Human-powered Land Vehicles
Human-powered land vehicles, such as the handcar (a human-powered railroad car), normally travel at ground level but can also travel above (for example, on a trestle) and below ground (such as when used in mining).
Skateboards have the advantage of being so small and light that users can easily carry them when not skating.
The most efficient human-powered land vehicle is the bicycle. Compared to the much more common upright bicycle, the recumbent bicycle may be faster on level ground or down hills due to better aerodynamics while having similar power transfer efficiency. In 2009, Sam Whittingham pedaled a streamliner (a fully faired recumbent) for 200 m (660 ft) at 133.284 km/h (82.819 mph) in the Varna Tempest.
Velomobiles and cabin cycles are increasingly popular in colder and/or wetter countries due to the protection they offer against the environment. Freight bicycles are used as low-cost, zero-emission vehicles to haul cargo. Cycle rickshaws can be used as taxicabs.
Dutch cyclist, Fred Rompelberg set a 268.8 km/h (167.0 mph) speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah on October 3, 1995 while cycling in the wake of a motor dragster pace-car. The wake of the pace-car reduced the aerodynamic drag against which Rompelberg pedalled to almost zero.
Greg Kolodziejzyk set two world records recognized by both the International Human Powered Vehicle Association and Guinness (TM) World Records on July 17, 2006 on a race track in Eureka, California. The first record is for the most distance traveled in 24 hours by human power 1,041 km (647 mi), and the second for the worlds fastest 1,000 km time trial (23 hours, 2 minutes).
In 1969, artists in a small Northern California town began the Kinetic sculpture race which has grown to a 42 mi (68 km), three-day all terrain, human-powered sculpture race and county wide event. It is held every year on the last weekend in May.
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