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CycleVision 2004 - report
Back from CycleVision - here's a photo report in brief. A full report will appear in Issue 15...
A group of five UK riders took the ferry from Newcastle to Ijmuiden on Wednesday night, leaving Thursday for the ride over to Lelystad. We took a more northerly course than the direct 'through Amsterdam and out the other side' route, so as to be able to ride along the 23km dike across the Ijsselmeer from Enkhuizen. Along the route was this lovely little ferry taking us across a canal - the fee for bikes was 45 cents (about 30 pence).
The main CycleVision event takes place over the weekend. On the Friday early arrivers could take part in the 'CycleVision Rally' - a 50km tour of the region. Participants could go at their own pace following direction, and answering questions on local points on interest such as the Lucifer's Tongue artwork pictured here. Some fun mini-time-trial loops were optional extras. A very fun and friendly way to explore the region and get out on the bike for the day.
On to CycleVision, and as usual there was plenty of racing for those who like that sort of thing. I didn't get to see much of it, as I was mostly in the trade tent helping Velo Vision's Netherlands distributor Danny Siepman of Zephyr Ligfietsen on the stand. But this racer caught my eye with his very encompassing tail fairing. I think that's one of the fully-faired WhiteHawk speedbikes in the background. Links to racing results and many more pictures can be found at the Netherlands HPV Club site ligfiets.net.
An additional attraction this year was the display of a human-powered hovercraft from a student group at the Technical University of Delft. The Hoverfiets can apparently hover quite satisfactorily for 30-40 seconds, but they're still working on a propulsion system. Incidentally the Steam Boat Willy hovercraft project at the University of London were at the same stage last time I looked - but they don't seem to have updated their website for a while. I've emailed them to see if they're still working at the project.
Recumbent makers Azub Bike from the Czech Republic were showing their ever-more-refined range of recumbents, along with a set of nicely-made and resonably-priced recumbent bags (seen here attached to an Optima Stinger, not an Azub).
Dutch tyre makers Vredestein were showing this slick 'HPV' tyre - it should be a very easy-rolling, high quality design. They're still working on adding extra puncture protection, and it's expected to sell for 25 Euros when launched around April next year.
Finally, this striking 'roof' for the Versatile velomobile had been created by Wim van Wijnen - the front 'fin' is mainly for appearance rather than for structural purposes. Unfortunately just a few days before the show the Versatile's manufacturers, Flevobike had announced that future machines will be 2000 Euros more expensive than before - so the price is now 7800 Euros including VAT. This news came too late for Issue 14 of Velo Vision, where we have an extensive road test of the Versatile and several other velomobiles. Flevobike say that the price increase was inevitable when they took a close look at their manufacturing costs for the ten machines they've produced so far.
Posted on 09 June 2004
Your comments ...| From: Lee ([email protected]) on 09 June 2004 |
| It was my first time to Holland and to Cycle vision, most enjoyable. Also like the above report we, a group of three based in Sheffield also triked across to Lelystad. One can only be amazed at the quality of the cycling facilities Holland has to offer, its a great country to cycle in i just hope England will catch up.... |
| From: Seamus ([email protected]) on 09 June 2004 |
Well actually, the route you took from Enkhuizen to Lelystad doesn't cross the Ijsselmeer.
The Houtribdijk, upon which you cycled, seperates the Ijsselmeer on your left from the Markermeer on your right. |
| From: John Turvey (jt@back from CycleVision.nl) on 09 June 2004 |
picky, picky, picky
There are still too many insects regardless of what the bodies of water are called. |
| From: Seamus (etc) on 10 June 2004 |
You're not wrong about that.
They were so many of the wretched things, last summer, it looked like clouds of smoke along the fietspad. |
| From: Arch (@work) on 10 June 2004 |
| Wow, that racer seems to be subjected to some pretty severe G-force! How fast was he accelerating? |
| From: gNick (etc) on 10 June 2004 |
No he is just naturally that ugly.
Incidentally that is one of the Witehawks in the background, powered by Ellen van Vught
Shame the Brits were so thin on the ground - so were were you? |
| From: Antony (at pedalcars dot info) on 10 June 2004 |
...at the European Pedal Car Championships.
:) |
| From: Peter Eland (peter@velovision) on 11 June 2004 |
| John T and de Piraat - turns out we ('De Engelsen' - the English team) came a surprisingly high fourth in the Rally event on the Friday - see ligfiets.net and click the "Rally CV 2004 sukses" story... |
| From: Hans Huijgen ([email protected]) on 11 June 2004 |
the bike with the huge tail-fairing is one from cobrabikes (cobrabikes.net)
"home-build" nice bikes
Hans Huijgen
PS: if Seamus is the same Seamus of the english mailinglist voor school laboratory assistents, than it's a pity we didn't met. |
| From: Seamus ([email protected]) on 11 June 2004 |
Hi Hans.
Yep, that's me too on the Scitech page. |
| From: John Turvey ([email protected]) on 11 June 2004 |
| How did we do so well - we missed a whole section, only one of us finished the second time trial (and I was much faster than I expected) (I took the map, so Peter and Ken had to abandon this TT) and we certainly did not get all the questiuons right - there must have been a special allowance for overseas riders! |
| From: iddo ([email protected]) on 11 June 2004 |
Actually, wether you were crossing the IJsselmeer or where riding between the IJsselmeer and the Markermeer is somehow a political statement. The dyke you were riding on, was ment to cut-off the IJsselmeer to make a new 'polder' out of it. Because of the ecological value of the Markermeer, there have been many protest against the creation of the 'Markerwaard' (Marker-polder) in the seventy's and eighties of last century. For many of these activist, the Markermeer doesnt exists, but is still part of the IJsselmeer and may never become a polder! As they say in Dutch: IJsselmeer met water, is meer waard voor later. (The IJsselmeer with water, has more value for the future)
Even now there are many threats for this vounreable wetland area, witch is a perfect fauna for trekking birds. Some politicians point out this area as the new spot for the ever growing Schiphol airport...
Never the less, without those windy dykes you brave man have crossed, there probably would't be such a large industry of recumbents in The Netherlands :-)
Thank you for your report on visiting CycleVision and Holland by bike! |
| From: Matthew Brown ([email protected]) on 16 June 2004 |
| & what about all those natural habitats for animals, fish, plants and birds that were destaroyed when the Zuider Zee was cut off from the sea with the building of the Afsluidijk? |
| From: Andy Judd ([email protected]) on 21 June 2004 |
Peter,
Your first picture (on the ferry) clearly shows a Go-Bike folder, now its not that I am very very VERY jealous or anything but, do you know if they are available to order yet or do you need to be alert for a short fat bloke from Leeds in a balaclava coverting your orange folder !!!
Thanks again for a brill issue 14 |
| From: ken davison ([email protected] .co) on 26 June 2004 |
| if the speed king on the greenspeed had not raced ahead with the map we may well have done better than forth place, thanks john. signed the pirate. |
| From: ken davison ([email protected] .co) on 26 June 2004 |
| if the speed king on the greenspeed had not raced ahead with the map we may well have done better than forth place, thanks john. signed the pirate. |
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