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Author: Paruig

  • OzHPV Challenge Prizes and Giveaways

    Firstly the good news, Registration for the 2026 OzHPV Challenge is now open, just open this link https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/ozhpv-challenge-2026-tickets-1995040859917 and you are a few short clicks away from entering our races and being able to win the bikes or claim the bike parts shown below. Bike Prizes will be drawn by raffle, and everyone entering the Challenge or booking Budget Accommodation receives a ticket. You must be at the drawing of the raffle to claim the bike prizes. (2:40pm Saturday October 31, Silvester Oval Coleraine) Parts will be given away at the end of the Challenge Competition (1:30pm on Sunday November 1, Silvester Oval Coleraine).

    Prizes and Giveaways

    Victoria 2 Speed Load Carrier: The Mule Train Bike

    This bike is a 24” Victoria separating bike which is being painted and restored. In an original modification by Steve Nurse, a Sturmey Archer 2 Speed Kickback hub, custom chainguard, extended front fork and 20” front wheel were installed, turning it into a low-gravity load carrying bike for carrying 2 milk crates. In a second round of mods, the bike will be fitted with a dual kickstand, tidied up and repainted.

    Optima Stinger Midracer Recumbent

    This is a reconditioned Dutch mid-racer recumbent bike with new chain, seatcover and wheels. It is described (with approximate translation!) on the Liegfiets website here, https://ligfiets-net.translate.goog/bicycles/118?_x_tr_sl=de&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp .

    It is a classic recumbent currently set up with 14 gears and options to modify gearing.

    Peugeot Mixte

    This bike was purchased in Geelong as part of a bulk lot and super large jigsaw puzzle of Peugeot bikes and parts. She has been thoroughly cleaned, serviced and the brake levers, drivetrain, wheels and tyres updated and replaced and now has 700c aluminium wheels and gravel bike tyres.

    The single front ring gear range is 34” to 107” compared to the original 2 ring transmission with 39” to 99”. So the gearing is now wider range and with only one shifter, also easier to use.

    Weight with the load carrying milk crate is about 15kg, the milk crate can be removed without tools in about a minute, and all of the front load carrying is bolt-on, bolt off, and the crate and cushion can be used as a picnic chair.

    There are 2 blog posts related to this bike and its load carrying, see • https://modularbikes.blogspot.com/2026/03/the-peugeot-project.html • https://modularbikes.blogspot.com/2026/03/load-carrying-on-watsonia.html

    Bike Part Giveaways.

    Bike parts including horns, pedals, folding pedals, cassette sprockets, rear derailleurs, tools, shifters and speedos. Parts will be given away after the Challenge Competition (1:30pm on Sunday November 1, Silvester Oval Coleraine).

  • Challenge Schedule

    The OzHPV Challenge is an open-design multi-race cycling event with races designed to determine the best overall vehicles and rider.

    Registration for the 2026 OzHPV Challenge is now open,

    Open this link:
    https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/ozhpv-challenge-2026-tickets-1995040859917
    and you are a few short clicks away from entering our races and being able to win prizes and receive giveaways.

    Scoring method and Prizes (Human Power only)

    There will be Men’s, Women’s, Junior (under 15) and Senior (over 50) Divisions of the Challenge. In each race, riders score 1 point for 1st place, 2 for 2nd, 3 for 3rd etc.

    Riders with lowest overall points will be division winners, and Women’s, Junior and Senior’s scores will be separated from other scores for results calculations.

    If riders miss a race they will score one point more than the person placing last in the race.

    Riders’ highest race scores will be eliminated, so with  8 races overall, the best 7 results count. As a guide, Pedal prix cars could run faired on the Saturday, unfaired on the Sunday.

    Certificates to be awarded to the first 3 places in each event winners and there is a trophy to keep for overall senior / open / junior and women’s winners.

    Electric Bikes

    A trophy will be awarded for “Best Electric Bike” but this may not be based on performances in races. Electric assist vehicles (some human power input required) with up to 250W of additional power are welcome to compete in races but will be ineligible for race scoring, race certificates and other trophies.

    Silvester Football Oval / Budget Accommodation

    Coleraine’s Silvester Oval will be used for Sunday races and budget accommodation for the Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Some cooking facilities are available.

    Raffles and Giveaways

    Due to generous donations of goods and time, we are offering raffle tickets for major prizes of restored bicycles and recumbents. Anyone who enters (electric or human powered ) or books accommodation is automatically entered in the draw. Free, new bicycle parts (derailleurs, cassettes, pedals etc.) will also be available for paying challenge participants.

    Saturday Courses

    Coleraine Street Course Map – Approx 1 km with full road closures

    Hill Climb Map: Approx 500m with part or full road closures

    Proposed Full Event Schedule

    For the detailed schedule, refer to our facebook events page at
     https://www.facebook.com/events/1862426664732629

  • Challenge 2026 Trophies

    Trophy labels and completed a set of trophies for the OzHPV Challenge to be held in Coleraine in October / November.

    These trophies will be ready months in advance of the Challenge!
    The labels were ordered and received on the same day!

    Thanks to excellent service from Southern Cross Trophies.

    Looking forward to these being handed out in November.

    Regards Steve Nurse.

  • New 24-Hour Velomobile World Record

    On March 28–29, 2026, at the VinFast Vehicle Proving Ground in Lang Lang, Victoria, Australia, Aidan Lampe covered an astonishing 1,512.775 km / 939.995 miles in 24 hours, establishing a series of new WUCA (Ultra Cycling Association) and Guinness World Records (both officialy confirmed) in the Solo, Male, 18–49, Velomobile category.

    The ride was completed in a faired recumbent tricycle and pushed the boundaries of human-powered endurance to a level that seems almost impossible.

    More than 1,500 km / 932 miles in a single day is simply insane.

    Congratulations to Aidan and his support crew on a truly historic achievement.

    Read Aidan Lampe’s complete ride report and behind-the-scenes story here.

  • New World Records

    WHPVA record committee has confirmed that it has accepted the record attempts carried out by Aidan Lampe and Adam Hari on March 28th/29th, 2026, on the Vinfast test facility near Lang Lang, Victoria, Australia.

    The achievements were:

    • 6hr 411.578 km Aidan Lampe
    • 12hr 800.548 km Aidan Lampe
    • 1000km 15hr 9m 10secs Aidan Lampe
    • 24hr 1512.775 km Aidan Lampe
    • 4000m 3m 22.145s Adam Hari

    Congratulations!

    The new world record will be published on the WHPVA website and the report can be made available to the public upon request and with permission of all persons involved.

  • Bikes on Vline Trains

    Steve says:

    Bikes are always allowed on Victoria’s Vline trains, and it’s not just a trial. There are special places onboard for bikes. Mine splits in 2, and fits into those areas well when split. The  staff can get a bit upset if bikes poke out of the designated areas and into corridors! 

    It looks like the few v-line bus lines that do carry bikes are the ones who have good rail trails nearby and have worked out that cyclists are good responsible tourists who have money! Here is the description from

    Details here

    On scheduled coaches

    Bicycles can be carried for free on the following V/Line scheduled coach services, if there is space available.  They will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis only.

    • Beechworth – Wangaratta
    • Bright – Wangaratta
    • Corowa/Rutherglen – Wangaratta
    • Mulwala/Yarrawonga – Benalla
    • Wangaratta – Bendigo

    Bicycles are not permitted on any other timetabled V/Line coach services, with the exception of folding bicycles.

    Customers must load and unload their bicycles onto the coach. Bicycles are carried at the owner’s risk. 

  • Short Course Record Attempts

    Sydney

    Following the Gosford event last year those who participated were keen to explore using a different velodrome in the Sydney area with better surface conditions to support higher short course speeds. 

    The Sydney event has not yet been confirmed for 2026, but there appeared to be ample support and leadership to run an event in the final quarter of 2026. 

    Stay tuned for more info during the year!

  • 2026 Annual Challenge

     Coleraine – 31st Oct – 1st Nov 2026
    (Melbourne cup long weekend)

    Registration for the 2026 OzHPV Challenge is now open, just open this link
    https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/ozhpv-challenge-2026-tickets-1995040859917

    and you are a few short clicks away from entering our races and being able to win prizes and receive giveaways.

    Prize Giveaways!

    The OzHPV Challenge is a 3 day open-design set of cycling races and rides designed to encourage participation and determine the best combinations of vehicles and riders. E-bikes welcome!

    Steve Nurse got the idea of holding a Challenge in Coleraine came after visiting his Aunt’s old home there in November 2025. It was very quiet on that Melbourne Cup long weekend and it seemed like it could be livened up. The local football club at Silvester Oval looked like a great venue for budget accommodation and some races.

    Coleraine has hosted the annual Pedal Car Championships for many years, so the idea of human powered vehicles is not new to the town.

    Steve has put together a great summary of work done so far on his blogspot:

    Modular Bikes: Coleraine Recce Trip

    Prize Giveaways!

    To attract riders to the Challenge we are offering a pool of prizes available to anyone who enters the event as a competitor.

    Major prizes will be drawn on the Saturday afternoon of the event with a limit of one major prize per person.

    Prizes come from sponsors, and OzHPV members and their network.

    Bikes and recumbents have been donated, then worked on, serviced and restored, all as part of our effort to promote the Challenge.

  • 2026 Annual Rally

    Chiltern, Sep 18-21st Sept (Fri-Mon)

    Will you join us on the weekend of 19-20th September at Chiltern Vic?

    Should be a great weekend of exploring the area.
    We are looking forward to seeing you there.

    Chiltern Memorial Hall has been booked from Friday Sept 18 to Monday Sept 21

    All participants to pay $50 which gets entry to event + accommodation/use of hall for the weekend

    This is a bit more luxurious than the ones we’ve had in previous years with heating/cooling, kitchen, wifi, etc

    BYO sleeping gear as there are no beds just floor space

    Fri Sept 18 

    • access from hall around 3pm, setup, meet/greet, dinner at local pub

    Sat Sept 19 

    • Ride Chiltern to Rutherglen (30km) then options to ride some small loop rides around Rutherglen (Town loop 4km, Wine loop 23km, Lake loop 14km, River loop 4km)
    • Lunch in Rutherglen
    • Ride 30km back to Chiltern for dinner

    Sun Sept 20 

    • Loop Ride options around Chiltern (do as many as people want)
    • Magenta mine 15km
    • Callitris 16km
    • Valley 20km
    • Honeyeater 24km
    • Gravel 26km
    • Return to Chiltern for lunch/dinner

    Mon Sept 21

    • Option of short ride around town, pickup, vacate hall by 12pm
    • Group lunch before heading home

    We can mix and match rides depending on weather

    Some gravel roads on the Sunday so wider tyres recommended

  • Speedbike Record Attempts

    March 28-29, Lang-Lang

    We are excited to announce that we will again be returning to the Vinfast test facility at Lang-Lang over the weekend of 28 and 29th of March, 2026. 

    Member Tim Corbett has again taken on the financial risk for the event to sponsor these attempts:

    • 2x athletes to attempt endurance HPV records (12hr, 1000km, 24hr), and
    • 3 athletes to attempt shorter duration record attempts (4000m, 1hr (x2) and 100mile.
    •  ~4 other members have also confirmed for shorter records on the Sunday. 

    Vinfast have allowed for a sightly expanded attendance list this year, so there are still opportunities available at the event for motivated members. 

    In addition to 1hr/12hr/1000km/24hr distances, we will be surveying a 4000m course to set marks over this prestigious distance.

     Time permitting, F200 runs may also be a possibility.  WHPVA/IHPVA sanctioning of F200 and 4000m TBC.

    There are opportunities to attend the event as follows:

    • to act as an OzHPV official for the various attempts, (~2 openings)
    • as support crew for the Phantom Team or other entrants (#’s TBC), or,
    • make your own record attempt/s.

    Places will be confirmed during application on first come, first served basis that optimizes for overall headcount and event compatibility.

    Due to the limited number of people allowed on site, there are no opportunities to attend as a spectator, with all attendees expected to make a positive contribution to the event.

    Critical support crew and OzHPV officials need only be regular members of OzHPV.

    POA for record attempts. 

    Due to the significant cost (and opportunity!) of hiring the venue, attempt costs are non-trivial, and start at ~$1000 for short duration attempts. 

    50% deposit required to confirm your place.

    Please get in contact with me (Tim) if you would like to attend. 

    Notice of the event will go out to the broader community via the OzHPV FB group in 2 weeks on ~Feb 14th to allow OzHPV members first opportunity to attend, compete, officiate or act in supporting roles.