carlfogel@comcast.net
12-31-1969, 08:00 PM
The first 212 pages of John Howard's 1993 biography "Pushing the
Limits," written with Peter Nye, are of absolutely no interest to RBT,
being merely a detailed account of an Olympic and international
bicycle champion riding and often winning races of every kind, all
around the world.
We certainly don't care about that sort of thing.
Chapter 14, however, is devoted to Howard's land speed record. The
book is out of print, but you can get a used copy by going to
www.bookfinder.com and putting in his name and the title. Prices
include shipping. My copy arrived in 6 days.
***
"His research quickly showed that he needed a leather suit for
protection in case he fell. Motorcyclists recommended Bates Leathers
in Long Beach, where he was fitted with full-length motorcyclist's
leathers. They were made of red and yellow leather, featuring Lycra
expansion joints to allow movement, and weighed 12 pounds."
--p. 213
[It may be worth explaining to bicyclists that with leathers you tend
to slide on pavement rather than spinning and breaking bones, plus the
suit takes most of the road rash, which is considerably worse at 100+
mph racing speeds. Weight weenies may ponder the fact that the
12-pound suit of leathers, plus the heavy boots, gloves, and helmet,
weigh about as much as the UCI bicycle weight minimum. Some RBT
posters may be pleased to know that "Campagnolo" was emblazoned on
each arm of Howard's leathers.]
***
"It had one brake, a cantilever rear brake taken from a tandem.
Jutting from the front fork was a vertical bar that Howard was to use
to bump against the back of Rick Vesco's race car to slow down below
100 MPH."
--p. 213
[From what I can tell, the brake took care of the rest of the stopping
problem, from 100 MPH downward. you can see the bike and car bumper
bars at http://www.canosoarus.com/08LSRbicycle/LSR%20Bike01.htm ]
***
[The first Bonneville salt flat tests--don't get excited yet.]
"Howard tested the 46-pound prototype on the road to see how it
handled. 'We did some test runs on the Texas World Speedway in College
Station,' he said. 'I pedaled behind a hot-rod Dodge van and we got up
to 75 mph. I felt we had a suitable design.'"
"After returning the bicycle for some adjustments, he did one more
test run. 'The last one was on a highway near Katy, Texas. We cranked
it up to 100 MPH behind the Dodge van.' He laughed at the
recollection. 'We broke 100 MPH on a public highway, like Alfred
Letourner did.'"
--p. 214
[The book mentions on page 5 that Schwinn-sponsored Alfred Letourner
took "three miles to get up to 100 MPH, then he officially clocked
108.92, dashing through the mile in 33.05 seconds. He needed four
miles to slow down." That four-mile slowdown from 109 mph helps to
explain Howard's odd bumper-banging braking tactics.]
"A crucial component in Howard's effort was a special Plexiglass
fairing--a device that fitted over the back of Vesco's low-slung car
and shielded Howard from the wind so he could pedal in the draft. The
fairing was 5 feet tall and 4 1/2 feet wide, and fitted on the back.
Facing Howard on the fairing was a speedometer. He looked through the
fairing with a windshield. In case he needed a reminder, a sign below
the windshield read, 'Faster, you fool.'"
--p. 214
"Because Howard was turning over such a big gear, which carried him
111 feet with every revolution of the pedals, he and his bicycle were
towed by a cable up to 60 MPH. That saved him taking the four miles he
would need under his own power to build to that speed. Vesco
accelerated smoothly. Approachihg 60, Howard disengaged the towline
and started pedaling on his own."
"Howard's bicycle started to wobble. Granules of salt whirled up,
white rain against his visor. Some granules were sucked up uner the
visor and stung his face and eyes. Yet he pedaled carefully in the
protective slipstream, which extended to about seven feet behind the
car, and the bicycle became more stable."
"For three miles, Howard and Vesco accelerated before they started the
timed mile, a section marked for an official 1,760 yards surveyed by
the Bureau of Land Management. Electronic eyes at the beginning and
end of the mile mark the timing trap."
"Howard chased after Vesco's car, careful to stay within the shelter
of the fairing. If he fell behind it, wind would rush at himm with as
much force as smashing into a wall. If he veered outside the breadth
of the slipstream, he would suffer the same smash of air. If he
accelerated too fast, he would hit the bumper bar on the fairing.
His effort required precision handling."
"After they whizzed through the first timed mile, Vesco slowed the
car. Howard decelerated by banging against the bumper bar of Vesco's
car--steel against steel. He had to hit the bar repeatedly rather than
use his hand brake, which would melt from the friction created by
braking at such high speed."
"'It was a tricky process,'" Howard said. 'I slammed into the bumper
bar. I had to be very careful. It was really violent. I put dents in
the back of the bumper bar. Paint cracked and peeled on the bumper and
the bike. But after a while I got used to it.'"
"That afternoon they made five such runs, each as physically demanding
on Howard as a pursuit race. His heart sped up to 195 beats a minute,
and his legs spun like an egg beater."
"'It was a tremendous trhill,' Howard said. 'But it also was
terrifying because we were doing something dangerous. I could feel the
power of the vortex behind me. Let me tell you, that power was
tremendous. The margin for error when riding behind Rick's car was so
small. We had to do everything just right."
"A timer gave Howard a slip of paper stating that he had clocked 114.9
MPH."
p. 215-6
***
[On the next test runs on the San Felipe highway in Baja, Mexico,
considerable problems ensued with head winds, cross-winds, and the
pace car being launched into the air at over 110 mph on the invisible
dips, blasting Howard with paint, dust, and debris as the 2-inch car
clearance suddenly increased. But Howard can be seen raising his speed
to 124.189 MPH in this youtube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Py94okBKDU0It
It doesn't show the near-crash where Howard dug a pedal into the
pavement as the pace car bounded into the air off a tiny rise in the
apparently level highway.]
***
[Rain on the Bonneville salt flats and other commitments delayed
things for years.]
"Over the three years that Howard had worked fitfully on the speed
record, he had made minor changes on the bicycle. He covered the
spokes of the rear wheel with Mylar disks, which reduced drag.
Specialized supplied custom tires for his motorcycle wheels, made of
Akront alloy rims. Man and machine were ready."
[This picture may show clear Mylar covering the rear wheel:
http://www.canosoarus.com/08LSRbicycle/LSR%20Bike02.htm
I originally thought that it was the spokes blurring as Howard pedaled
on the test stand, but it could be sun on Mylar, or both at once. In
any case, the picture shows the bump bar nicely. As an aside, there's
nothing special about Akront alloy rims, which were common as dirt in
the motorcycle world by 1974, even on trials machines. They're just
aluminum, strong enough to use, but lighter than steel.]
[The day before the record . . .]
"On Friday, July 19, Howard and Vesco went through six practice runs
to get back in sync as they increased their speed. Each run had Howard
pedaling hard for three miles as they accelerated past mile signposts.
Accelerating strained Howard because the tempo went up constantly.
Then he would pedal furiously through the timed mile, exerting himself
to the limit of his ability. Afterward, he would slam into the back of
Vesco's rear bumper as they slowed."
"At 125 MPH, Howard discovered weird turbulence called Von Karman
Vortex Shedding. 'It kicked me violently forward if I began to fall
back from the pace vehicle's slipstream,' he explained. At that speed,
he was in a narrow bubble of air pressure that was highly sensitive to
any position change. Fortunately, his Mylar covering of the rear wheel
helped the wheel to act as a rudder, and made the bicycle more
stable."
--p. 224
***
[The next day, Howard sets the record . . .]
"But on the fourth run, around noon, Howard was smoothly pedaling past
140 MPH when suddenly he had to fight to control his handlebars. They
jerked in his grip as the rear wheel fishtailed wildly. He was forced
to fall behind the car's slipstream."
"'I felt as though I was being sand-blasted,' he said. 'A wave of air
punched me.' He put his head down and squeezed the handlebars to keep
from being pulled off the bicycle.'"
--p.224-5
[That's how Howard learned that Schrader valves need caps at over 140
MPH. His front tire had a valve cap. The rear didn't. Probably a local
bike shop had stolen it and later sold it at a profit.]
"'That flat only served to boost my confidence,' Howard said."
--p. 225
[It's nice that Howard survived the flat, but his logic suggests that
not all of his screws were properly tightened at the factory.]
***
"At 4:00 p.m., on the sixth run of the day, Howard and Vesco knitted
everything together. Howard worked hard to stay close to the car's
rear bar as they accelerated from 65 MPH to 80 adn then 100. At 110
MPH, he heard the roar of the wind around him, but felt comfortable
with this familiar distraction. Then, past 120 MPH, he hit the Van
Karman effect. He drifted back two feet from the bumper bar, then was
thrown forward hard."
"As he entered the timed mile, his heart was pounding 195 beats a
minute and his legs were spinning at 140 RPM. But now, past the Van
Karman zone, his bicycle felt lighter and shorter."
--p. 225
[Blah, blah, blah, 152.284 MPH, 1985. It sounds as if Howard needed
his pedals and chain.]
Cheers,
Carl Fogel
Limits," written with Peter Nye, are of absolutely no interest to RBT,
being merely a detailed account of an Olympic and international
bicycle champion riding and often winning races of every kind, all
around the world.
We certainly don't care about that sort of thing.
Chapter 14, however, is devoted to Howard's land speed record. The
book is out of print, but you can get a used copy by going to
www.bookfinder.com and putting in his name and the title. Prices
include shipping. My copy arrived in 6 days.
***
"His research quickly showed that he needed a leather suit for
protection in case he fell. Motorcyclists recommended Bates Leathers
in Long Beach, where he was fitted with full-length motorcyclist's
leathers. They were made of red and yellow leather, featuring Lycra
expansion joints to allow movement, and weighed 12 pounds."
--p. 213
[It may be worth explaining to bicyclists that with leathers you tend
to slide on pavement rather than spinning and breaking bones, plus the
suit takes most of the road rash, which is considerably worse at 100+
mph racing speeds. Weight weenies may ponder the fact that the
12-pound suit of leathers, plus the heavy boots, gloves, and helmet,
weigh about as much as the UCI bicycle weight minimum. Some RBT
posters may be pleased to know that "Campagnolo" was emblazoned on
each arm of Howard's leathers.]
***
"It had one brake, a cantilever rear brake taken from a tandem.
Jutting from the front fork was a vertical bar that Howard was to use
to bump against the back of Rick Vesco's race car to slow down below
100 MPH."
--p. 213
[From what I can tell, the brake took care of the rest of the stopping
problem, from 100 MPH downward. you can see the bike and car bumper
bars at http://www.canosoarus.com/08LSRbicycle/LSR%20Bike01.htm ]
***
[The first Bonneville salt flat tests--don't get excited yet.]
"Howard tested the 46-pound prototype on the road to see how it
handled. 'We did some test runs on the Texas World Speedway in College
Station,' he said. 'I pedaled behind a hot-rod Dodge van and we got up
to 75 mph. I felt we had a suitable design.'"
"After returning the bicycle for some adjustments, he did one more
test run. 'The last one was on a highway near Katy, Texas. We cranked
it up to 100 MPH behind the Dodge van.' He laughed at the
recollection. 'We broke 100 MPH on a public highway, like Alfred
Letourner did.'"
--p. 214
[The book mentions on page 5 that Schwinn-sponsored Alfred Letourner
took "three miles to get up to 100 MPH, then he officially clocked
108.92, dashing through the mile in 33.05 seconds. He needed four
miles to slow down." That four-mile slowdown from 109 mph helps to
explain Howard's odd bumper-banging braking tactics.]
"A crucial component in Howard's effort was a special Plexiglass
fairing--a device that fitted over the back of Vesco's low-slung car
and shielded Howard from the wind so he could pedal in the draft. The
fairing was 5 feet tall and 4 1/2 feet wide, and fitted on the back.
Facing Howard on the fairing was a speedometer. He looked through the
fairing with a windshield. In case he needed a reminder, a sign below
the windshield read, 'Faster, you fool.'"
--p. 214
"Because Howard was turning over such a big gear, which carried him
111 feet with every revolution of the pedals, he and his bicycle were
towed by a cable up to 60 MPH. That saved him taking the four miles he
would need under his own power to build to that speed. Vesco
accelerated smoothly. Approachihg 60, Howard disengaged the towline
and started pedaling on his own."
"Howard's bicycle started to wobble. Granules of salt whirled up,
white rain against his visor. Some granules were sucked up uner the
visor and stung his face and eyes. Yet he pedaled carefully in the
protective slipstream, which extended to about seven feet behind the
car, and the bicycle became more stable."
"For three miles, Howard and Vesco accelerated before they started the
timed mile, a section marked for an official 1,760 yards surveyed by
the Bureau of Land Management. Electronic eyes at the beginning and
end of the mile mark the timing trap."
"Howard chased after Vesco's car, careful to stay within the shelter
of the fairing. If he fell behind it, wind would rush at himm with as
much force as smashing into a wall. If he veered outside the breadth
of the slipstream, he would suffer the same smash of air. If he
accelerated too fast, he would hit the bumper bar on the fairing.
His effort required precision handling."
"After they whizzed through the first timed mile, Vesco slowed the
car. Howard decelerated by banging against the bumper bar of Vesco's
car--steel against steel. He had to hit the bar repeatedly rather than
use his hand brake, which would melt from the friction created by
braking at such high speed."
"'It was a tricky process,'" Howard said. 'I slammed into the bumper
bar. I had to be very careful. It was really violent. I put dents in
the back of the bumper bar. Paint cracked and peeled on the bumper and
the bike. But after a while I got used to it.'"
"That afternoon they made five such runs, each as physically demanding
on Howard as a pursuit race. His heart sped up to 195 beats a minute,
and his legs spun like an egg beater."
"'It was a tremendous trhill,' Howard said. 'But it also was
terrifying because we were doing something dangerous. I could feel the
power of the vortex behind me. Let me tell you, that power was
tremendous. The margin for error when riding behind Rick's car was so
small. We had to do everything just right."
"A timer gave Howard a slip of paper stating that he had clocked 114.9
MPH."
p. 215-6
***
[On the next test runs on the San Felipe highway in Baja, Mexico,
considerable problems ensued with head winds, cross-winds, and the
pace car being launched into the air at over 110 mph on the invisible
dips, blasting Howard with paint, dust, and debris as the 2-inch car
clearance suddenly increased. But Howard can be seen raising his speed
to 124.189 MPH in this youtube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Py94okBKDU0It
It doesn't show the near-crash where Howard dug a pedal into the
pavement as the pace car bounded into the air off a tiny rise in the
apparently level highway.]
***
[Rain on the Bonneville salt flats and other commitments delayed
things for years.]
"Over the three years that Howard had worked fitfully on the speed
record, he had made minor changes on the bicycle. He covered the
spokes of the rear wheel with Mylar disks, which reduced drag.
Specialized supplied custom tires for his motorcycle wheels, made of
Akront alloy rims. Man and machine were ready."
[This picture may show clear Mylar covering the rear wheel:
http://www.canosoarus.com/08LSRbicycle/LSR%20Bike02.htm
I originally thought that it was the spokes blurring as Howard pedaled
on the test stand, but it could be sun on Mylar, or both at once. In
any case, the picture shows the bump bar nicely. As an aside, there's
nothing special about Akront alloy rims, which were common as dirt in
the motorcycle world by 1974, even on trials machines. They're just
aluminum, strong enough to use, but lighter than steel.]
[The day before the record . . .]
"On Friday, July 19, Howard and Vesco went through six practice runs
to get back in sync as they increased their speed. Each run had Howard
pedaling hard for three miles as they accelerated past mile signposts.
Accelerating strained Howard because the tempo went up constantly.
Then he would pedal furiously through the timed mile, exerting himself
to the limit of his ability. Afterward, he would slam into the back of
Vesco's rear bumper as they slowed."
"At 125 MPH, Howard discovered weird turbulence called Von Karman
Vortex Shedding. 'It kicked me violently forward if I began to fall
back from the pace vehicle's slipstream,' he explained. At that speed,
he was in a narrow bubble of air pressure that was highly sensitive to
any position change. Fortunately, his Mylar covering of the rear wheel
helped the wheel to act as a rudder, and made the bicycle more
stable."
--p. 224
***
[The next day, Howard sets the record . . .]
"But on the fourth run, around noon, Howard was smoothly pedaling past
140 MPH when suddenly he had to fight to control his handlebars. They
jerked in his grip as the rear wheel fishtailed wildly. He was forced
to fall behind the car's slipstream."
"'I felt as though I was being sand-blasted,' he said. 'A wave of air
punched me.' He put his head down and squeezed the handlebars to keep
from being pulled off the bicycle.'"
--p.224-5
[That's how Howard learned that Schrader valves need caps at over 140
MPH. His front tire had a valve cap. The rear didn't. Probably a local
bike shop had stolen it and later sold it at a profit.]
"'That flat only served to boost my confidence,' Howard said."
--p. 225
[It's nice that Howard survived the flat, but his logic suggests that
not all of his screws were properly tightened at the factory.]
***
"At 4:00 p.m., on the sixth run of the day, Howard and Vesco knitted
everything together. Howard worked hard to stay close to the car's
rear bar as they accelerated from 65 MPH to 80 adn then 100. At 110
MPH, he heard the roar of the wind around him, but felt comfortable
with this familiar distraction. Then, past 120 MPH, he hit the Van
Karman effect. He drifted back two feet from the bumper bar, then was
thrown forward hard."
"As he entered the timed mile, his heart was pounding 195 beats a
minute and his legs were spinning at 140 RPM. But now, past the Van
Karman zone, his bicycle felt lighter and shorter."
--p. 225
[Blah, blah, blah, 152.284 MPH, 1985. It sounds as if Howard needed
his pedals and chain.]
Cheers,
Carl Fogel