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Video: jet-powered Raleigh shopper
We've seen some interesting and scary bikes of late. There's the French rocket bike, for example. And the Los Angeles tall bike too. But we're not we've ever seen anything as pant-smearingly terrifying as this for a good long while.
Colin Furze has some form when it comes to mad building projects. He's built himself a wall of death out of old pallets and plywood, for example, and has plenty of other dangerous projects under his belt. This project is based around two things: a pulse jet, which is a simple but frightening method of propulsion in this instance powered by a propane cylinder; and a Raleigh Shopper, which is a simple but entirely unsuitable bicycle. Put them together and you have a chariot capable of shooting massive jets of flame, and also reaching 50mph or more.
50mph isn't world record pace, but neither is it a speed we'd like to pilot a Raleigh Shopper at on even the very finest tarmac, let alone a bumpy disused airfield (although later on that looks suspiciously like an open road... wonder what tax band a pulse jet bicycle would fall into?) but Colin's not a big one for safety equipment. Although he does like a tie.
Enjoy!
Dave is a founding father of road.cc, having previously worked on Cycling Plus and What Mountain Bike magazines back in the day. He also writes about e-bikes for our sister publication ebiketips. He's won three mountain bike bog snorkelling World Championships, and races at the back of the third cats.
Latest Comments
- mctrials23 2 sec ago
As i've said before, the police should be sued for a lot of money when someone they have knowingly ignored has gone on to commit a serious crime....
- David9694 7 min 50 sec ago
'Bad parking' blocks firefighters multiple times on same emergency call-out...
- David9694 11 min 36 sec ago
Cambridgeshire boy, 13, crashes Audi into garden wall after taking it from home...
- Adam Sutton 57 min 20 sec ago
Good stuff. Now do it on cycleway C9 through Hammersmith to Chiswick.
- mark1a 1 hour 6 min ago
It's technically allowed but it's not known as "London's Orbital Car Park" for nothing.
- Dogless 2 hours 14 min ago
You're defending bombing hospitals and refugee camps and starving children.
- mattw 4 hours 54 min ago
Used car salesman is a complete attention-seeking plank....
- tubasti 5 hours 11 min ago
I don't know if they're any better, but they's certainly become more boring.
- FionaJJ 5 hours 37 min ago
At risk of being cynical, and stereotyping the police, it's so they don't have to leave the comfort of their panda cars and pursue on foot when...
- andystow 5 hours 47 min ago
But now you don't have to. Allegedly.
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16 comments
His maniacal glee is what's compelling. Oh and that it's a 50mph jet powered shopper. Good work you lunatic.
wot a nutter, great stuff!
This has been done 10 years ago by a guy in NZ.
http://www.interestingprojects.com/
..and he got persecuted by their tax dept, he says because of this:
http://www.interestingprojects.com/cruisemissile/
Hats Off Chap.
Top Work.
Can't help thinking boris missed a trick here
Love the Doodlebug noises - ride through the East End and watch the pensioners dive for cover
Yes, we did that one a couple of weeks ago spaceyjase, in fact we were goint to ref it in this story nice anglo/gallic contrast in terms of bikes and erm, safety equipment.
http://road.cc/content/news/84301-video-263kmh-rocket-bike
Mind you the French fella is on a rocket, not sure what that would do to a Raleigh Shopper… Hang on, yes I am
...in fact, did this one ever get posted?
Rocket Power!
First Digital EPO, now this?
The maniacal laughing is, well, maniacal. I suppose the whole thing is.
No helmet. And I bet he went through a red light. Bloody cyclists.
If ever there was a guy who NEEDS to guest on Top Gear, it's him - what a character!
Outstanding!
Still looks safer than 4th Cat circuit racing.
What a guy
. YouTube channel duly followed for inspiration/envy.