Looking like some kind of next-generation kayak, the Eta speedbike with pilot Todd Reichert now holds the global record for fastest human-powered vehicle.

He and the team of AeroVelo competed in the World Human Powered Speed Challenge, where serious cyclists tuck in and try to beat previous records. They ramp up over 5 miles before hitting a stretch of ultra-flat pavement for 600 feet – the key strip of road is repaved each year to make it as smooth and level as possible.

“If you were to describe what the team at AeroVelo does, “human-powered world firsts” would be a fair answer. The team’s Snowbird ornithopter (flapping wing craft) managed a world-first 19-second self sustained flight in 2010. In 2013, the crew would bag the coveted Sikorsky prize, which required a controlled human-powered helicopter to fly for one minute. The land speed record, therefore, was the next logical prize.”

From their website: “Advances are made by pushing limits. We are limited only by the power output of the human body. This forces us to approach each challenge from the perspective of conserving energy and creating the most efficient vehicle possible.”

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We tend to think of all-terrain vehicles as rough, rugged and consisting of at least three wheels, but the Taurus aims to change all of that and also be easier to transport by car (packed right into the trunk).

This 2×2 has two-wheel drive and a Honda GX-210 four-stroke engine delivering power to both front and rear wheels, pushing and pulling its way over muddy banks, through narrow gorges – it provides a smooth ride over rough terrain. Think of it like a tank … but on wheels instead of treads.

The vehicle has a top speed of 22 miles per hour, which might not sound like much but that’s not the point – the idea is to give you traction and durability in all kinds of conditions.

Balloon tires and a semi-amphibious shell help you plow through water and over land. At the end of the day, it is designed to dismantle easily so you can take it on trips and deploy it from larger vehicles.

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With luxury befitting Bruce Wayne and dark details worthy of Batman, this BMW concept bike by Istanbul-based Mehmet Erdem is a fresh take on a fancy ride.

The ‘Titan’ lets you lean into curves, hugging an aerodynamic frame with a side-clipped rear tire hugged by turn signals and break lights.

The whole thing looks as much like a transformer as a motorcycle, containing storage space or places for your hidden crime-fighting weaponry alongside the front wheel. Alas, like the Caped Crusader himself, this Dark Knight cycle is unlikely to go from concept to reality anytime soon.

The post Straight Out of the Batcave: BMW Titan Motorcycle Design first appeared on Gajitz.

Some cyclists seem obsessed with riding higher and higher, and for those who enjoy the creative genius behind those bigger bikes, this film gives viewers a window into the world of their creation and use.

This extended teaser enters the world of the Zenga Bros of Vancouver who were taught to be creative at a young age and follow a lifestyle with three intersecting tenets called the “Three Beans: Create Everywhere, Redeem Everything, and Be a Fool.”

Discovering super-tall bikes back in the early 1990s, they became obsessed and started making their own wild versions, then documenting the works of others through photography and film.

As the video and images illustrate, it is not just about getting up above the fray, but in some cases can be a way to pack two people onto an odd-shaped cycle, or stack multiple bikes to create some kind of monstrous hybrid.

The film’s trailer premiered as part of the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival in New York.

The post Tall Bicycle Tour: Film for Fans of Super-High Bike Rides first appeared on Gajitz.

The Cyclotron features a pair of spokeless wheels and air-free tires made from solid polymer, and in the spirit of TRON: it also features automatic lighting that lends it a sleek futuristic look. Its creators boast that it is the first no-spoke bike to be commercially available.

Space in the wheels is freed up, which makes for an unusual add-on feature: the ability to put storage containers in the center of the resulting void, expanding carrying capabilities.

An app alerts users when the battery is getting low, cuing riders (via an app) to plug the seat post charger into the wall.

More from the makers: “materials and production methods have rapidly evolved within the last decade. The ‘cyclotron bike’ is made of space grade carbon fiber composite, which makes it rigid, stiff & ultra lightweight at the same time.”

“The stiffest, most lightweight and durable construction could be achieved with a ‘carbon fiber sandwich’ — two layers of carbon fiber are combined with an ultra lightweight core structure. this way fewer layers of carbon fiber and less resin are used, without impairing stability. “

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