Human Power Team
Breaking the world record during the biggest cycling race in the world, that is our goal!
We are the Human Power Team, consisting of 16 students from the Delft University of Technology and the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and we are competing in the World Human Powered Speed Challenge from the 8th till the 14th of September in Nevada, America.
At the TU Delft we are designing and producing the VeloX 9, a high-tech extremely aerodynamic recumbent bicycle. In Amsterdam we are making customized training schedules for our athletes. Besides, we are selecting, coaching and training two athletes, who will be racing in September in the VeloX. This unique collaboration between both universities enables us to bring together human and technique.
Help us setting the world record!
We need your support to be able to set the world record! First of all, the designed and produced VeloX needs to be tested extensively to optimize its performance and to make sure the safety of our athletes is guaranteed. Besides, it is essential that our athletes can practice for many hours in the VeloX before the big race.
Both aspects require testing our bicycle at very high speeds since our target is 122 km/h. At this speed the bicycle can react differently, it could quiver more and the steering wheel can respond differently. We can only properly test the bike on long roads, such as a high-speed oval.
To be fully prepared it is crucial to test on the high-speed oval of the RDW. Having the possibility to train 5 times on the high-speed oval will give them a good basis for breaking the world record. Every additional possibility to train however will allow Jennifer and Rosa to be even better prepared!
Donate and race with us!
Since the costs for hiring the high-speed oval are 800 euros per day, we need your support! Are you willing to help us optimally test the VeloX and prepare our athletes? Donate and help us set a new world record!
We are the Human Power Team a student team that strives to push the limits of human and technical capabilities. We do this by producing an extremely aerodynamic recumbent bicycle.
The Netherlands is a real cycling country and we would therefore like to be pioneers in applying innovations. That is why we accept the challenge of applying the technical innovations on a VeloX especially developed for two female athletes. During our contest, the World Human Powered Speed Challenge, in September 2019 we do not just want to win, we want to raise the bar and attack the world speed record of 121.8 km/h!
We are a multidisciplinary team consisting of students from the Delft University of Technology and the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Our team members of the TU Delft design and produce a VeloX, a high-tech extremely aerodynamic recumbent bike. In Amsterdam our team members, who study movement sciences, select, coach and train our athletes. In this way everyone in the team has a role that suits him best.
Our athletes
This year two female athletes are participating in our team, Jennifer & Rosa. Jennifer Breet has been part of our team last year. She already achieved a second place during the competition with a top speed of 116.5 km/h! Rosa Bas has rowed for the Dutch rowing union. She was looking for a new challenge which she has found in our team.
Over the past years the team has been very successful. The highlight was breaking the world speed record in the male category in 2013. Next to that we managed to obtain the 1st and 2nd place in 2018.
We have implemented some innovative changes in the VeloX this year.
Bigger front wheel
The design is this year quite different than previous years. We changed to a front wheel of 24 inch. The bigger wheel ensures lower rolling resistance, so less energy is lost.
Frame
A rollcage was designed which guarantees the safety of our athlete because there are two shoulder bars around the athlete. This ensures a higher safety of our athletes.
Custom made tires
This year we are going to race on tires especially developed for us. For those tires we make our own steel moulds for the shape and the tires are developed in such a way that they have as little rolling resistance as possible.
Elektrobox
The elektrobox is the part where you can find our board computer, screens and powerbanks. This year the elektrobox is 3d-printed and consists of only one part, instead of having all electronics in separate places in the bike. This ensures that the elektrobox can be removed from the bike quickly and parts can easily be replaced.
Shifting cassette
In our bike we incorporated a shifting cassette. Whilst shifting gears on your normal bike, the chain moves over the sprockets, this causes the chain to stand crooked. In our bikes the sprockets move underneath the chain, in this way the chain remains straight and we can keep cycling as efficiently as possible.
The high speed oval
At the RDW high speed oval we can train at higher speeds than at other locations. This is due to the fact that our athletes can cycle more kilometres. When cycling at higher speeds the VeloX can respond differently, the bicycle can start to tremble more or the steering wheel could become more sensitive to movements. By presenting our athletes with the opportunity of cycling at higher speeds they can get used to the way the bicycle responds. In this way they can use all their energy to go even faster and to bring the world record to Delft.
The Race
The World Human Powered Speed Challenge will take place in Battle Mountain in Nevada, America. The small village lies at an altitude of 1400m. Jennifer & Rosa therefore have to acclimatise before the race and travel to America three weeks in advance!
The race will take place from the 8th till the 14th of September 2019. During this week the competing teams have several opportunities daily to break the world record. Participating in the race are teams from all over the world. These are consisting of other university teams but also private teams of people who have an affinity for cycling
