Bengt Jönsson Downhill Speed Record Bike

Humanity seems to thrive on advance and success. Trying to achieve what has never been done is perhaps in our DNA. The attempts to push the boundaries and set new records can be detected across all human activities. And cycling, of course, is not an exemption. What creates the biggest buzz are the speed records and there are indeed many categories to choose from. The absolute unassisted speed records were clocked on steep slopes covered in snow and for example the current record has been set by Éric Barone with staggering 227.72 km/h in the French ski resort Vars.

Throughout the 1990s there was a big boom in this field and the attempts were more serious than ever. One of the true pioneers was Swedish ski professional Bengt Jönsson. Being a two-time national champion in speed skiing he tried to be seriously quick on a bike as well. And how he was! On an adapted downhill mountainbike he broke the world record in 1995 and then had another attempt in 1997. To be as aeeodynamic as possible, he made use of a wind-tunnel tested combination of suit and helmet.

How fast he went? Well he clocked 208,7 km/h on the slopes of Les Arcs in the French Alps. Unfortunately he started rather late and the snow had gotten a little mushy. Thus Eric Barone was able to take the Record at the same spot with 210 km/h.

And here we offer you the very bicycle Bengt Jönsson cracked the world speed record on. It is an adapted RD Coyote downhill bike with many customized or specifically made parts. To be able to slow down and lower the chances of immediate death the powerful Sachs disc brake with titanium disc was seemingly not enough and so a small parachute has been mounted under the massive saddle which can be ejected via a twist grip.

This unique piece of history will be an enrichment of any bicycle collection indeed.