HPV Construction Projects
By Frank Bokhorst
Click on the pictures to see full-size images.
I get to work daily on a bicycle, but everybody who spends
time in the bicycle saddle begins to think if there might be a
way to improve upon the old steed: make it more comfortable,
safer to ride in traffic, more efficient, etc. Below are some
alternatives I have dreamed up and tried to turn into reality.
Recumbent Cycles
At the age of about 50, I discovered an alternative to the conventional
bicycle - the recumbent! But high costs prompted me to try building
one myself. This led to a series of homebuilt vehicles of various shapes
and sizes, all of them recumbent. My old road bike became a museum
piece.
1. Front-wheel drive (FWD) bike
The first project was a bike.
This bike was used for daily transport to and from work, doing 100
km per week over almost five years, totalling more than 20000 km.
In some places it seems the wind always blows... Recumbent
cycles can easily be fitted with a streamlined fairing that
offers potential advantages, but also disadvantages, in strong
winds.
2. Pedelec: The 2x2 Recumbent
Not getting any younger, it became apparent that electric pedal assist
(pedelec) would greatly prolong my use of bikes for transport. At the
age of 57 I built this:
Like the first recumbent, it has FWD, but now there is an electric hub
motor driving the back wheel - 2x2 - plus several safety and comfort
features.
Various other Projects
1. Elliptical Drive
2. Rowingbike
3. Tilting Recumbent Trike
4. Home-built suspension and disk brake
More coming soon...
5. Cycling clogs
More coming soon...
6. Notes on getting started with Homebuilding
More coming soon...
Nothing new under the Sun?
Some examples of "innovations" that
have already been around for about 100 years.
Books about cycling in Africa
Some titles in various languages
Autobiographical sketch
From V8 hotrods to HPV's
Less than two wheels?
The Trickster.
Sculpture by Bruce Arnott.
Created: 4 January 2008. Updated: 13 November 2008.
