The Eivie II aero shell being buffed for the day's run. The rider in the Eivie II rides backwards, and steers by looking through a mirror (you can see the small 1/4 moon shaped mirror in the top half of the aero shell that is sitting on the ground).
Here are some photos I took of the proceedings at the World Human Powered Speed Championships on Wednesday October 5, 2005
The Eivie II aero shell being buffed for the day's run. The rider in the Eivie II rides backwards, and steers by looking through a mirror (you can see the small 1/4 moon shaped mirror in the top half of the aero shell that is sitting on the ground).
The bottom half of the Eivie II shell.
Since the rider is sitting backwards, the chain has to go up and over the rear sprocket after changing direction at a tensioner (rather than going around the sprocket) so that the wheel will spin the right way.
The Eivie II bike frame. The rider sits inside the frame (the chair back is removed in this photo).
The honking big chainring on the Eivie II.
New European record holder (72.101 mph on 4-Oct-05) Damjan Zabotnik.
The Varna II piloted by Lisa Vetterlein.
The same bike, with fairing getting a bit of road rash repair.
Lisa Vetterlein warming up.
One of the Diablo bikes (with a different recumbent in front).
Wheels are typically made of flat carbon fiber panel to save the energy that air-whipping spokes would squander.
The powertrain on the Varnowski.
A view down the course from beyond the slightly uphill runout area.
The course is a 5 mile dead flat road South of Battle Mountain Nevada on Hwy 305. The chase vehicles follow each bicycle, which depart every 2 minutes.
There were two sets of runs -- The first 5 bikes started spaced 2 minutes apart at 5:30 p.m., then Nevada DOT let some cars through, then another group of 5 went at 6:10 p.m. The first group had headwinds of about 2 m/s, the second had headwinds of about 1 to 1.5 m/s. But it was warmer than previous days, and most people still had good times.
Warren Beauchamp in the Cuda-W, 58.40 mph
Sean Costin in the Coslinger Special passes through the traps at 59.73 mph
Junior rider Charlie Ollinger in the M5 #8, 52.45 mph
Eric Ware in the Orange Varna, 47.44 mph
Mackie Martin in the TriRush trike, 46.07 mph
Men's World Record Holder (81.00 mph in 2002) Sam Whittingham in the Varna Diablo, 71.35 mph
New European record holder (72.101 mph on 4-Oct-05, pending HPVA approval) Damjan Zabotnik in the Eivie II, 71.92 mph
48 year old "Fast" Freddy Markham posts his personal best time in the Varna Mephisto, 73.22 mph into a headwind! (he set another new personal best on Friday 7-Oct, 75.777 mph...)
New Women's World Record holder (7-Oct-05, 66.585 mph, pending HPVA approval) Lisa Vetterlein in the Varna II, 62.83 mph
Current Women's World Record holder (65.90 mph in 2004) Ellen Van Vugt in the Varnowski, 58.71 mph