Dawid Godziek, the freestyle MTB (mountain bike) world champion, on Thursday rode a track specially mounted on 10 carriages of a train which was moving at a speed of 23 km per hour.
A camera recorded the feat, showing that he achieved “cycling in place” – an effect demonstrating the 16th century astronomer and physicist Galileo’s principle of relativity.
When the train moved in one direction at a constant speed while the rider traveled in the opposite direction at a similar speed, a camera positioned to the side of the train showed a static frame.
The visual result was that while the train appeared to be moving, the rider and background stayed in the same place, much like the visuals of a video game.
The project was a challenge due to the narrow carriage width, which was around 2.7 meters, and the possibility of wind gusts blowing the cyclist off course.
Shortly after completing the feat, Godziek told Polish state broadcaster TVP that he was “thrilled” that he managed to achieve the “riding in place” visual effect.
“Smoothly riding this track was much more difficult than it looks,” he said.
During the course, the biker performed a double tailwhip, a frontflip and the world's first backflip down a staircase mounted on the train on a mountain bike.
The feat was carried out near the southwestern city of Opole in Poland. The Polish national railway PKP group assisted by taking photos of the stunts.
