2012 HPV World Championships in the Kent (United Kingdom) Credit: WHPVA

Nestled up on the coast of the North Sea, the town of Leer (Ostfrieslands, Germany) will turn into a celebration of pedal power. There’ll be hundreds of bicycle boats, velo-mobiles, cargo bicycles, families, athletes, spectators and some German beer at the Human Powered Vehicle World Championships this June.

When Dutchman Fred Rompelberg managed to travel 268 km/h along the salt-flats in Utah, he wasn’t driving a car. He was in a Human Powered Vehicle, known as a ‘HPV’.

So what’s a HPV? According to the World Human Powered Vehicle Association it includes “all vehicles that are powered only by muscular-strength.” While the bicycle is undoubtedly the most well-known HPV, there are many more: submarines, airplanes, boats, trains all powered by pedals.

And if you’re into to that kind of thing, then you can watch hundreds of these vehicles gather in Leer, Germany for the annual HPV world championships. Over 3 days, there will be all kinds of vehicles racing and having a good time. 

“This is more than just a race,” says Heike Bunte, one of the organisers of the event.  

“It’s a celebration. Anyone that loves bicycles will have an absolute ball.”

Indeed, this event is more than just a race. It goes to show that humans can be motors. Even the chief caterer for the event is going to supply food to participants and volunteers by cargo bike.  

Neil Schmidt's company Gesund Genuss. Credit: Heike Bunte

Nils Schmidt and his Hamburg-based company ‘Gesund Genuss’ (German for 'Health and Enjoyment') will also be cooking on using a 'Long John' Cargo bicycle. He can carry 20kg whole wheat pasta, 4kg cheese, 2 kg of corn flour and 10kg of frozen vegetables and 5l oil, pot scourers and work clothes for an entire cooking week.

So, why not go? The best thing of all? It's free to attend. 

Pedal power can do just about anything these days. Credit: WHPVA

About the Author

Julian Ferguson is the Communications Officer for the European Cyclists’ Federation. Originally hailing from Australia and a keen bicycle advocate, he plans one day to ride his bicycle from Brussels to Melbourne. 

You can follow him on Twitter @julian_ferguson