Cyclist Sam Whittingham “uncorked a good one” to set another world record at the HYDrive World Human Powered Speed Challenge Sept. 15 at Battle Mountain, Nevada.

With perfect conditions – warm with no wind – Whittingham powered his Gabriola Island-built Varna Tempest through the 200-metre speed trap at 132.6 kilometres per hour, less than a kilometre per hour faster than his old mark set at last year’s event.

Cyclists have a seven-kilometre acceleration zone on Nevada’s Highway 305 to grind through a 228-inch gear before hitting maximum speed.

“I went quite hard, but not maximum. I was missing the kick I rely on for most record runs. Even so, I managed to hang on for a new record. I can only hope that we have similar conditions throughout the week as I get my form and confidence. Eighty-five miles per hour would be nice wouldn’t it?” wrote Whittingham on his blog (at www.timetogetnaked.com).

Whittingham owns Naked bicycles on Quadra Island.

His Varna teammate, Barbara Bautois, of France, also turned in a strong run.

She blew through the speed trap at 116.6 kilometres per hour on the Varna Diablo 3 to shatter the women’s record, formerly held by Lisa Vetterlein, by more than nine km/h.

“That makes her the sixth-fastest human of all time,” wrote Whittingham.

Whittingham said he was worried before his run after discovering threads showing through the tire from a previous run. A crash at those speeds could be devastating for both bike and cyclist.

“I was distracted by the fact that the front tire we are using was becoming dangerously thin in places and I could see the actual thread in under the rubber. Nothing to do but hope that it held for one last waltz down the dance floor,” he wrote.

Two dozen teams from around the world compete in the annual event, which is in its 10th year.

Gabriola bike builder Georgi Geogiev builds the carbon fibre and kevlar recumbents at his shop on the island.

He and Whittingham teamed up several years ago and have been breaking world records ever since.

Georgiev said he hopes the technology used in his bikes can trickle into the mainstream to solve transportation issues that face cities.

In July, Whittingham and Bautois both set endurance records on Varna bikes in Detroit, pedaling for an hour at consistent speeds of nearly 100 km/h.

reporter2@nanaimobulletin.com