Recumbent Newz Wheelz Newsletter December 2003Vol. 1 No. 5 December 2003 Issue Copyright © 2003 Alan W. Jarrett Please feel free to pass this newsletter along to your friends. However, I do ask you keep it intact and forward it in it's entirety.
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Battle Mountain may be over but Sam Whittingham’s record making efforts are not. Once again, “the man” in recumbentdom has done it again! On November 19, Sam unofficially set a new one hour record of 52.2 MPH. Germany was the previous record holder, so it has now been bought back to the North American Continent! The test track used for the event was less than perfect, having some inclines that are power robbing in such an event. However, the folks at Continental Tire in Uvalde, Texas, offered their help and facilities at no charge for the attempt. And, Sam prevailed, as we have come to almost expect. So send your “kudos,” “congrats” to Sam at info@fortebikes.com . As a side note, Steve Frick of HellBent Cycles tells me they may be able to ship one of the Spitfires for my test ride/report by the end of this month. What a great way to start the New Year.
WOW!!! What a tremendous and encouraging response from the “help” email sent out for November! The response was varied, encouraging, and offered ideas for future issues. Here are just a few of the replies. Pieter from Cape Town, South Africa says there are a few “unconventionals” as recumbents seem to be called. They are allowed to participate in some of the fun rides which can see over 40,000 riders! He says,” I have been reading everything on the 'net about recumbents and trikes I could lay my hands on, and really appreciate the work you put in.” John says he would like to read about tours and conditioning. Tom from Andover writes, “How about an article from someone who’s older (plus 70) and riding a bent daily? Lot’s of senior citizens who are looking for a fun way to get from here to there without all the pressure points from a standard bike seat.” Tom also suggested a photo contest featuring the “oddest ‘bent.” Andy from Florida writes, “I would like to see more articles on experimental bicycles, fairing construction, homebuilt bicycles, and how-to do this or that.” Ken, from “across the pond,” suggests because he has not yet become a ‘bent owner, his views would be inappropriate. Ken, few of us started on a recumbent. Maybe some of you can relate to Rex who writes, “Having a teenage son and daughter, Recumbents are a necessity. The son crashes/ destroys average bikes on a regular basis i.e. a source of parts, and a test pilot for all creations. The daughter, however thinks low racers are much cooler than "regular" bikes. I have a collection of parts and bikes that are constantly being recycled into NEW creations. Fabrication is my relaxation therapy, and it works great.” Another writes, “Thank you for asking! I didn't mean to ignore the question from last month but I thought you were probably inundated with questions from recumbent riders.” Nope! I wonder how many thought the same thing? To say the least, the response was great. Many requested more on homebuilding topics, while others were looking for more tour info. Some said they want more exercise tips and were not interested in racing or the newest record. And they came from around the world! WOW again! The Internet really is global communication! More importantly, don’t stop with the suggestions and feedback! Do you need to do it every month? Not even! But keep in mind, it is your feedback that helps drive what you read. A variety of feedback will be sure to help capture the things you want to know about.
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Since homebuilding seems to be a favorite with many, there will be more of this on the web site. I have just finished a new page for streamliner construction with graphics that I will be adding. There are some plans to put together a basic fairing building kit, with everything but the Coroplast. It will include simple drawings and plans, plus all the basic things I have used to build them, to help in putting one together for your ‘bent.
Homebuilding is one of the favorite topics. Many mentioned they wanted more on homebuilding including articles on the who, what, when, where and how. See, there are others out there just like some of you who want to know. So write of a few paragraphs on what you did, how it worked, or if it didn’t. If the response is good a special page can be put up to showcase photos of your creations. Such a page would probably be changed monthly, or it could be added to indefinitely. There would really have to be a lot of thought about that. There are sites out there such as www.recumbents.com and www.bentrideronline.com that offer message boards for all these topics and already have tons of archives on many subjects. Don’t overlook those resources. Bryan Ball of bentrideronline, which is now four years old, has done a great job of covering test rides of just about everything recumbent. The message board is full of great information. Again, no need to reinvent the wheel. The purpose of RBTFY is to continue to “stir the pot” about recumbents and the many benefits they offer.
Warren Beauchamp writes and maintains the www.wisil.recumbents.com site. Warren is a homebuilder and there is a huge amount of info on his site on just about every topic concerning homebuilding from streamliners to frame construction. Or you can find info on how to make a simple tubing clamp.
There are some great photos of the TE Clone. Plans are also available at This is the section where you want to look for homebuilder forums or discussion lists that will be a huge help if you are building your own bike. Need parts or supplies? Post a question to mailto:Alan@recumbent-bikes-truth-for-you.com.
INTERVIEW with SHARI BARNHARD
I remember reading an article written by Shari in one of the first issues of Bent Rider On Line ezine. It was an incredible account of Shari’s conquest of Grandfather Mountain on her Bridge to Bridge ride. This ride is no easy feat and it’s worth the read. Check it out at www.bentrideronline.com . RNW: How long have you been riding recumbents? Shari: I bought my first recumbent in July 1996, a Lightning Tailwind LWB/USS (no longer in production). RNW: How long did you ride before changing to a recumbent? Shari: I started riding a beach cruiser as a cross training exercise (I had been a long-time bodybuilder and wanted to add some aerobic activity) in 1988. My bike shop suggested I try riding with the South Broward Wheelers bike club to make it more interesting. I enjoyed the club tremendously - I'm still very active in the club - and soon progressed from that Schwinn cruiser to a Kestrel carbon fiber racing steed over the next 4 years. RNW: What made you change?
Shari: My husband and I enjoyed cycling together (we met in '90 and married in '91). Our honeymoon was a bike tour in Vermont, and we did a long tour every year for our anniversary. I always suffered with neck problems stemming from a gymnastics accident in high school, and the upright riding position exacerbated the problem. Still, I loved cycling so much I just lived with it and probably paid for my chiropractor's Porsche over the years
We did several self-contained tours, pulling trailers and camping and my neck suffered for it. Our 9 day tour in the hilly San Juan Islands was the clincher. By the end of 3 days, I was in constant pain. The scenery and riding was beautiful, the people friendly, the weather perfect, but I wasn't enjoying as much as I should have.
I thought I'd have to give up touring. Then my dear friend, Gene Villaret, suggested I try his recumbent, a Lightning Tailwind. He showed me how to start off and steer, which can be tricky, but I took off like I had been riding it all my life. I'll never forget the big grin on his face when I came back from test ride up and down his street. "You're a natural!" he said. Then he and I went riding, he on his MTB, and for the first time ever, I rode for almost 2 hours without any neck pain whatsoever. I knew I had to have a recumbent.
After 3 months of poring over RCN back issues and chatting with people on the HPV mailing list, I decided to buy a Lightning Tailwind just like Gene's. I've had 7 recumbent since.
Gene died after being hit by a car in 1999. I still miss him.
RNW: What is your most significant accomplishment in a bike event (I'm
cheating here because I think I already know)?
Shari: Hoo-boy. That's a tough one. I guess my best accomplishment was the '98 Assault on Mount Mitchell, 11,000 ft of accumulated climbing in 102 miles. Second to that was the '97 Bridge-to-Bridge. I've also completed 7 for 7 Cross Florida Rides, 170 miles in one day. I did 2 on my Giant, 2 on my Kestrel, 2 on my Vision, and 1 on my Screamer tandem.
RNW: What is the most important thing you could tell someone about a
recumbent?
Shari: There's more than just one thing and I think they are all important: 1. Make sure you have the right motivation for riding a recumbent, whether it's because it's more comfortable or because it's way fun, or because it's fast, but don't expect to be as fast as you are on an upright right away. Some people take 3-6 months to get their recumbent legs. I know I did. 2. Be patient. It's not always as easy as it looks, and it may take time to ride confidently. 3. Don't listen to people who think you're "geeky" because you ride a recumbent. Just smile and say, "Talk to me after 60 miles." On centuries, I've had people jokingly offer me money to switch bikes with them at about the 80 mile mark.
RNW: What do you think about the growing recumbent trike market in the
U.S.?
Shari: I completely understand it. As the proud owner of a Greenspeed GTO trike, it's no wonder that they are so popular. They are so fun, so convenient, and just so very cool. You have to ride one to understand.
RNW: Do you think we will ever catch the Velomobile fever in the U.S.?
Shari: No, unfortunately. The Broward County Bicycle Advisory Committee, the South Broward Wheelers, and others worked hard to get the Velodrome built in Cooper City. They run some great races there, but the public interest just hasn't materialized. If you've never watched a Velodrome race, you really should treat yourself to the spectacle. It's extraordinary!
RNW: How many bike events do you participate in on a yearly basis?
Shari: I do 4-6 weekend tours with SBW every year. The Lake Wales Memorial Weekend is one of my favorites, as is a camping weekend in Zolfo Springs. Sebring Spring Brake is always a great time, too. I haven't done as many as I used to in the last few years, mainly because my husband isn't quite as interested and it's more fun with him than without him. Next year we are planning to do a 7 day bike tour in France for my 50th birthday with Happy Riders Recumbent Tours in Provence.
RNW: What's the history behind starting the Cooper City HPRA event?
Shari: Simple: me and my big mouth.
RNW: Battle Mountain is over and no new top speed record was set, yet
Freddy Markham has "re-emerged as a contender with his unofficial 70+mph
ride. Comments on that and the event.
Shari: Seems to me he still has Sam Whittingham to contend with. Sam still had the top speed. But it would be fun to see Fast Freddy back on top of his form and to add to the competition.
RNW: How difficult is it to organize an event like Cooper City?
Shari: Oh, it's nothing, really. Would you like to take over?
RNW: How much do you depend on volunteers?
Shari: Oh, LOTS! I need assistance with registration, technical inspections, timing, lap counting, and fetching me water.
RNW: What is needed that you don't have to make this happen every year?
Shari: Actually, nothing at this point. I haven't even started other than setting the date and getting it published in RCN. My biggest worry is whether or not I have sponsors. I get a lot in the last minute, which is nerve-wracking.
RNW: Since we can ride year round in Florida, why don't we see more
streamliners? Are they just for the colder climates?
Shari: That might be one reason. To be honest, I don't really know, unless it's just that we don't have as many tinkerers down here.
RNW: I've read some other things that you have written. Have you
Considered a book about your experiences?
Shari: Ha! Yes, I have, but that would require me being organized and having a good memory, neither of which are my strong suits. It's nice to know you think my writing skills would go over well in a book. I may have to reconsider that memory thing...
RNW: What's the future for Cooper City and the HPRA event? Is the Velodrome out?
Shari: At this point, more people have praised the Criterium track, so that's what I will be holding the races on. If the tide turns and people want to use the Velodrome again, I can be flexible.
I really appreciate the effort Shari has made to make the HPV races available in the South. It’s not just about racing. It’s all about having the opportunity to have some fun, meet other people who are just as turned on to recumbents as you are, and have some friendly competition. If you’re in South Florida, then you miss a great Saturday filled with events young and old alike can participate in if you don’t come. March 6 is the date, at the Brian Piccolo Park in Cooper City. This will be mentioned several more times between now and then.
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Check your intake of carbs! An imbalance of carbs to protein, carbs being too high, has the potential to rob you of energy.
6. Cereal bars recipe
Recipes that you can make will be included in each issue of RNW. Send me your favorite if you have one and we’ll add it.
No need to reinvent the wheel, or in this case a list of FAQ’s! Check outwww.bentrideronline.com/FAQ.
Any question you have that is not answered there, send it to me at:
mail to:Alan@recumbent-bikes-truth-for-you.com
What tremendous feed back from subscribers to the “help” email sent out the first of the month. The response was revealing, informative, entertaining, and good! I asked for help and you gave it! Lot’s of good suggestions, and some great ideas. If you missed your chance do it now!
There were several requests for “newbies” to write about their experiences. OK, so there’s the challenge. Do you think what you have to say will be valuable to someone else who may be in the same boat you are? It doesn’t have to be fancy and you don’t have to be Hemmingway. Use your own words. If need be it can always be polished up.
Great to see all the requests from other homebuilders looking for information. Keep watching that section of the site as it grows with pictures. Maybe we’ll start a monthly page showcasing your latest creation, and who knows…there could even be a prize! Maybe there’s a shop out there that supplies stuff for homebuilders who might want to donate something. Anything’s possible, so let’s have some feedback.
Tours were another area of interest. Going on a 2, 3, or 4 day tour can be quite an experience. They can be supported where you simply ride from one destination to another, while all your gear is transported ahead, or self supporting where it’s all on your bike or trike.
There are tours for everyone, whether it’s just an overnight stay and you ride back to the starting point the next day, or tours of exotic places in Europe. Have you gone on a tour? There are those that read Newz Wheelz who would love to read about it. Come on…put some words on the screen and tell us about it. You may discover a hidden talent!
Laura wanted to know if there are recumbent riders that are “chubbies,” or if everybody waited until they looked like Lance Armstrong before starting to ride recumbents? Rest assured Laura, there are many recumbent riders who do not necessarily have the best aerodynamic shape on recumbents.
While looks may be important for those who invest hundreds of dollars in the “costumes,” most recumbent riders take great pleasure in shunning such garb. Recumbents are about getting exercise and being comfortable at the same time. Pain is NOT the name of the game! The bikes and trikes get the looks, no matter what the rider is wearing.
Laura also asked another good question about recumbent homebuilding workshops. There are some who have conducted workshops at YMCA’s. Others like Ed Gin have put on fairing building workshops. Workshops are a great idea as long as there is enough interest and a fair number of people show up. Sometimes it only takes that first cut to get started, and then the building “bug” takes firm hold!
As we head into the new year we will continue to grow. New pages will be added and your feedback will always be a part of what helps to keep me on track. Feedback, I can’t tell you how great it was to get the feedback! Keep it up. It doesn’t have to be more than a sentence…it all helps and I read it!
The Holidays are here, and some of you are bound to get some interesting ‘bent gear. Share your good fortune with us…and your smiles.
At this point I’ll be politically incorrect, with pleasure. Remember the true meaning of the season that we celebrate. The greatest gift of Christmas is not found in a box, but in the heart and soul. The “gift” was freely given yet many refuse to take it. Discover that gift this Christmas season, maybe for the first time. Some say “Jesus is the reason for the season.” Jesus would say…you are.
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There has never been any hesitation to promote SiteSell.com. in this section of the Newz Wheelz Newsletter. Some of you readers may have noticed that in each and every issue there has always been a biased “blurb” of some sort about SBI!. RBTFY.com continues to grow and has every month since May 2003. In large part it is all due to SBI! and not so much to any of my efforts.
What have I got to gain by shamelessly promoting SBI! month after month? To be sure, if someone decided to set up a web site using SBI! because of reading about it here, SBI! would reward my efforts. Guess what…if you did the same thing SBI! would do the same for you! But they can’t if you’re not an SBI! site owner!
The age old question is, WIIFM…what’s in it for me? Do you have a great idea, but you’re not sure how to promote or take advantage of it to produce income? Do you dream of working from home, but have been severely disappointed and discouraged by the avalanche of “Get Rich Schemes” that swallow you up? Yeah, I’ve been there too, and I’ve bitten on more of those than I would like to admit.
How excited would you be to find something that is really ligit? Come on…nobody’s looking and it’s just between you and this page. Do you feel your heart beating just a little faster at the possibility there really is a way that works, and won’t be just another disappointment? Yup! That’s the way I felt too, and right away that little voice in the back of my mind started jumping up and down saying, “It’s too good to be true!”
For years ( and I won’t say how many) I have researched, spent the money (I’ll never admit how much), watched it go down the drain, listened to the “I told you so’s,” and grown more and more negative every time someone talked about the “latest greatest opportunity!” So can you relate? Have you been there? Has your hope been all but crushed? Then keep on reading.
I was totally convinced that the Internet was the opportunity and the great “Equalizer” in the world of Small Business. I owned an operated my own small business for 10 years, before selling out and looking for a way to be a sole proprietor with no overhead or employees. It had to be something I could do from home, and on a “shoestring budget!” It had to be legal, moral, ethical, and not just something that would take advantage of human weakness.
More importantly it had to be something I was interested in, that I was good at, had experience with, and would be so excited about doing it that it would be more like play than work! Now SBI! can’t provide ALL those ingredients for you, but they can provide all the tools to get there except one! YOU! But maybe I’m getting ahead of myself.
After spending months researching information specific to setting up a web site and getting on the Internet, reading 1000’s of pages on the subject by legitimate experts, investigating courses offering to reveal all the “secrets” on how I could make $$$$$$, I reached information overload! It was obvious that hundreds, if not a couple of thousand dollars would be necessary to do anything that would work. That’s not exactly a shoestring budget price, but still within the grasp of some.
Then I ran across a link about SBI! and was impressed by what they didn’t do. There were no exaggerated claims about earnings or claims of how it was so easy it would happen overnight. All the tools that others offered for hundreds of dollars were included. In fact, it just sounded too good to be true. So I was still skeptical but kept reading. I looked at the sampling of web sites created by other SBI’ers. In the end, for less than it takes to get a respectable web host to manage a web site monthly, I took the $299.00 plunge!
Let me just say that SBI! has truly “over delivered” on everything! Everything! Support, assistance, tools, and they keep adding more quality components all the time. In the short time my site has been up they have added Webmail, FormBuildit!, SBI! Consultants, SBI! Web Masters, Super Brainstormer, html Buildit!, and they jumped all over a little moneymaking program called Google AdSense that has been adding passive income to my site since day one!!!
Well, just like a great ice cream cone, all good things must come to an end. That $299.00 price…yup, you guessed it. Sounded too good to be true? Well. Depending when you read this it’s supposed to be going up to $349, $399, maybe even $499. Ken has not set the final price yet. As much as I hate to admit it, even at the highest price it is still worth every penny. As an SBI! owner, I still get to renew at my original price of $299! Is that fair or what?
And, I can still buy new sites at the old price until the new price becomes official! So can you!!! Think about that for a minute. If you ever wanted to put up a quality web site, hosted by a company that has an ALEXA rank of #307 out of 16,000,000 web sites, that can deliver everything they claim and more, now’s your chance. And they offer a money back guarantee if you aren’t satisfied.
Sure, there are a lot of places that offer free hosting or inexpensive monthly charges. They also offer unlimited advertising by others on your pages and limited resources. As in all things, “free” isn’t always free, and “cheap” is pretty much always cheap! Not often do you get more than you pay for. SBI! would have to be that exception!
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As mentioned under Newzworthy comments, Sam Whittingham has done it again. He has reclaimed the One Hour Record. It is only fitting that I include Sam’s account of the experience as was posted to the streamliner newsgroup just the other day. (Editorial changes have been made to provide easier reading, but Sam’s words remain intact!)
Date: Wed, 03 Dec 2003 21:28:59 -0800
From: Sam Whittingham
First let me apologize for being so tardy in reporting back on my adventures in the lone-star state. I came back to a pile of work and a melted computer. Not a joke, the cpu fan had transformed it self into a black puddle and was making itself comfortable on the bottom of my computer along with some rather important looking bits from my mother-board.
Brief synopsis:
On Wednesday Nov. 19 I broke the official world hour record of 82.61 km set by the German Whitehawk team. I was riding the Varna Diablo pretty much in it's standard setup of the past few years except for a new silver paint job. I set a new standard of 83.71km or 52.? miles. This is exactly 1 km further than the 112 meters that was initially reported as being what I beat the record by. The course was the Continental tire North America test track in Uvalde, Texas. It is an 8.5mile oval with about 300 feet of climbing every lap on grades of 2-3%. The surface was also quite even pavement but the general texture was very rough. In attendance was Myself, George Georgiev, Paul Buttemer for Team Varna. Paul Gracey and John Tetz were the excellent official observers and Ella Samoron of Continental tires.
For all my fellow nerds out there here follows some rough averages pulled off my SRM. After that is a fairly detailed account the attempt.
Lap 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Total
Distance 13.8 13.7 13.8 13.7 13.7 13.7 1.7
83.9
Time 10:23 9:28 9:41 9:51 9:48 9:42 1:04
60:00
Speed (kph) 79.5 86.8 85.2 83.0 83.8 84.7 94.7
83.9
Power 279 278 268 261 268 274 296
273
Heartrate 179 190 192 192 195 197 199
191
Cadence 84 89 89 87 85 87 92
87
I arrived with George on Thurs Nov. 13 in Uvalde, Texas to discover that although we were there the bike wasn't. We had shipped it by truck 2 weeks before hand on the assurance that it would only take a week. After a lot of panic phone calls cursing of various religious figures it did manage to arrive late the next day; albeit with the end of the crate missing and the nose bashed in. More cursing.
The next day we got Diablo together and I went for a ride of the track without the fairing just as the sun was setting. It was quickly obvious that the rolling nature of the track was going to be a problem as I crawled up some of the grades at 20 km/h with a ridiculous cadence of about 50. The surface was far from smooth as well. Very even so big jolts wouldn't be a problem but generally rough, much like riding on chip-seal. The weather however was excellent and physically I felt very good considering having a mild cold the week before and two days of traveling in my legs.
Saturday: it rained. We picked up Paul Buttemer from the San-Antonio, fixed Diablo's proboscis and ate yet more Mexican food.
Sunday: Paul Gracey and John Tetz showed up to make our Quintet complete. The wind was howling and we got some nasty rain most of the day. I did manage 2 laps of the 8.5 mile track in the late afternoon and got some valuable, but dis-heartening SRM data from my power measuring computer. It was obvious that this track was going to require a Herculean effort to get the Dempsey-MacReady prize. Too damn rough and too many hills! An average power output of 280 watts was giving me a speed range from 44mph all the way to 65mph. There are many small sharp stones on the track and this caused a very slow puncture on the back tire and was almost flat at the end of my session. It turned out that we could have the whole track swept for the following day. Very good news!
Monday: I Was originally going to make an attempt on this day but weather was not co-operating. Lot's of rain. And I mean LOTS! Managed another practice during a brief dry spell before it started again. Only excitement of the day was nearly running over a very large rattle snake crossing the road.
Tuesday: No more rain but the tail of the storm left behind some 30-40 mph winds! They had tornados in other of Texas. Good sailing weather but crappy streamliner weather. Very stressful trying to get into the right mental zone and waiting for Mother Nature to do her thing.
Wednesday: Definitely felt like the day from the moment we woke up! Very little wind all day; maybe 5mph at max. Temperature climbed all day to about 85 and humidity dropped to almost 10%. We decided to wait until 4pm to start so the wind could really drop off and it could get a bit cooler.
When I started my attempt the conditions were perfect, no wind, temperature of 75, humidity at 12% I warmed up by doing a lap of the course without the faring. Right on schedule, I taped in and pulled off a near perfect launch.
The most important thing about the hour is not to go out too hard. It is inevitable that my excitement will make the first 10 minutes feel much easier than they are. With great restraint I tried to keep a fairly constant wattage of 275. I knew from training that I could sustain about 275 watts in this cramped position and with the huge heat build up. This compares to my usual hour pace of 295-300 watts on an open recumbent and my 310-320 watts on my racing bike.
Everything went well and I came through the first lap on schedule for about 53mph. Nowhere near the 57mph I needed but still above the record. My heart sank a bit but decided not to jump to conclusions until I came round again. After completing the second lap it was obvious I was simply riding to beat the record and for the next 4 laps I was not even sure I was going to be capable of that.
I was getting updates every time around about my current lap average and cumulative average from Paul Buttemer at the start line. At several points I was so discouraged that I contemplated quitting just to end the suffering. On the other hand, I knew my fitness was excellent, the weather was perfect and we had invested a lot of time and money into this attempt and I was damned if I was going to quit now.
Around 30 min, I started to get very hot. I knew this was going to happen but I had to be very careful not to pass out from heat exhaustion. My small vent in the window was working well as were the ice packs I had built into the seat and was wearing on my chest provided quite generously by the Cool Vest Company.
The lack of humidity was definitely helping to keep me cool as well. This still didn't change the fact that I was working at max in a small closet with the thermostat clicking off at about 105 degrees. By keeping close tabs on my wattage and heart rate I could tell how hard I could push without boiling over. This is why my 4th and 5th lap dipped under 52mph.
I came through for the final push ever so close to the current record. I knew it would come down to my final kick. My legs were so tired they didn't even hurt anymore. Were they still turning? My cadence seemed to indicate that indeed they were.
The hour record is an awful test. There is no second place prize. With this in mind I emptied all my strength and experience into the final lap. Just past the start line is the mark we had used to show were the current record was. I passed this with about 45 sec remaining. I knew I had done it! The last 45sec was all mine. I pushed a few seconds past the 60 min mark just to be sure. I had planned on riding all the way to the start line again but after a few km it was obvious I was too spent to climb any more hills. After being pulled out it took nearly 30 min before I could stand and a few hours and beers before I could walk without my knees buckling.
I realized right away that this was my best effort and another attempt would be pointless. We spent the next few days getting the course surveyed and packing the bike, drinking beer and getting kicked out of pubs.
In the end I was to beat the old record by about 1.112 km after a proper survey of the course. Not much but still better than the 112 meters originally reported by accident. I am greatly relieved in finally having the record back in my pocket and knowing that we found the full potential of myself, the bike and the Continental Test Track. The big question now is two fold. How far can I go on a nice fast course like the German Opel track? And will I be the one to beat my own record?
A big Thanks to everyone for there support. Especially to Ella and Continental Tires, the guys from Cool vest, and of course John, Paul, George and Ringo (other Paul).
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