"speed matters"
Discussion
Since this is PistonHeads I figured some of you might be interested in this event as its on this week-
http://www.recumbents.com/wisil/whpsc2011/speedcha...
From site-
During the week of September 12th through September 17th 2011, cyclists from around the world will gather on SR305 outside of Battle Mountain, Nevada for the 11th consecutive year of racing on what is arguably the straightest, flattest, and smoothest road surface in the world. The 4,619ft (1,408m) altitude road allows riders an acceleration zone of over 4 miles, enabling them to reach their maximum velocity before being timed over a 200 meter distance.
Current WHPSC Records:
In 2009, Sam Whittingham broke the his own record again for a human powered speed of 82.819 MPH!
In 2010, Barbara Buatois broke her own record, with a human powered speed of 75.69 MPH.
In 2009, Greg Westlake set a new arms only world speed record of 43.673 MPH.
http://www.recumbents.com/wisil/whpsc2011/speedcha...
From site-
During the week of September 12th through September 17th 2011, cyclists from around the world will gather on SR305 outside of Battle Mountain, Nevada for the 11th consecutive year of racing on what is arguably the straightest, flattest, and smoothest road surface in the world. The 4,619ft (1,408m) altitude road allows riders an acceleration zone of over 4 miles, enabling them to reach their maximum velocity before being timed over a 200 meter distance.
Current WHPSC Records:
In 2009, Sam Whittingham broke the his own record again for a human powered speed of 82.819 MPH!
In 2010, Barbara Buatois broke her own record, with a human powered speed of 75.69 MPH.
In 2009, Greg Westlake set a new arms only world speed record of 43.673 MPH.
Miguel Alvarez said:
How the f
k do you do 80 odd mph on a push bike?!?!?!
Like this- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQwpGLCAMm4&fea...k do you do 80 odd mph on a push bike?!?!?!
Must. Try. Harder 
scubadude said:
How can they peddle that fast to get upto that speed? Is it like a dynamo of sorts? What's the official name for one of these bikes? I'm fully curious now. Miguel Alvarez said:
How can they peddle that fast to get upto that speed? Is it like a dynamo of sorts? What's the official name for one of these bikes? I'm fully curious now.
They are fully faired "streamliners" with recumbent bikes inside, generally equiped with massive custom gear ratios. The road they use in Nevada is dead straight for five miles with a tiny but allowable downhill gradient, they start held by a marshall or dolly and pushed to begin rolling then build the speed over 4miles for a 200mtr timed section then the remaining final mile to slow and stop.There is no real limitation on design, some have fully reclined riders steering with video screens or mirrors, some the riders pedal on their backs head first!
The limitations are getting the strongest riders in the smallest fairings and getting air to them to pedal massive gears and most importantly building the speed to hit max through the traps.
Some more clips-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5Dapy1xUq0 (Dropping it at 70mph)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5V2FgwN_re4&fea... (News articles with close-ups of Bikes inside)
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