonhibbert5267]

I once read a story by a guy (I think it was British time trial champion Michael Hutchinson) that had gone training with ex pro Sean Yates. Yates was known for never changing down from the big ring, regardless of the climb. One day Hutch was riding with Yates, and they started going up a hill, and Hutch began teasing Yates as he had dropped onto the small chainring. Yates replied "Yeah, but my inner ring is a 50". Yates often fitted inner chainrings the same size as most regular folk would fit on the outside. It's no surprise that on the pro circuit his nick name was "The Animal". That's how I justify this scene anyway!

[@fiLthy_Rx]

@@nelsonhibbert5267 As an avid cyclist, that's genuinely interesting to me. Thanks for sharing, Nelson. 🙂

[@nelsonhibbert5267]

@@fiLthy_Rx No problem! Yates was my hero as a kid, and I'm still a massive geek about some of his stories. I loved the one where he was told by a track coach to "bulk up a bit", so Yates started doing push ups, got carried away, and ended up doing 500 a day for five years and then quit when he realised it wasn't working....

[@ronaldh8446]

I used to ride my stationary bike in my living room watching this scene on the television. LoL

[@menevetsny]

Mendelssohn's Italian Symphony

[@stephengiallombardo9894]

He used the truck to eliminate the wind resistance. That's how cyclists break land speed records.

[@Valtitude]

Wish the video quality was better but this is KZbin so I fully understand. This scene ... love it. The film, a forever favorite. TYVM for posting.

[@bellavia5]

He did a real job with his posture on the bike.

[@lakaumbucha]

This is my favorite movie I watch it at least once a week

[@JerryDLTN]

I think I've gotten up to 60mph down hill in Monteagle, TN or during the 3-state 3-mountain century ride in Alabama

[@RalphyDee]

Please, please, please! Make this video again but don't cut off the end! The scene wasn't complete. My favorite part of this movie. It took me years to find the music to this scene but I finally got it...

[@luatala8008]

This movie got me into cycling some 40years ago

[@jahellen]

3:40 Imagine what he could do using the big ring!

[@John-dw6ru]

Best Screenplay!

[@caliscribe2120]

You know it's Jimmy Carter era America when 60 mph on a 4 lane divided highway can get you a speeding ticket.

[@shaunb93291]

50+ in the little ring...okay then

[@coldramentpm1013]

lol exactly...

[@cygnusustus]

Yep. The Little 500. They still race it every year. The biggest event on the IU Campus.

[@jorymil]

It seems like I find out about 90% of baroque/classical/romantic music from movies! Mendelssohn, Smetana, Tchaikovsky, Mozart, Debussy, Bizet, Schubert. It's a combination of peace and joy; different emotions than jazz, for example, which is more energetic, except for maybe Bill Evans or Keith Jarrett.

[@coldramentpm1013]

i gotta try this one day

[@meganluminais3586]

He must be in great shape all that cycling he does

[@roscoparker1920]

I think 37 is one of my most HATED roads in all of Indiana. When I lived in Bloomington I'd sometime take old slow 231 back to Crown Point just to avoid the Bloomington to Indy on 37 part of the trip!

[@keithwilson6060]

Too many cops?

[@cygnusustus]

Plus, if you get off 37 you get to conquer some awesome climbs. Or they conquer you.

[@smoothkirito]

2 years from now, that will all be interstate. I-69 has already reached Martinsville, and they are about to start the last stretch from Martinsville to Indy.

[@duaneboxwell9137]

When I was in college and bought my first bike (1981), I saw this movie. I used to ride up the mountain just outside of town. It was 1 mile long, around 500 feet high, with a long straight, even downhill grade. I would wait at the top for semi trucks laboring up the other side, and then jump in behind them for the downhill ride. This was before bike speedometers, and possibly before I got my first helmet. I would ride down the other side behind the trucks. The air was utterly still 3 feet from the bumper. Then when the grade flattened out at the bottom, I would gradually lose contact. The air rushed in, and it was like being caught in tornado. It was exhilarating. And very stupid.

[@zacharycat603]

Those were the days of the 55 mph speed limit. They enforced it too. Not really possible to do 60 on a bike w/o special gearing.

[@blackwaterdogs4256]

Continuity error: @ 3:40, when Dave is supposedly doing 50 mph while drafting the Cinzano truck, the close-up of the crankset shows that he is on the inner (smaller) chainring. Totally unrealistic for that speed....

[@nelsonhibbert5267]

Unless he had the same gear ratios as Sean Yates.....in which case his inner was a 52. Yates was insane though.

[@francoisbaillargeon5315]

i ordered the movie and it motivate me so much too watch that scene :)!

[@Anth230]

What a coincidence. He just happens to see a cinzano truck on the road....😂

[@JerryDLTN]

The one hour world record: UCI farthest distance men's: Chris Boardman United Kingdom, 1996, 56.375 km (35.03 miles)

[@JesusRodriguez-wx1js]

I’m just like this guy I’m the best at races in my road bike sprint

[@bellavia5]

I wonder where that bike is now?

[@kennethduckworth7111]

Years ago I hit 50 mph on a downward slope, but not down a mountain. Best of a flat for me is 30 mph.

[@teejay3272]

Because every cyclist loves diesel fumes.

[@matthewferguson7084]

Best scene Worst version

[@faridalvarez]

horrible quality

[@deegiambattista35]

Do better yourself then