University of Toronto team breaks speed record

The world record was achieved last week at the World Human Powered Speed Challenge in Battle Mountain, Nevada, where teams from around the globe gather each year to push the limits of pedal power. Eta, the bike used to set the record, was a joint effort between the University of Toronto and Aerovelo, a company set up by former students of the university that designs and builds human-powered vehicles.

“We knew going in Eta was the fastest bike we’ve ever built, but the course at Battle Mountain is so unique, that this was the first time we really saw the bike perform to its full potential,” said Todd Reichert, a former student at the university and a co-founder of Aerovelo.

The 25kg bike, encased in a carbon fibre shell to reduce drag, is the result of a collaboration between Aerovelo and the university’s Human Powered Vehicle Design Team (HPVDT). Rather than a windscreen, a small camera in the tailfin relays pictures to a screen in the cabin.