Worlds Weirdest and Largest Bikes
Some of the weirdest bikes the world has ever laid eyes upon have been designed and built by Didi Senft — a 56 year old cycling fan better known as “El Diabo” — whose most recent creation, the Guitar Bicycle measuring 16.4 feet (5 meters) tall and 39.3 feet (12 meters) long was revealed Tuesday in Storkow, some 50 km (31 miles) south of the German capital Berlin.
Photo Xinhua
Photo Xinhua
Photo Xinhua
Didi’s notoriety goes far beyond the German borders, as he’s had no fewer than 10 entries in The Guinness Book of Records, including the world’s largest and longest rideable bicycle — an astonishing 25 feet 7 inches (7.8 meters) long and 12 feet 2 inches (3.7 meters) high.
World’s largest bike, 7.80 x 3.70 meters
With more than 100 unusual and record breaking bicycles, Didi Senft has also built a recumbent double-decker tandem, and a giant rickshaw 42 feet (12.4 meters) long, on which the passenger sits at a dizzying height of 21 feet 10 inches (6.65 meters) above the ground.
Didi made the world’s largest soccerball bicycle out of more than 100 footballs and rode it around to promote the World Cup 2006 in Germany.
Photo Reuters
He’s particularly proud of his latest invention which he will present at various venues during the European Football Championship in 2008, stating that he has designed more than 10 football bikes.
With six balls on each wheel, a football table in front of the steering wheel and a drum on the baggage rack, “El Diablo” is perfectly equipped for the upcoming football event.
Didi Senft with his latest bike creation, waiting to support the teams at the coming European Football Championship.
Didi’s 2-wheel inventions have made him famous throughout the world. His bicycle museum in Storkow includes more than 120 different exhibits, of which hold places in the Guinness-Book of Records. The collection includes the largest tandem bicycle (length: 6m), the longest bicycle (7.80m long, 76 rear wheels and 228 sprockets) and the bike with the smallest front wheel with a diameter of 2 millimeters.
A 10 foot (3 meter) high and 29.5 feet (9 meter) long 3-wheel monster bike
made of 10,000 bike bells. Photo Xinhua
Born in 1952 in Reichenwalde, Germany, Dieter “Didi” Senft has long been a fan of the Tour de France, and is widely known as the Tour de France devil or El Diablo.
Since 1993, he’s been seen in the Tour’s many stages wearing his red devil costume and painting a trifork on the road some miles before he’ll show up. Senft attributes the inspiration for the costume to German cycling announcer Herbert Watterot who called the last lap of local criterium races “the Red Devil’s Lap.”
Stating that he’d never seen a red devil, he decided to become one. He’s been sporting the red devil costume each year since 1993, and follows Tour de France around its entire course, driving in his min-van, towing his huge bike around on a trailer.
“El Diablo” clowns about as the pack passes by during the 8th stage of the 94th Tour de France cycling race between Le Grand Bornand and Tignes, French Alps, Sunday, July 15, 2007. Photo AP Christophe Ena
Didi says he’d prefer to be at the beginning of The Red Devil’s Lap — 1 kilometer from the finish — but race authorities and French police won’t allow him and his bicycle that close because of the crowds, so he usually sets up at the flag which marks 20 kilometers to the finish, and often manages to get as close as 5 kilometers from the end on the mountain stages in the Pyrenees and Alps.
At his tour bus August 2007 in Lorsch beim Entega Grand Prix 2007.
On the 2006 edition of Tour of Switzerland, Didi Senft painted his signature trifork on the road the day before the competitors came by his door. But later that day the Swiss police came by and said it was illegal, and he had to pay a fine or go to jail, and was forced to remove the painting from the road.
Didi Senft at the International Niedersachsen-circuit with his trolley and cycling on 29 trailers April 2007 in Göttingen im Zielbereich der Rundfahrt April 2007 in Göttingen in the target area of the tourDidi Senft at the International Niedersachsen-circuit with his trolley and cycling on 29 trailers April 2007 in Göttingen im Zielbereich der Rundfahrt in the target area of the tour.
He finances his travels by means of a small number of corporate sponsors, and with money from his wife’s job and donations from other Tour de France fans, often sleeping in his car between stages.
LuK GmbH & Co. oHG has supported “El Diablo” since the World Cycling Championship 1991 on his trips around the world. Components from the broad portfolio offered by the German automobile supplier has provided Didi Senft with inspiration on a number of occasions, as seen in a 2-wheel bicycle model made from clutch disks.
Interview with Bicycling.com
When did you first appear as the devil and why?
The 1993 Tour de France. My biggest wish once was to be there as a spectator because I raced bicycles in my youth. But that was in the former German Democratic Republic, when we weren’t allowed to travel to Western countries. In 1990 the Berlin Wall was pulled down; 3 years later I had saved enough money to go to France. I wanted to root for the riders like nobody else did.
How does the devil earn money?
I travel to more than 100 races each season and have a sponsor, LUK, a German auto parts maker. I sleep in my car or in public parks. During the Tour de France I lose 6 to 8 pounds because I eat only crisp bread and canned foods. Many fans also invite me to have breakfast with them. From October until April I don’t earn any money — I build the world’s biggest and smallest bicycles in my garage.
What’s your typical race day like?
It is hard work. I’m on my feet from early morning until late evening. At 4:30 a.m. I get up and paint my forks on the street. I need about eight gallons of paint during the Tour. At 7:30 I find my place along the stage. That is difficult because one of the police officers always watches me. They’re afraid that I’ll hamper the riders when running near them, but that’s nonsense.
Biggest Rideable Guitar in the Universe
The German bicycle fanatic with what he calls the “biggest rideable guitar in the universe.” Dieter “Didi” Senft hopes the giant guitar-shaped bike will secure him another world record. He wants to register his latest creation as the world’s biggest mobile guitar with Guinness World Records.
Monster Fish Bike of Bike Bells
Sources: Pez Cycling, Bicycling.com , LuK and Wikipedia
Glad you said football about Didi Senft course that’s what it is
Its always fun to see “El Diablo” when looking at Tour de France on TV – great pictures – thanks for sharing!
didi senft is surely the most interesting character i have seen. lovely and mind-boggling creations. hats off.
Thanks Renny
I love how various parts of the world have their own terminologies etc. Here it’s called soccer ball 
He’s certainly a very unique and ambitious individual, Quentin
Now this is one odd German… But at least he is having fun w/life.
Do you think the racers had any idea who he was during the Tour de France last year? Can you imagine racing along and seeing a guy dressed up like a devil? That’s pretty funny.
Very interesting and amazing character who is having lots of fun. I love his Euro2008 football bike.
Wow, lovely and mind blowing. The creations are very good enough to have a copy on the website. Its remarkable charecter who has lots of fun.
I’d say he is, Texas
Apparently he’s very well known in the racing circuit and the Tour de France, Will. But if you had no inkling, it could certainly throw you off your game
Pretty zany, Betshopboy
I think my fave would be the fish shaped bike made from bicycle bells.
He is quite remarkable, no doubt, Kristian
He sounds like a lot of fun – someone I would love to sit down and chat with!! Hopefully we’ll join him in the world records book – my kids are trying to get the world record for being the youngest people to cycle the Pan-American Highway. We’re leaving in June!!! You can read about our journey at http://www.familyonbikes.org
He does seem like a cool guy to meet
That’s great, all the best, I wish you great success with making your record 
that’s really weird. i love the guitar style one
That guy is amazing. I’d love to carry his bikes in my store.
wow,
imagine if he ride one of them to work.
btw, he really loves that red outfit, doesn’t he.
Woo what a amazing bikes i have ever seen yet its great thanks for posting it.
Glad you enjoyed it Roddy
The guy actually looks crazier than the bikes haha.
BUENA VIBRA VIEJO LOCO!!!!!!!!!!
SALUDOS DE ENSENADA MEXICO, CABRONES!!!!!
I think you’re work is very interesting. I myself like building cool stuff and bikes like you. I would like to know if you can tell me where I can find tall bicycle wheels. I’m wanting to build a bicycle that I can stand up and drive. I would like to find some wheels about 4ft or taller. Please contact me if you have any info or tips @ martelj27@hotmail.com or 254-718-7451.
Thanks,
Javier Martel
I have no idea myself Javier, hopefully someone else may be able to point you in the right direction.
europeans are so damn weird….
Ha ha, not the devil again
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! those pictures were
so so so cool!!
I really enjoyed it