100 Km in 1 hour bycicle and U$25.000 prize

[Ciro Pabón]

The HVP prize, by Paul McReady, of Gossamer Albatross fame (McReady motto: "Do more with less"):

You get U$25.000 if you can make 90 Km (56 mi) in 1 hour on a bycicle. For the aerodynamicists in search of an interesting project.

The current hour record for traditional cycling is 56.137 km (34.882 mph), set by English professional Chris Boardman in 1996 on a conventional aero track racing bicycle. This year's record, by Fred Markham, 50 years old: 53 miles/hour.

Matt Weaver tries his cooling system at the HPV 2006

[Tom]

I average about 30mph on a descent road bike, be it 15y/o, on a relatively flat surface, 60mph is increadable, but saying that on my new mountain bike I struggle to average 20mph on the flat bcause the tyres are so wide. It really makes that much difference.

I'm going to try and cycle The Southern Upland Way (across Scotland) in Easter for charity which will be hard but good fun, but I'm going to try and hire a friends bike because it is so much better than my cheapo thing, cycling is brilliant because it is so efficient and gives you real exercise and fun, well worth it.

[DaveKillens]

Here's a web site about 24 hours. It provides some interesting information.
http://www.adventuresofgreg.com/HPVMain.html

[Ciro Pabón]

Here's a web site about 24 hours. It provides some interesting information.
http://www.adventuresofgreg.com/HPVMain.html

Supercool.

[DaveKillens]

The current one hour single rider record is 82.6 km by Lars Teutenberg of germany, in 2002. But jumping up to 90 mk is a huge step....
There is no number of wheels required, so you balance the convenience of three or four wheels (stabilty) against the lower drag of two.

[RH1300S]

Fascinating stuff thanks for the link.....

[Ciro Pabón]

Dave: did Mr. Markham break Mr. Teutenberg's record this year? 53 miles would be more than 83 km. I am not sure. It is hard to believe that we are not that far from a 100 km/hr (60 mi/hr) bike that, for regular people, like me, could be powered by innovative engines.

What I find amazing is, reading at the link you gave, that you need only 150 watts to achieve the 100 km/hr mark on an aerobycicle.

The "landing gear" I find at that link is the nicest of inventions:


Aerobycicle... do they have a name?).

I remember reading long time ago that the most efficient animal in movement is a man on a bycicle, followed (allegedly) by the flying bee. Is this true?

Good question (for me): is there any animal that achieves better efficiencies, i.e. distance vs energy, or speed vs energy, than a bycicle?

On "related news", this year's Solar Racer brought a record, again.

[joseff]

I agree with the man on bike, but flying bee? I read a quote somewhere that flying is the most "expensive" way of traveling energy-wise. I'd imagine a fast land animal would be next. A trotting horse? Btw a horse has 6 distinct modes of locomotion IIRC.

[flynfrog]

On "related news", this year's Solar Racer brought a record, again.

are you talking about the dutch team Nuna

that is a sweet car

[Tom]

My ambition this year is to average 70km/h in a self powered vehicle, that would be quite awesome on its own, 90 is pushing it a bit at the moment.