Kiwi HPV - Photos

Entrants:

    01 - Ian Williamson, homebuilt SWB
   02 - Nick Johns, Johns tadpole tricycle
   03 - Gary Sword, "Junkyard Jallopy" homebuilt tricycle
   04 - Linda White, Bianci Milano upright
   05 - Martin White, BikeE CLWB

   06 - Guy Wynn-Williams, Ground Effect Windcheetah tricycle
   07 - Chris Freear, Feet First CLWB recumbent
   08 - Richard Bowers, Feet First CLWB recumbent
   09 - Gavin Keats, "Carnot" velomobile
   10 - Mr S Claus (aka Andrew Were), Trice tricycle

   11 - Reid Forrest, GT Avalanche + barrel trailer
   12 - Aarn Tate, ARC Streamliner
   13 - Duncan McDonald, Flying Furniture PBP Special
   14 - Fraser McLachlan, Ground Effect Windcheetah tricycle
   15 - Steve van Dorsser, Ground Effect Windcheetah tricycle

   16 - Michael Toohey, Lightning SWB
   17 - Helmut Walle, M5 SWB low racer
   18 - Ross Elliot - Optima Baron SWB + cargo trailer
   19 - Roelant Hofmans - Optima Stinger + child-carrying trailer
   20 - Paul Squires, Lifecycles Aerorider velomobile

   21- Martijn Mateman, Lifecycles Rowbike (a Thys 222 SWB)
22 - Ian Harrison, upright + BOB trailer
23 - Alice Foote+ stoker, Icebreaker tandem
24 - Duncan MacKenzie, Gurney Penny Farthing
25 - some clown on a bike

Results:

    First (Mens) - Martijn Mateman, Lifecycles Rowbike
    Second (Mens) - Helmut Walle, M5 SWB low racer

    First (Womens) - Alice Foote + stoker, Icebreaker tandem
    Second (Womens) - Linda White, Bianchi Milano

Kiwi Innovation Award - Gavin Keats, "Carnot" velomobile.

Regrettably, we are unable to supply a full list of results, as Steve Gurney has misplaced the relevant paperwork(!).

Race Report - by Michael Toohey

On a blustery nor-west December day, 22 enthusiasts gathered in downtown Christchurch to take part in the Bike Wise Crazy Commuter Race, run as part of the Armstrong Prestige Festival of Cycling. I was one of those competitors, so the following is a competitor’s view of the proceedings rather than a full race report.

As an event designed to replicate real-world commuting challenges the race included a number of tasks to be completed by the riders. We had to eat a breakfast, run to our machines, carry a briefcase, pick up dry-cleaning, groceries and a newspaper and brave a simulated rain shower kindly provided by the Fire Service. The condition of our cargo was then judged, and time penalties awarded for any damaged goods. Overall the race was half an hour long, with the winner being the machine/rider with the most accumulated laps.

The array of vehicles racing was eclectic and interesting. Familiar local machines such as the Feet First CLWBs, and the ARC streamliner were joined by Gavin Keats' "Carnot" velomobile, making its racing debut, and the truly exotic Rowbike and Aerorider, imported by Paul Squires of Lifecycles, who are based in Auckland. The rowbikes garnered a lot of spectator interest, but it was the Carnot and the Aerorider which really drew the crowds. A constant stream of people peered at and photographed the exotic velomobiles. At the other end of the price spectrum, Ian Williamson entered his SWB, homebuilt from donor bikes for a princely $45. Though not the most polished machine in the race, Ian’s budget prototype has already proved itself on its everyday commute, and its clean lines reveal well executed design principles.

More conventional machinery also made an appearance; Ian Harrison towed a B.O.B trailer behind his standard road bike, championing an already well proven commuter combination, and Linda White rode the same very pretty Bianchi city bike that she uses as daily transport and races in triathlons. A number of trikes joined the fray. Andrew Were had sorted some of the problems which had come to light on his Trice during the 3 Hour Challenge. Nick Johns put in a lot of last minute work to add front disk brakes to his very tidy aluminium tadpole tricycle. His performance in the event is a credit to him and his supportive family who all came along for the race. Gary Sword threw a highly decorative body at his big wheeled trike, and most of it stuck for at least some of the race.

From my own point of view the actual race was quite fun. All the complicated rules and activities, some of them added at the 11th hour, made the 30 minutes positively fly by. The Rowbike seemed to be passing me every other lap and the Ground Effect Windcheetahs put in a fair turn of speed too. Other trikes met with varying success. Andrew Were (wearing a fake Santa beard, a bright red Santa tunic, and black lycra cycle shorts) tested his tricycle's newly made fairing to the limit and beyond, ditching it after a good nor-west gust tore it from its mountings. Gary Sword also lost his bodywork in a spectacular bingle and Paul Squires pushed the Aerorider too hard into a corner and snapped an expensive-looking mag wheel off just outside the hub. Various trike-owners inspected the damaged item with considerable technical interest after the event.

At the end of the day Martijn Mateman showed that winning is all about the combination of athletic rider and competent machine, coming in first on the Lifecycles Rowbike. Helmut Walle placed a well deserved second on his imported M5 SWB attached. Alice and her friend showed the advantage of having two riders by taking the women’s first place on a conventional upright tandem. Gavin Keats won the Kiwi Innovation prize for his beautiful Carnot velomobile, a popular award judging by the applause he got from the crowd when it was announced.

There are plenty of others whose heroic efforts I have not mentioned. I hope you are not all offended; my excuse is that on the day I was trying too hard not to cough up a lung to record everything and everyone in exact detail. Suffice to say that everyone involved is to be congratulated for helping raise the profile of alternative human powered transport in the Garden City.