Human-Powered Vehicles (HPV's)

[Doug]

The gas crisis of the 1970's spawned such things as this:





It's the PPV, or "People Power Vehicle."

And this, below. It's the "Cyclodyne." Only 14 were made by the Colorado company before it ceased production.



Each of the above are now hard to get and are collector's items.


Bicycle-based HPV's are now known as velomobiles. I want to get a HPV, preferably some kind of velomobile. The newer ones are much more efficient.

Who knows what clever machines this oil crisis will produce?

[Barbara Fitzpatrick]

I remember the PPVs - my aunt had one she used to take the kids to school and go to the neighborhood library, grocery store, etc. Of course, you have to live in a city big enough to HAVE neighborhood libraries, grocery stores, etc. There are enough back streets that I could get from my house to the Harps on Garland using a PPV (instead of my normal direct route on Wedington) - but there is no way I could get to the library, ONF, or the Farmers' Market on the Square without using streets too heavily trafficed for a PPV. They were one heck of a lot slower than a regular bicycle.

[Doug]

There are enough back streets that I could get from my house to the Harps on Garland using a PPV (instead of my normal direct route on Wedington) - but there is no way I could get to the library, ONF, or the Farmers' Market on the Square without using streets too heavily trafficed for a PPV. They were one heck of a lot slower than a regular bicycle.

DOUG
That's a good point. Some velomobiles are faster than others. Contemporary velomobiles could easily out-do the PPV, and among the newer models some are known for speed, some for practicality (like trips to the grocery stores, etc.).

The best thing about the PPV is that it is for 2 people. Most modern velomobiles are for only one person, with a few exceptions.

Velomobiles are, all other things being equal, faster than bicycles. (Except on hills, where recumbents don't allow one to put one's weight on the pedals like a regular bike does.) One of the fastest velomobiles, the Tri-Sled Sorcerer: