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Bicycles that exceed 80 MPH

Submitted by Brent Hugh on Mon, 01/02/2006 - 6:34pm
Today's Wired News web site has an article about the Human Powered Vehicle (HPV) speed enthusiasts who routinely reach speeds of over 70 MPH and occasionally, over 80MPH--on the flat:
Fans of the World Human Powered Speed Challenge held annually in Battle Mountain, Nevada, find the top-of-the-line Tour De France mount positively archaic.

To propel a human-powered vehicle, or HPV, to 80-plus miles per hour, a rider needs more than a lightweight frame and some fancy wheels.

The fastest bike ever created won't go anywhere without the right person to ride it. In addition to having great leg strength, the pilot must be small enough to fit inside these bullet bikes and have the proper mental stamina.

"At high speeds like we experience every year at Battle Mountain, a fight-or-flight reflex kicks in," said Sam Whittingham, a record-holding HPV pilot. "You have to have absolute faith in your equipment and be 100 percent confident that everything is going to hold together at Mach 3."
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