Racing EVs and recumbents at PIR

Human Powered Challenge

On Saturday I went out to Portland International Raceway to check out the annual Human Powered Challenge.

I ended up catching a bit of the Electric Vehicle races and recumbent sprints. Unfortunately rain dampened spirits just a bit…but not enough to keep the diehard HPVers from competing.

Human Powered Challenge

[Henry Cobb’s first race.]

I met this cool kid named Henry Cobb from Gresham. He was there with his family, racing a recumbent for the first time. He may look like a cute little kid, but out on the course he’s a real terror…pumping his pedals and rocking his ‘bent side-to-side.

I also met Sherman Coventry, owner of Coventry Cycle Works on SE Hawthorne Blvd. Coventry is known as the recumbent headquarters in Portland. Sherman has been a long-time supporter of this event and he was the honorary checkered flag holder during the sprints.

Human Powered Challenge

Of all the cycling sub-cultures, the HPV crowd are the most accepting. They’re like the melting pot of bike groups. There was a huge range of vehicles on hand and they all seemed to just intermingle.

There were all types of recumbents at the event including; a carbon-fiber, fully-faired trike from Portland State University (the “Vike Trike”), a do-it-yourself special, and then there was this bike. Not sure how he fit in, but no one seemed to care too much.

For more photos of the event, check out my Human Powered Challenge gallery and don’t miss Aaron Tarfman’s great photos of the event.


Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Founder of BikePortland (in 2005). Father of three. North Portlander. Basketball lover. Car owner and driver. If you have questions or feedback about this site or my work, feel free to contact me at @jonathan_maus on Twitter, via email at maus.jonathan@gmail.com, or phone/text at 503-706-8804. Also, if you read and appreciate this site, please become a supporter.

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Aaron Tarfman
Aaron Tarfman
17 years ago

Here’s more about the IHPV Challenge with more links and pictures.

http://forum.bikeportland.org/viewtopic.php?p=748#748

There’s also a downloadable video created by Tim who came with us on the Exchange Cycle Tour
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ExchangeCycleTours/message/153

Aaron Tarfman
Aaron Tarfman
17 years ago

Okay here’s the correct link to the article

http://forums.bikeportland.org/viewtopic.php?t=389