Word: kevlar
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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...overflow crowd of 8,000 gaped at competitors wearing aerodynamic early-Darth Vader helmets and rubberized skinsuits that were banned in international cycling until 1981. The special U.S. bikes, developed at a cost of $1 million, feature relatively small front wheels and spokeless, solid rear ones made of Kevlar, the material used in bulletproof vests, which reduces air turbulence. The result: a 1-to 3-sec. saving per km. Said Chester Kyle, a professor of mechanical engineering who headed the bike-design team: "Cycling is the most technically sophisticated sport at the Games...
With their towering masts, vast expanses of Mylar-Kevlar sails, monstrous winches and computerized navigational aids, 12-meter yachts are the nimble-footed heavyweights of their sport. Add the tactical elements of chess: when to defend against an opponent's move, when to ignore it, when to sail off in a different direction. The unmatched combination of required resources has made modern Ahabs of the obsessed competitors...
Made largely of tough lightweight plastics -Kevlar fiber struts, Mylar sheathing, a Lucite windscreen, all from the project's sponsor, Du Pont-Challenger weighs only 217 lbs., excluding Ptacek, who had managed to diet down...