Riding a rowingbike: a sensational experience! You can't think of a better way to use your muscles, than on a Rowingbike. Considering this fact, in 1986 the concept of the Thys Rowingbike was born. By now the Rowingbike has developed into being the ultimate fitness machine, full of well-considered and new technology.
Riding a Thys 222 Rowingbike is the ultimate sport in which you use virtually every muscle in your body. Both your legs and arms are being used for the propulsion of this remarkable bike: while pushing the pedals, you pull the handlebar towards you. This effective way of using your muscles, in combination with superb aerodynamic qualities, makes the Thys 222 Rowingbike a perfect fitness device as well as an efficient means of transportation. Click image to enlarge.
There's also a page with video's. |
European Championships Rowingbike September 15 & 16 2012Menno van Blitterswijk prolongs title majestically |
Ralph Tuin has arrived in Perth, 4518 km in 26 daysRead his report of April 14 2013 Arrived yesterday in Perth after 4518 km of rowing in 26 days, or an average of 174 km a day. Covered 1000 km from day 17 to day 21, so in five days time. However, the last day was arduous. Riding a rowingbike apparently gives a lot of strain on your freewheel, which I subsequently broke. Rowing was no longer possible, so the trip changed into hiking. Walking uphill and then rolling downwards. For a moment I thought I could enjoy a long, beautiful decent to Perth, but unfortunately just then I was overtaken by two enormous oversized trucks carrying train carriages which blocked the entire road and drove at walking pace down, meaning I had to do the same thing.
But it was a fascinating tour on a beautiful means of transportation: the Thys 209 Carbon Rowingbike, designed by Derk Thijs (rowingbike.com). For the first time a rowingbike has crossed an entire continent from ocean to ocean and I have the feeling I will add a few more continents.
It was a delightful adventure with remarkable overnight stays. In this terribly expensive country I did everything I could to avoid overpriced caravan parks and hotels. Mainly by sleeping in the bush, but also in a launderette, pub, under the canopy of a petrol station, on a golf course, in a caravan of the owners of a caravan park, on the back seat of a car at a rest area so I didn't have to put the tent in the rain, in a city park, in the Meckering earthquake memorial to escape the rain once more and in a large backyard in Midland, thinking I had put up my tent unnoticed, until I was awakened with the question if I wanted my eggs baked or poached.
Currently I'm relaxing for a week in Perth and on Saturday I'll fly to Cocos for finishing the great adventure to cross the Indian Ocean by row boat.
Derk, in half a year I will cross Australia once more by Rowingbike. This time the harder and longer route over the north back to Brisbane.
All the best,
Ralph
Small pictures
Second picture: Lightest tent in the world, 475 gram. Sea to Summit specialist solo.
Third picture: first rowingbike to cross Australia, next to the first bicycle which in 1962 crossed the nullarbor, with helmet. Some progress has been made!
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Ocean rower Ralph Tuin well on the go in AustraliaRalph more than halfway the continent on his rowingbike tour Oceanrower and adventurer Ralph Tuin is currently on the road in Australia on his Carbon Thys 209 Rowingbike. He wants to cross the continent from east to west (approximately 4500 km) in about four weeks. Then he'll mount his special ocean rowing boat which is now on the Cocos Islands. Ralph's attempt to row across the Indian Ocean was stranded there last year because of the start of the hurricane season. A couple of weeks ago a documentary was on the Discovery Channel about his attempt. If Ralph also accomplishes the last lap to Africa, he will be the first human which crossed all oceans, a remarkable achievement!
Ralph has the intention to also traverse Africa and South America by Rowingbike. Then he will have rowed all the way around the world. More on Ralph Tuin on www.ralphtuijn.nl of just google him for much more info.
Below Ralph's first report (April 1 2013) after 16 days and 2750 km.
Hi Derk,
I rarely have Internet when riding the Rowingbike through the outback, but now I'm at a roadhouse which just opened at 7.30 and were I slept last night under the porch.
I'm now at the beginning of the Nullarbor Plain, so the beginning of the desert. 1200 km with only a petrol station or roadhouse every 150 to 200 km. It's getting winter, so the temperatures are okay. 25 degrees centigrade during daytime, at night around 12 degrees. Hottest day I had was 40 and so far three days of rain. I didn't expect this in this time of the year and didn't bring any rain protection. It was rather cold.
Meanwhile I'm on the road for 16 days and covered 2750 km. Another 1750 to go. Fortunately it's all reasonably flat terrain. I've had three higher mountain ranges and three smaller ones. I have to say that climbing on a rowingbike is hard, much harder than on a conventional bike. On flat and slightly sloping area's it's great. Very comfortable and what a beautiful motion. Fantastic to train your whole body in stead of just dull cycling, resulting in a weak torso. Definitely a superb machine, this rowingbike. I only hope I'll make it with the shock cords. The third is already on the bike and there's only one spare left.
Going to have breakfast now and that has to be sufficient for the next 150 km of desert.
All the best,
Ralph
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New mirror mounted on bell. On the rowingbike this is exactly the right place for a mirror, on top of the bell.
It is mounted very simple and thoroughly with a stainless steel ball joint screwed on the bell on which the mirror joint pivots.
In the store you can order the mirror and joint under revolver parts. |
News 2012, Februaryimproved cable attachment systemImproved shape of Snek and footsliderring make it very easy to turn your cable around. You can see how easy it is now on:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wM39Hv5XkfM&feature=player_embedded
You can use this system on all Revolver type rowingbikes. You can have your Snek milled in Middelburg and you can order a new ring , see prices on
rowingbike.com/site/EN/Store/Revolver-parts/
There are more very practical new instruction video's available; look at:
rowingbike.com/site/EN/Home/Instructional-videos/
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25 years of Rowingbikes in January 2011March 5: 25th anniversary party of the THYS rowingbike The party was held in the cantina of the Rugby club Oemoemenoe in Middelburg, Netherlands
The program is as follows:
For rowingbikers only: 13.00- 14.00 hours arrival at the rugbyclub
14.00 start rowingbiketour Walcheren ( 40 km)
16.00 -16.30 finish tour & shower at Rugbyclub
from 17.00 hours on we can have drinks and meals in the rugby cantia
For all that are invited: From 20.00 hours on be welcome for coffee and/ or drinks in the rugby cantina.
There will be a DJ with music later in the evening.
The actual first rowingbike that has his 25th anniversary will be present on the party ( thanks to bike museum Velorama)
If you want to see the history of the rowingbike have a look at rowingbike.com/site/EN/History/Precursors-Rowingbike/
For this 25th anniversary I have tried to give a complete view of all the different rowingbikes ; prototypes and experiments that have taken place in the last 25 years. Pictures of almost all prototypes can be seen. To make the picture more complete i have also added some antique rowingbikes and several rowingbikes made by colleagues/ competitors on the rowingbike market.
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Flying as a bird, Todd Reichert did it! On August 2, The Canadian Todd Reichert was the first man to fly a human powered ornithopter: a wing flapping aircraft without propeller.
Please look at the video of the flight. It is not only amazing for airplane freaks, it is also an esthetical wonder how these large wings flap.
You've probably heard about human powered aircrafts, but those were all propellor driven. The unique feature of this project is that the thrust is created by a flapping wing motion, as birds do.
The transmission of the pushing movement of the pilot to the flapping wings is based on the super efficient Snek transmission of the rowingbike: extreme light dyneema cords on a Snek (fusee).
Thijs Industrial Designs has supported Todd's team with know how since 2006 and sponsored the team with rowingbikeparts for the "Snowbird", the Snowbird simulator and rowingbikes for training the pilots.
Where is this development leading too? Click here for my vision on an aircraft that's propelled by a rowing motion. This aircraft should be able to start and ascend on human power only. Once in the air updrafts and thermal movements should be utilized the same way birds do.
The long distance human powered flight record by the Daedalus on April 23, 1988 from Crete to Santorini (115 km) is shouting for improvement. I wonder what is going to happen: is Todd going on and/ or will there be a Dutch initiative from universities and industry? I will be happy to join and help any initiative as long as we make and fly such beautiful machines as this Snowbird.
Read the press release of The University Of Toronto |
New carbon Rowingbikes!Years of work, but they're here: The Carbon THYS 209 and the Carbon THYS Tandem THYS 209
Based on the 222 version, there is now the Carbon THYS 209 Rowingbike. The concepts of the steel version have been largely maintained, but the carbon version is kilograms lighter and performs better in mountainous conditions.
Tandem
The tandem is in fact a spin-off of the THYS 209 and also based on previous tandem designs. The handling proves to be effortless and the ride is really fast. Read more about the Carbon THYS 209 Rowingbike |
 Large picture: Theo Homan is having fun. Caroleen Meerman is co-rider.
Small pictures, except middle one: Derk and Annemieke Homan
Middle small picture: part of the international test team Crete May 2010. From left to right: Derk, Theo, Bartel, Alex (D) en Jacques (B) |
A few pictures of the Carbon THYS 209 on Crete |
1400 km in 3 days and 6 hours on a rowingbike
Theo Homan on the rightDutch Rowcyclist Theo Homan did it: an unbelievable 7th place in the famous Londen-Edinburgh-Londen cycle race. (LEL). LEL is a timed endurance event (1400 km) and is held once every 4 years. This year's edition had 599 participants out of 34 countries. The start was Sunday July 26th 08.00 hours and the first finished on Wednesday July 25th.
Riding such distances will seem to be quite loony for most readers but for the participants it is real sport. Once you get to know this sport of randonneurs you get admiration for it. They have to train and exercise for years before they are able to ride such extreme distances as LEL. It is an enormous achievement to finish LEL and I have the greatest respect for all participants.
Theo also trained on riding on for days and nights without sleep. On his 78 hour ride he only had 3 hours of sleep in the second night. The first and third night he just went on and on... Theo used a prototype of a new carbon 209 rowingbike.
Rowingbikes, although around for more than 20 years, are not very commonly known over the world. In fact it is a recumbent bike propelled by a rowing movement very similar to rowing a skiff. Interesting detail of the rowingbike is that it does not have a chain: it is propelled by a dyneema cable on a Snek (or Fusee). This unique continuous variable transmission system is more efficient than conventional racing bikes gearing systems that use chains and/or gear hubs. Comparison of achievements between rowingbikes and racing bikes are hard to make. On the flat the rowingbike is perhaps a bit faster as it has less air resistance. In ascending the rowingbike has a serious disadvantage in the discontinuous propulsion. Each stroke is followed by a recovery stroke during which the bike is freewheeling.
The charm and strength of the rowingbike is the grace and all round exercise of the rowing movement. It is a great body work out.
Theo proves the ergonomics excellence of the rowingbike by riding it so long and fast. So you cannot make a straight comparison but the fact that LEL has quite some steep climbs makes it very remarkable that Theo has managed to
reach the top 10 ranking.
Theo Homan, from Almere, the Netherlands, is 49 years young and is active in endurance sport for decades. In his rowing career he soon specialized on long distance racing. He has won several rowing races amongst which a 100km race. Theo was European Champion Rowingbike 2001 and also on the
rowingbike he soon started his specialism on long distance.
In 2003 he was the fastest recumbent bike in the famous Paris-Brest-Paris race (1200 km) on his THYS 240 rowingbike.
Theo was less successful in the 2007 edition: he got ill due to the hazardous whether conditions near Brest and had to abandon the race. Theo got over this disappointment and is back on top now. What a great achievement of this friendly sportsman!
On September 19 & 20 Theo will race again on the Open European Championships Rowingbike held in Zeeland, the Netherlands. |
Derk could not not do it... It is possible to make an human powered aircraft propelled by a rowing(bike) movement. On this page you can see the principles of this plunging wing aircraft and some preliminary designs.
Read more... |
 Joeri was on his way from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon. On 9 October 2008 he was hit by a van that came from the rear. The driver had not seen him and hit him. Joeri died on the spot. He was 38 years old.
We will miss him enormously.
We are collecting responses to his death on the . Dutch version of this site.
If you want to add a message, mail to .
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Introduction
Rowingbike experiences