Close Menu
    France

    Can We Survive A Stage Of The 1903 Tour De France?



    Just how hard was the first ever Tour de France? The 1903 edition of the race started with a 467km stage between Paris and Lyon, a real test of endurance. Hank and Mark went to France to find out, in period-correct kit and on vintage bikes!

    Useful Links:
    Adventure Documentaries, Exclusive Shows & Live Racing on GCN+: https://gcn.eu/plus
    Download the GCN App for free: https://gcn.eu/app
    Visit the GCN Shop: https://gcn.eu/gcnshop
    Join the GCN Club: https://www.gcnclub.com/

    Would you consider riding this far on your bike? Let us know in the comments below! 💬

    If you liked this video, be sure to give it a thumbs up 👍 and share it with your friends!

    Watch more on GCN…
    📹 1893: We Recreate Cycling’s Most Important Ride You’ve Never Heard Of 👉 https://youtu.be/2NoIzr4jdnM
    📹 Watch our Editor’s Choice Playlist 👉 https://gcn.eu/editorschoice
    📹 Or why not check out our Features Playlist 👉 ​​https://gcn.eu/gcnfeatures

    🎵 Music – licensed by Epidemic Sound 🎵
    Aemular – Valante
    All The Freedom You Need (Instrumental Version) – Terin Ector
    Beloved – Gavin Luke
    Changing Tides – Daniel Kaede
    Crystalis – Joseph Beg
    Etude No 1 For String Quartet – Peter Sandberg
    Fake Busy – Dylan Sitts
    Fragmented – Gavin Luke
    Heavy Words We’re Holding – Trevor Kowalski
    Near Dawn – S.A. Karl
    One With the Tribe – Bonnie Grace
    _Ride With Me – Chaxti
    Thoughts in the Rain – Elm Lake
    To All the Glory – Howard Harper-Barnes

    #gcn #cycling #roadbike #roadcycling #tourdefrance #retro #vintage #bikelife

    Photos: © Velo Collection (TDW) / Getty Images & © Bettiniphoto / http://www.bettiniphoto.net/

    The Global Cycling Network (GCN) is the largest online cycling channel in the world, bringing together a global community of road cyclists to celebrate everything that’s great about the world of cycling.

    Our videos bring fans compelling daily content including expert tutorials, techniques, training, racing, cutting-edge bike tech, unparalleled behind the scenes event coverage, humour, entertainment, and more.

    Presented by ex-pro riders, GCN offers a uniquely qualified insight into the world of cycling, and most importantly it’s fuelled by our passionate and enthusiastic fans – everyone who makes up the GCN community. We also bring the latest and greatest tech to your attention, showcase the best places in the world to ride and get exclusive access to events and races.

    Welcome to the Global Cycling Network | Inside Cycling

    Thanks to our sponsors:
    Castelli Clothing: https://gcn.eu/Castelli
    Giro Helmets: https://gcn.eu/Giro
    Pinarello Bikes: https://gcn.eu/Pinarello
    Zipp Wheels: https://gcn.eu/Zipp
    Topeak Tools: http://gcn.eu/Topeak
    Canyon Bikes: http://gcn.eu/-Canyon
    Pirelli Tyres: https://gcn.eu/Pirelli
    Orbea Bikes: http://gcn.eu/Orbea
    Vision Wheels: http://gcn.eu/Vision
    Wahoo Fitness: http://gcn.eu/Wahoo-Fitness
    Park Tool: http://gcn.eu/-parktool
    Elite Bottles: https://gcn.eu/EliteBottles
    Whoop Fitness: https://gcn.eu/Whoop
    Komoot: https://gcn.eu/komoot
    Selle Italia: https://gcn.eu/SelleItalia
    SIS: https://gcn.eu/ScienceInSport
    Zwift: https://gcn.eu/Zwift
    Shimano Wheels: https://gcn.eu/Shimano
    Shadow Stand: https://gcn.eu/ShadowStand
    DMT Shoes: https://gcn.eu/DMT
    Muc-Off: https://gcn.eu/MucOff

    Watch our sister channels:
    GCN Tech – https://www.youtube.com/gcntech
    GCN Racing – https://www.youtube.com/gcnracing
    Global Triathlon Network – https://www.youtube.com/gtn
    GCN Italia – https://www.youtube.com/gcnitalia
    GCN en Espanol – https://www.youtube.com/gcnenespanol
    GCN auf Deutsch – https://www.youtube.com/gcnaufdeutsch
    GCN en Francais – https://www.youtube.com/gcnenfrancais
    GCN Japan – https://www.youtube.com/gcnjapan
    GCN Training – https://www.youtube.com/gcntraining
    Global Mountain Bike Network – https://youtube.com/gmbn
    GMBN Tech – https://www.youtube.com/gmbntech
    Electric Mountain Bike Network – https://www.youtube.com/embn

    Related

    View 49 Comments

    49 Comments

    3. KBC on

      Three years later and still my favorite GCN presentation. The bikes were ludicrous but the effort was real. Shows just how far our sport has come. Good show! 👍

    7. Liam Turner on

      I primarily just cycle to commute and occasionally for a little ride in the evening but I love to watch the more documentary style videos on endurance racing and especially the older bikes.

    8. Phil Anderson on

      Absolutely beautiful. Chapeau to the two of you. Huge respect. And amazing respect to the original Tour riders, doing this route, with much of it on roads that were dirt, cobbles, and what pavement there was, was a lot like chip/seal.

    14. Djafar CGN on

      I come back here once or twice a year to watch GCN's absolute Masterpiece – displaying what these Men back then were willing to take is beyond impressive, as well as your will to reenact it in that way. Thanks guys!

    16. James Lownds on

      Absolutely amazing these bikes weighed 50plus pounds in their day.u had to do all the maintenance urself.There were no paved roads either!Would love to see today's pros do this.Then we'll see who's got what it takes!

    20. vtrmcs on

      About the descent. Bikes of that era didn't have freehubs (or did they?), so didn't you just pedal backwards as well as use the brakes to slow down?

    26. Mark Peterson on

      Well good boys! I think this really demonstrated the herculean rides that to old timers did. Making that fact even more spectacular is the equipment that they did it on. I have nothing but respect for those that came before me. Great video I would love to see more of these kinds of stories and recreations. Cheers m/,

    29. Ajey on

      I've seen photos of riders stopping to smoke prior to the large climbs. I believe that they thought it would open up their lungs or something. Good times.

    39. aquilonian ace on

      The first tour was won brakeless fixed gear 52/20 gearing. Do it again properly. You had it easy with your fancy freewheels and brakes. SLACKERS!

    43. socopower on

      OMG that face from Hank, in the middle of the night, about to doze off, priceless! Tremendous effort guys, well done and thanks for sharing!

    48. Steven Gagnon on

      Great video! Amazing recreation! Just thinking hear …it would be cool to see you guys tackle some of your endurance rides on terrain closer to what those original ridrs experienced. Just let me fully prepare some 100 year old bicycles for you and the experience would be quite genuine…on a bicycle that works as it was designed to do when it was new. There's a few of us still here thst can do it and the reward is satisfying to see someone use a museum piece as it was ment to be. Thanks again for the ride it was worth the effort!

    Leave A Reply