In our travels we have met many bicyclelists. One popular place in particular, is when traveling through Yellowstone National Park.
Bike riding is an outstanding low-impact form of exercise with proven cardiovascular benefits. Unfortunately, a lot of people each year have to stop experiencing those benefits as they quit riding because of annoying aches and pains in the neck, shoulders, wrists, back, and groin. With increasing age comes decreasing ability to handle stresses from which […]
Popularity: 55% [?]
Recumbent trikes are flying! - off the racks at local bike shop!
This summer, many new recumbent riders got into the laid-back mode on three wheels. Trikes- both Tadpole and Delta - have been the best sellers at Portland’s recumbent specialist, Coventry Cycles. Many people choosing their first recumbent by-pass two wheeled models for one of […]
Popularity: 61% [?]
HPV - Human Powered Vehicles:
Land vehicles, such as the handcar (a human-powered railroad car), normally travel at ground level but can also travel above (for example, on a trestle) and below it (such as when used in mining).
The most efficient human-powered land vehicle is the bicycle. Compared to an upright bicycle, the relatively rare recumbent bicycle is faster on level ground or down hills due to better aerodynamics while having similar power transfer efficiency. In 2002, Sam Whittingham pedaled a streamliner (a fully-faired recumbent) for 200 m at 130.36 km/h (81.00 mph) in the Varna Diablo II
Besides bicycles, velomobiles and cabin cycles are also much used human-powered surface vehicles (albeit to a lesser degree than the regular bicycle). Velomobiles and cabin cycles are however increasingly popular in colder and/or wetter countries due to the protection they offer against the environment.
Freight bicycles then again, are used to transport (small loads of) freight. They are used as low-cost, zero-emission vehicles to haul the daily groceries.
Finally, cycle rickshaws are a last type of human-surface vehicle which is worthy of being mentioned. They are used to transport several people, similarly to taxis.
Olympic Cyclist and IRONMAN triathlon winner, John Howard set a 244.9 km/h (152.2 mph) speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats near Wendover, Utah on July 20, 1985 while cycling in the wake of a motorized Vesco Streamliner pace-car. The wake of pace-car reduced the aerodynamic drag against which Howard pedalled to almost zero.
Greg Kolodziejzyk set two world records recognized by both the International Human Powered Vehicle Association and Guinness (TM) World Records on July 17, 2006 on a race track in Eureka, CA. The first record is for the most distance traveled in 24 hours by human power (647 miles, 1041 km), and the second for the worlds fastest 1000 km time trial (23 hours, 2 minutes).
In 1969, artists in a small Northern California town began the Kinetic sculpture race which has grown to a 42 mile (67.2 km), three-day all terrain, human-powered sculpture race and county wide event. It is held every year in the last weekend in May.