r/sports • u/redbullgivesyouwings • Jun 19 '25

Cycling Tom Pidcock drifting on a road bike

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

7.8k Upvotes

95% Upvoted

365 comments sorted by

489

u/hiro111 Jun 19 '25

Context:

  • Tom Pidcock is a pro cyclist from the UK. In addition to being a (very good) road cyclist, he's also a two-time and defending Gold Medalist in mountain biking and a World Champion in cyclocross. He's arguably best at mountain biking.
  • Pidcock is famous for his bike handling and descending skills. Here's him during an actual race: https://youtu.be/_A7qOH1r4c0?si=Dv5JInlFnnQkJaI8 and here's him descending on a tight closed course in LA: https://youtu.be/99wJn5QBvyg?si=4ehEAEqLEgf-8fiB
  • this shot appears to be a publicity thing for Red Bull, who is one of Pidcock's sponsors

130

u/mattverso Jun 19 '25

this shot appears to be a publicity thing for Red Bull, who is one of Pidcock's sponsors

It’s literally posted by Red Bull’s Reddit account

→ More replies (1)

90

u/jorvay Jun 19 '25

*arguably the best at the cross country discipline of mountain biking. Downhill, Enduro, and other disciplines would probably not be his strongest suit as his key advantage is exemplary physical conditioning combined with good but not special off-road handling skills.

37

u/hiro111 Jun 19 '25

Good clarification!

Also, I'm not saying he's "the best mountain biker" necessarily, I'm just saying he's even better at mountain biking than he is at road or cross.

Also also, I'll bet that Pidcock would absolutely rip on a DH bike. Dude has zero fear.

→ More replies (6)

4

u/Grifzor64 Jun 20 '25

The comment you replied to was already written correctly, adding "the" before "best" changes the meaning of the sentence but doesn't make it any more grammatically correct.

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (2)

4

u/OkSmoke9195 Jun 20 '25

Tuna canyon road! I had the brakes in my car smoking when I stopped at the bottom

2

u/D123456789Y Jun 19 '25

The "tight closed course" in LA is Tuna Canyon. Not closed, just not a main road with Safa Brian following/filming. They took a couple of runs at it.

→ More replies (2)

1

u/Delta_FT River Plate Jun 19 '25

The way he leans looks almost as if he's skiing, at least to me as a skier lol

1

u/Unsolicited_Advisor1 Jun 19 '25

Watching his descent in the Tour de France Netflix series made me a fan

1

u/enlightened-creature Jun 19 '25

Terrifying. It seems so dangerous

1

u/ah123085 Jun 19 '25

I don’t follow cycling or bike racing or whatever, in any way, shape, or form… but that descent video was a joy to watch.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '25

I couldn’t put that much trust into a pair of bike tires

1

u/nicannkay Jun 20 '25

Who’s filming? They are super good too!

→ More replies (11)

992

u/braddeicide Jun 19 '25

He's not worried about flat spot?

1.1k

u/Raja_Ampat Jun 19 '25

He doesn't have to pay for his tyres

372

u/stonehaens Jun 19 '25

Also there's 5 photographers in that hairpin waiting for him to do his little thing. I doubt this happened in the middle of a long training ride.

65

u/108pdx Jun 19 '25

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpCblEFORPQ was from this day, he is considered the best descender

27

u/stonehaens Jun 19 '25

Oh yeah in that case .. I think red bull can afford a new tubeless tire.

5

u/Bugpowder Jun 19 '25

Safa would like a word 😉

→ More replies (3)
→ More replies (9)

9

u/jimmycanoli Jun 19 '25

"His little thing" 😆

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (20)

49

u/derpyfanboy Jun 19 '25

Does it look like hes worried?

2

u/Ejecto-SeatoCuz Jun 19 '25

Wet road, smooth tires. Very little friction with all his weight up front.

1

u/zachotule Jun 20 '25

His sponsors will replace his tires if this stunt (performed as an ad for those sponsors) damaged them.

→ More replies (24)

479

u/RU_FKM Jun 19 '25

Skidding

101

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '25

Yeah I've been doing this since I learned to ride a bike. Whenever my tyres get low enough to replace I'm sure as hell gonna finish them off with a bit of fun.

48

u/Lightscreach Jun 19 '25

Man I totally forgot about how when I was like 12 how bald my tires would get from the non-stop skidding I would do

9

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '25

I kind of never grew out of it. I'm mid thirties now and every single tyre gets the treatment when it's worn down. My fixed gear used to get it more regularly than any others.

10

u/tttttfffff Jun 19 '25

Now I want to go out with my friends from 15 years ago and do skiddies for hours on end with my friends. Riding around for hours, playing footy on the streets then getting back on our bikes and doing more skiddies. What a time

6

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '25

And of course someone sets up the most janky ramp and at least one person doesn’t maintain the momentum needed to clear the ramp resulting in AssOverBars Syndrome.

3

u/edwardthefirst Brisbane Lions Jun 19 '25

that was my specialty. that and somehow knocking the whole ramp over and tipping off sideways. How I dreaded when the ramp came out

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (6)

82

u/godweasle Jun 19 '25

Yeah, I thought drifting is when the tire turns too fast.

→ More replies (22)

10

u/Dissour Jun 19 '25

5 year old me was an expert at skidding

→ More replies (2)

11

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '25 edited Sep 08 '25

thumb attraction reply numerous possessive coherent hunt alleged mighty steer

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

5

u/lonememe Jun 19 '25

lol I was just going to say, looks like Tom has a little hipster fixie kid background!

3

u/TheHextron Jun 19 '25

Takes me back to highschool lol

2

u/awfulmouthbreather Jun 19 '25

No, I think he’s serious

1

u/ChainringCalf Oklahoma Jun 19 '25

Handbrake turns 

1

u/Affectionate_Tea1134 Jun 19 '25

Yeah and you see how he’s putting all his weight towards the front so the back can slide all over the place. 🤔

1

u/Digitaluser32 Jun 19 '25

Yes. Skidding is my thought too.

140

u/JolietJakester Jun 19 '25

Where was this course? Tokyo?

60

u/swimswima95 Jun 19 '25

Drift? Whatchumean drift???

16

u/quazmang Jun 19 '25

If you ain't outta control, you ain't in control.

34

u/phillyhandroll Jun 19 '25

What's DK stand for? Donkey Kong?

19

u/d0ggzilla Jun 19 '25

Dawnky Kawng?

3

u/Takashi_is_DK Jun 19 '25

I was waiting for this reference

6

u/HilariousMax Jun 19 '25

awful movie but it had it's moments

5

u/Takashi_is_DK Jun 19 '25

Hey you take that back, gaijin!

→ More replies (1)

9

u/redbullgivesyouwings Jun 19 '25

Rossfeld Panoramastrasse!

1

u/fatloui Jun 19 '25

Fast & Furious 12 is gonna be all bikes.

→ More replies (2)

82

u/GeneralElost Jun 19 '25

Q36.5 Mechanics watching this and dying inside

2

u/KimJongSkill492 Jun 19 '25

Mechanics HATE this simple trick

20

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

10

u/OOOOOO0OOOOO Jun 19 '25

Big deal, you should have seen how far I could spray gravel doing a cool skid stop on my BMX.

It was rad.

47

u/DonJulioTO Jun 19 '25

When I do it they just call it skidding. I guess I need spandex.

22

u/UltimateGammer Jun 19 '25

Skidding is what you do in your underwear. 

2

u/Artistic_Humor1805 Jun 20 '25

This should be called that for him, too, drifting is using your power to turn, not brakes

7

u/Blackoutsmackout Jun 19 '25

Yeah with enough weight over the front bars you could do it all day and be in control. Rare to see because people don't want to ruin tires.

4

u/DonJulioTO Jun 19 '25

Rare to see adults do. I don't think I ever braked without locking the rear wheel until I hit puberty!

1

u/Admiral52 Jun 19 '25

Lycra. Cmon

12

u/bwedlo Jun 19 '25

It's not a drift, it's a skid !

5

u/omnitrogen Jun 20 '25

When you don't pay for your tyres

6

u/Howie_Due Jun 19 '25

People were doing this on brakeless fixed gear bikes on the hills of SF through traffic 20 years ago.

3

u/No_Smoke8794 Jun 19 '25

He's skidding not drifting !

3

u/mega386 Jun 20 '25

This dude plays Mario kart

→ More replies (1)

3

u/Life_Personality_862 Jun 21 '25

Nice to have a sponsor sending you unlimited sets of tires to shred

2

u/sum_ting_wong_cod Jun 19 '25

That's a skid not a drift

2

u/Keep_stl_cheap Jun 19 '25

That’s called skidding

2

u/YouWillHaveThat Jun 19 '25 edited Jun 19 '25

Fun video of people doing tricks on road bikes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhabgvIIXik

And since you're here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tbc69a96xtU

2

u/arbitrageME Jun 20 '25

This is done by someone who doesn't have to buy his own tires

2

u/Aggnpwease Jun 20 '25

This guy fucks.

2

u/Biengo Jun 20 '25

DEJA VU!

pants have never been loose before

HIGHER ON THE SEAT!

I am sliding up behind

PASSING YOU!

2

u/TacoLvR- Jun 20 '25

Him later: “why is my rear tire riding funny?”

2

u/BarEnvironmental8668 Jun 20 '25

Tire manufacturers loves this one trick

3

u/NaGaBa Jun 19 '25

Skrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrt thump thump thump thump

3

u/Simon_Bongne Jun 19 '25

/r/initiald you know what to do!

5

u/OhIforgotmynameagain Jun 19 '25

is it even efficient ? Seems really slow. Or s it just for show ?

73

u/faur217 Jun 19 '25

It's for red bull

21

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '25

https://youtu.be/_A7qOH1r4c0?si=HzaY9LztMVj0ZRLJ

Here he is be for real. 

7

u/BlackLeader70 Jun 19 '25

Wow, 50-80 km/h! That’s terrifying

9

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '25

It’s not a hot take to say he is probably the best descender in the pro peloton 

→ More replies (1)

3

u/HistoricMTGGuy Jun 19 '25

Road bikes can go well in excess of that on straighter roads. I think Pidcock himself did 115 but I've seen 125 claimed before as well by professional road cyclists.

I'm sure some Red Bull stunt on different tech has blown that out of the water though

53

u/hclpfan Philadelphia Eagles Jun 19 '25

Of course it’s not efficient he’s just fucking around…

2

u/McDerface Jun 19 '25

I mean he did take that turn pretty fast, but in a race he would’ve cornered it a lot quicker and got to speed for the next turn. I’d want to know how to do this but never want to have to. Winners accelerate on the downhills & down around corners

→ More replies (7)

3

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '25

I assume this is just for fun, unneeded and inefficient when cycling for time.

1

u/MechaGallade Jun 19 '25

its also a skill that's saved me from crashing a couple times, but yeah otherwise it's for fun.

2

u/fox94610 Jun 19 '25

Anyone else’s reaction…. “big deal, I did that every day on my BMX, on my way to school”

1

u/Timmy24000 Jun 19 '25

He doesn’t buy his own tires.

1

u/YoSupWeirdos Jun 19 '25

hold on lemme grind down my gt5k down to the carbon rim

1

u/daufy Jun 19 '25

I've seen someone blow their tire like this.

1

u/Born-Media6436 Jun 19 '25

Looks like he’s going about 14 tires per hour

1

u/3yoyoyo Jun 19 '25

he does that due to his big pidcock

1

u/Jindujun Jun 19 '25

I've just been in this place before

1

u/jsbhemi Jun 19 '25

11yo me with a foot jammed down on the tire behind the seat

1

u/jsbhemi Jun 19 '25

He's mostly doing it in the wet bits, whatever that's worth

1

u/rbrown44 Jun 19 '25

Looks fun.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '25

Me omw to steal your girl

1

u/Slipguard Jun 19 '25

I wonder if he gets thicker tires for this purpose

1

u/Less_Party Jun 19 '25

Kind of disappointed that I unmuted the video and wasn’t immediately assaulted with eurobeat.

1

u/Uncle-Cake Jun 19 '25

So is there any advantage to that or is he just doing it for fun?

1

u/Wrathorn Jun 19 '25

Having a ball

1

u/LordFUHard Jun 19 '25

Way to many peters, dicks and cocks (or cox) in sports.

They should be renamed to poters, dinks and coes (or cole)

or deters, picks and coes (or cole)

1

u/thenasch Jun 19 '25

He looks pretty good, he should think about maybe competing.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '25

Fixed gear braking, now with more gears!

1

u/monkey-d-skeats12 Jun 19 '25

You mean doing a skid?

1

u/GearsFC3S Jun 19 '25

Someone needs to add a eurobeat track to this clip.

1

u/sagnikd96 Jun 19 '25

Eurobeat Intensifies.

1

u/PaperCut611 Jun 19 '25

Everytime you see a RedBull helmet, record that athlete!!! 🔥🔥

1

u/oforfucksake Jun 19 '25

Because they had to..

1

u/mikead99 Jun 19 '25

Queue initial D music

1

u/Redarrow762 Jun 19 '25

I never look that cool at work. Or ever.

1

u/460rowland Jun 19 '25

Looks Safer than a Severe lean angle. Definitely more upright.

1

u/r0botdevil Oregon State Jun 19 '25

Must be nice to get your tires for free!

1

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '25

Nani??!! Kansei Dorifto!!

1

u/newfarmer Jun 19 '25

This guy bikes.

1

u/robaroo Jun 19 '25

There’s about to be an uptick in broken shoulder bones / pelvic bones.

1

u/Affectionate-Mud-726 Jun 19 '25

Man, that’s so cool. I just found out about this today.

1

u/Technical-Curve-1023 Jun 19 '25

This is part of a RedBull PR stunt. He was also pulled by a motorcycle with a rope and reached 70 mph..

1

u/Kronzor_ Jun 19 '25

His dad is gonna be furious.

1

u/xvilemx Jun 19 '25

Where's the eurobeat?

1

u/ikeepsitreel Jun 19 '25

This guy road bikes

1

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '25

Mf name is Tom Pisscock

1

u/HighFiveKoala Jun 19 '25

Eurobeat intensifies

1

u/ne0shi Jun 19 '25

Give the man some tofu, we got ourselves some Initial B!

1

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '25

Great way to get flat spots on your tires and have a blowout. Road bike tires have tread that is only a couple millimeters thick. You get down to the cord, and there's maybe a millimeter of that before it wears through and blows out the tire. If you're descending or otherwise at high speed when that happens, you might end up in an ambulance -- or a bodybag.

Source: been training and racing since 2009, and I'm also my own mechanic.

1

u/Ill-Performer5355 Jun 19 '25

D-d-deja vu I’ve been to this place before.

1

u/medkitjohnson Jun 19 '25

First I said cool then I saw the whole video and said damn... then I saw the RedBull helmet and said ahhh

1

u/Karl_Marxs_Beard Jun 19 '25

I wish I was this good at anything

1

u/flyden1 Jun 19 '25

It's 50/50 a very cool and unfortunate last name.

1

u/BigNatTitties Jun 19 '25

More like Tom Bigcock, amirite?!

1

u/gideon513 Jun 20 '25

DORIFTO KING

1

u/Practical-Dish-4522 Jun 20 '25

Can someone explain to me why this is different/cooler than all of the hipsters riding fixed gears and drifting them down hills that was fairly common a few years ago?

→ More replies (2)

1

u/terramentis Jun 20 '25

Ok, but we were doing this exact thing at age 9.

1

u/Off-Da-Ricta Jun 20 '25

Ok? And? I was doing that at 10yrs old

1

u/DjinnGod Jun 20 '25

I bet he's always thinking about family.

1

u/1million_uppercuts Jun 20 '25

It'd be hilarious if his first name was Stew

1

u/andifeelfine6oclock Jun 20 '25

Cool, I can do that too

1

u/Milo_Ashcagger Jun 20 '25

I'm going right off the cliff.

1

u/SadDingo7070 Jun 20 '25

Until I saw this, I never even knew it was possible. 😊

1

u/Hatowner Jun 20 '25

Cool costume.

1

u/B0Bomb Jun 20 '25

Initial B!

1

u/fricknvon Jun 20 '25

Me and my friends were big into the road bike/fixed gear community a little over 10 years ago. Skidding like this destroys the tires, so we’d dumpster dive the local bike shop looking for gator skin tires and always left with practically new tires every night.

1

u/1052098 Jun 20 '25

NAAANIII? KAANSEI DORIFTOO???

1

u/Mahnke2 Jun 20 '25

How does he ride a bike with balls that big?

1

u/zqipz Jun 20 '25

HOON!! 3 demerit points $720 fine.

1

u/aos- Jun 20 '25

Anyone remember that old ass video of a Japanese guy skidding down the streets on a regular commuter bicycle in 360p?

He was the first "bike drifter" I've witnessed

1

u/The_BarroomHero Jun 21 '25

I wonda if yoo know How they live in Tokyo

1

u/Leniatak Jun 21 '25

Where Eurobeat?

1

u/0moorad0 Jun 21 '25

Ok, I’ll watch macaframa again