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Most people view a long-distance bicycle trip as a test of "grit" or perhaps a very efficient way to get a sunburn. But when you’re covering 1,200 kilometers in just nine days, the journey stops being a travel story and becomes a high-stakes experiment in thermodynamics and mechanical efficiency. It is the science of moving your own mass across the earth using nothing but a few gears and the chemical energy from your meals.

The Science of the 130km Daily Average
Moving a human-machine system 130 kilometers every day for over a week is a brutal optimization problem. Why does a 1% increase in speed require a disproportionate jump in power? What happens to the "human engine" when it’s forced to manage its own cooling system in 35°C and humidity? Beyond the physics of wind resistance and rolling tires, there is the internal chemistry of endurance—the delicate dance of glycogen management and the rapid-fire problem-solving required when you’re hundreds of kilometers from the nearest support.

Meet the Speakers: Mishari, Cyrus and Dilan Muqbil
Mishari is a co-founder of the Bangkok Urban Cycling Alliance (BUCA) and a dedicated advocate for human-powered urbanism. He recently completed this 1,200 km trek from Bangkok to Narathiwat in ten days along with his two children, treating the road as a rolling laboratory. He approaches the bicycle not just as transport, but as a lens for understanding human potential, engineering efficiency, and the future of sustainable movement.

Cyrus and Dilan are 12 year old twin boys who completed approximately 800 KMs on this journey, they learned a lot about grit and resource management. They would also like to dedicate this trip to efforts to clean up the ocean.

### What to Expect

This talk will break down the data from ten days in the saddle, covering:

  • The Metabolic Math: How the body adapts (or rebels) when burning 5,000+ calories a day.
  • Mechanical Efficiency: The physics of the drivetrain and why a clean chain is actually "free speed."
  • Biological Thermodynamics: Managing heat and hydration during 130km+ daily pushes.
  • The Power of the Pedal: What moving yourself at 20km/h reveals about the world that a car window hides.

Event Details

  • When: Wednesday, February 25th | 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM (Note: We are meeting on Wednesday this time, not our usual Thursday!)
  • Where: Public House, Sukhumvit 31
  • Entry: Free!

Community Note All BKKSci events are free of charge. We do however ask that you please consider supporting Public House by purchasing your choice of food and drink during the event. Public House has kindly agreed to host BKKSci free of charge. This is our way of thanking them for their support.

BKKSci welcomes everyone—from cycling enthusiasts to the scientifically curious. Come for the insights, stay for the discussion.

Related topics

Events in Bangkok, TH
Skeptics
Long Distance Cycling
Critical Thinking
Science
Bangkok

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