French cyclist breaks world mountain bike speed record by travelling over 135mph - video

The attempt had been the culmination of three years preparation by cyclist Eric Barone and his team

Eric Barone smashed his previous record of 138.42mph (YouTube)

We all remember as kids finding the biggest hill in the local park and speeding down it on our bikes without using the breaks.

Well imagine doing that now, but instead of doing it from the top of a hill in the local park, you were cycling from the top of a mountain range in the French Alps and travelling at speeds of over 130mph.

That is what 54-year-old French stunt man Eric Barone did last month, when he smashed the world mountain bike speed record by travelling at 138.75mph down the legendary KL Chabrières track in France. In the incredible footage taken on March 28, Barone is captured being pushed down the hill by his team before speeding down the 2700m long track.

Despite winds of 43mph and a wind chill factor of -20 ° C, Barone was able to maintain control of his specially designed bike and break his previous record of 138.42mph set in Les Arcs ski resort in 2000.

In the video uploaded onto YouTube, Barone’s team, who have been working for three years on the attempt, can be seen in tears after receiving the news that the record had been beaten.