Role of aero clear in record-setting 86 km/h "bicycle"

[MetroMPG]

A new record was set a few days ago in a human-powered vehicle / velomobile: nearly 86 km / hour, sustained for 1 hour.

http://www.gizmag.com/go/5830/

Of particular note is the record for a "traditional" (non aero) bicycle: 49.7 km/h

[MetroMPG]

And this has nothing to do with aero, but something to do with cool custom bicycles...

http://www.atomiczombie.com/

makes some really cool machines: tandems, low-rider recumbants, trikes, and various other crazy & fun looking bikes. I particularly like that he makes them out of old parts and encourages home-made & affordable. Seems like a resourceful & creative guy.

Check his gallery - there's some great short videos of the bikes in action.



If I wasn't making a ForkenSwift or fiddling with my car all the time, I'm pretty sure I'd be making bikes like these.

[kickflipjr]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hour_record

The link above has some cool info on the 1hour distance record by bikes.

And below is some more random bike records.

Cycling records

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Speed

• Motor paced: Fred Rompelberg, 1995, 268.831 km/h (167.043 mph)(Guinness)
• Flying 200m unpaced, IHPVA: Sam Whittingham, 2002, 130.36 km/h (81.00 mph)
• Hour unpaced, men (See also hour record)

• IHPVA: Sam Whittingham, 2004, 84.215km (52.34 miles)
• UCI (old rules, "best human effort"): Chris Boardman, 1996, 56.375 km
• UCI (current rules): Ondřej Sosenka, 2005, 49.7km

• Land's End to John O'Groats

• Faired recumbent: Andy Wilkinson, 41h 4m 22s
• Upright: G Butler, 2001, 44h 4m 20s