World's fastest bicycles: Sam 73.16 mph (117.74 kph)

World's fastest bicycles at the WHPSC World Human Powered Speed Challenge held on Highway 305 south of Battle Mountain, Nevada in October 2005. Sam Whittingham an athlete from Canada pedals his Varna vehicle, built by Georgi Georgiev of Canada to a speed of 73.16 mph. It is a two-wheeled vehicle with carbon fiber/kevlar fairing, front wheel drive, and components that you would typically find on a bicycle.

The rider sits and pedals in a recumbent or reclining seat position to make the frontal area of the vehicle smaller and hence more aerodynamic. This was not the fastest that Sam has ever gone on bicycle. He had reached 81.00 mph in 2002 for the World Record. Fred was a member of the Canadian national team and holds multiple world records for Top Speed as well as the One Hour event for streamlined recumbent bicycles. Sam's bests are 81.00 mph and 53.92 miles in one hour.

Related Famous Videos on YouTube:
Sam Whittingham 53.918 mph World Hour Bicycle Record
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OV3Xd6VBSsA
Sam at finish of his 53.43 mph one hour bicycle record
8600 views by Dec 2007

The fastest human powered bicycle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5V2FgwN_re4&
Discovery Channel special on the Battle Mountain event
Over 114,000 views by Dec 2007

Riders have 5.5 miles to build up speed, the course is flat, and there is no drafting of another vehicle allowed during the competition. Wind speed was less than 2 m/s during this run so there are no strong tailwinds to push the riders along. These high speeds are due to strong human power and a very good aerodynamic design for the vehicle. I filmed this video from the timing area near the final stretch where he was at his near maximum speed.

Last year's event website: http://www.wisil.recumbents.com/wisil/whpsc2007/speedchallenge-2007.htm

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• worlds
• fastest
• bicycles
• recumbents
• HPVs
• human
• powered
• vehicles
• racing

[EXTREEM888]

thats mad, how big is the chain

[UprightMike]

His bike uses two chains, the first one from the pedals goes to a set of small gears on a cassette just above his knees. A large cog on the edge of this cassette has a second chain on it passing down to a small BMX sized single gear on his front wheel. All are standard bike parts, just reused. The overall effect means his gearing is about 2.5 x times as big as a regular bikes gears because this arrangement amplifies his pedal strokes that much allowing him to pedal at a regular pace but go 81

[EXTREEM888]

it was a moter bike you doshe!!

[UprightMike]

Nope. That is a guy PEDALLING that bike. The aerodynamic shell allows him to go that fast. The bike weighs about 70 lbs and has really big gears.

[ctrlaltdlt01]

the fastest giant grain of rice of all time.

[RoyalFilm]

@EXTREEM888 What's a doshe?

[djnanneex]

it's just impossible...

[geemoe2007]

@KingConservative Me too!!! ;-)

[KingConservative]

I want that bike!!!

[BIGGUUS1]

the fastest race cyclist of the world,

1995 the record of Fred Rompelberg

was noted in the Guinness Book of Records,

record speed: 166.944 mph.

[mariarts]

I WANTED ONE YESTERDAY

[RetroGamerr1991]

@u7alll it is

[mooseling1]

imagine him on the motorways, he could be overtaking cars going 70 mph...