XXL bike is the longest in the world

Ready for a crazy ride on perhaps the craziest bike in the history of the world? (All image sources: Guinness World Records)

If there is one invention that has become established in road traffic alongside cars and motorcycles, it is the bicycle. No matter whether it’s a city bike, a mountain bike, a state-of-the-art e-bike or a rusty bike: two-wheelers are everywhere.

But have you ever met an almost 36 meter long Ferris wheel? Yes, this construction is not fiction, but fact.

You can now find out what this hellish construction is all about and which creative minds built the vehicle.

How does the world’s longest bike work?

The Dutch bicycle organization “Mijl Van Mares Werkploeg” is behind the XXL bike.

In numbers: the unlikely bike is over 35 meters long, or more precisely: 35.79 meters. For comparison: the African elephant has a body length of 6 to 7.5 meters. So the longest bicycle in the world is about as long as three of the pachyderms placed one behind the other.

But see for yourself:

From the handlebars to the bottom of the bike: a real colossus

The front and back of the bike are connected using aluminum supports that are also used for lighting systems at concerts. This device, which was actually intended for event technology, was chosen to prevent the particularly long wheel frame from sagging.

In its entry on this gigantic bicycle, the Guinness Book of Records expressly states that the two-wheeled vehicle is actually functional and can basically be used in the same way as an ordinary bicycle. Of course, there won’t be room for the monstrous vehicle in the bike cellar, and relaxing weekend trips on this superlative bike are difficult to imagine.

If you want to build super bikes, you need an enthusiastic team.

However, the bike works like a normal bike in that it only has two wheels, meaning it can be put on the road without additional stabilizers such as training wheels. But as you can see in the video footage of the world record, it takes two people – one at the front, one at the back – to move this hellish construction forward on the asphalt.

According to Frank Pelt, head of “Mijl Van Mares Werkploeg”, the bike is easy to ride. What Pelt advises against, however, is turning any corners with this mobile vehicle.

But how did this means of transport of super dimensions actually come about?

How did the XXL bike come about?

In the approximately three-minute video, you will witness the crazy bicycle construction in quick succession, from assembling the aluminum carrier to transporting it onto a road – and finally Frank Pelt behind the handlebars, pedaling for the world record.

In a short interview, Pelt also reports how passers-by’s jaws dropped at the sight of the monster bike – followed by the statement: “What is that? Why did you build that?” Pelt and team’s answer: “Because we love a good challenge.”

It’s best to see and be amazed for yourself.

Link to YouTube content

After the world record – a new world record: With their design, the bicycle enthusiasts won an entry in the famous Guinness World Records book in 2016. Only to be overtaken by Australian inventors by the crucial meters two years later with an even longer bike.

But that’s another story for another world record.

Now it’s your turn? Are you impressed by such mobile buildings from the hobby cellars of talented bicycle wizards? Or can’t you remember the last time you sat on a saddle? Which set of wheels do you choose if you want to get from A to B? Please leave us your preferred means of transport in the comments.