Go-One at Interbike 2007

[DaddyDonnelly]

Getting rid of pedals on a velomobile is the silliest thing I have ever read. The Bionix motor is there most likely to boost acceleration and top speed, not replace your legs. I have ridden a friend's electric assist 2-wheeled bicycle. While pedalling, I could boost my acceleration from a stop light to greater than that of most cars in traffic. This would be very useful for a velomobile to keep cars from side swiping you.

[AlfaEricWashDC]

I like but it's too expensive. I really want one. Are there places to get the used?

[fastfrizzle]

I saw lady Ga Ga in one of these.

[KrunchyJD]

Yeah, these things are great, but they are far to expensive to take off. If you could mass produce them and get the price down to under $5000 then I think you would get a big market for them.

[STUCASHX]

It is a shame that in the UK a genuine alternative to the car like this is blocked by red tape.

You cannot have electric assist over 15mph for a start unless you take a CBT and register it as a motorcycle with number plates, tax disc and M.O.T.!!

I have a 28 mile round trip to work and would LOVE to use an e-velo.

I'll build my own for the summer commute eventually. (benefit of being an engineer)

[Rollman1]

If you can afford one . Be the first kid on your block

to own one be for it get stolen when you park it in

front of the supermarket .

[STUCASHX]

LOL

i'm Imagining carrying a giant U-lock around with it...

[Nishiki83]

Having one of these would be great. I am not a great cyclist but I can ride at a comfortable pace for 50 miles easily. The main thing that limits my mileage capability is comfort on the bike. Constantly riding on the drops and tilting your head up strains your neck. Many people balk at the price but spending 10K on a road bike is not unheard of among serious cyclists. I bet I could ride 100 miles in a day no sweat with this thing.

[dougeroonie]

@Nishiki83 Hey Nishiki, that was my 1st good ten speed back in '77!! (still have the frame)

You have to go from the drops to the hoods to the tops now and then, you'll hit 100 mi. w/o pain, it works for me.

This Go-One is the bomb!! great idea/concept. I ride in 15°F and need ski goggles/face mask for that, sitting in one of these looks sweet and much warmer in the winter!! Eastern Tenn feels just like Pittsburgh!! lol Great mts. though.

Congrats Go-One3!!!

[particlesofenergy]

This bike is a great example of why things like this will never become a real answer to alternative power. The prices are so damn ridiculous that not many can afford them. If I could find one at a reasonable price I would buy it.

Yeah yeah fancy this pricey that. But until you get the price down it is just a big expensive stupid toy. When someone can get a corolla for 3000 more, who is gonna buy this? No normal person.

6-10,000 for a damn bike is crazy even with a tiny motor.

[drumzstix666]

Even with high prices, Velo's make up from it.

[particlesofenergy]

I can buy a 300 dollar bike and "make up from it"  and have saved all that cash

[tommyeflight89]

Err? You can easily spend 6-10K on a normal, upright bicycle.

A good mountain bike will set you back several thusand. Why does this price seem insane?

[particlesofenergy]

Yeah, and unless you are Lance armstrong, that is retarded too. If we are talking about the masses of people, saving the earth and helping the environment this is just dumb. I could buy a cheap bike and use the rest to buy a solar panel to run my fridge

[CruelSkies]

@tommyeflight89

.

The reality is most people will never consider paying thousands for a pushbike; thats at the fanatic end of the market. I would love one of these but not for anything like that kind of money. If someone ever decides to get real and sell these to your average punter they would make a killing without the need for these exorbitant prices.

[STUCASHX]

How much would you pay for one though?

[particlesofenergy]

I do think it is cool, and would be great to ride, but they need to get it down in price. I would pay a couple to 3 grand maybe. I think it is kind of a catch 22 though. They will have a hard time with huge mass production because it is not cheap, but it will never be really affordable until they mass produce them. Still a cool ride though.

[STUCASHX]

I agree. Even if the product was glass fibre instead of carbon and a little more, crude. £2k is the kind of price that would kick start the market in this kind of alternative transport.

I'd have one.

As it is, I have to try to make one...

[dougeroonie]

@STUCASHX I don't get 'not affordable', get a loan and buy one! $3K would be a waste of a machine. Carbon fibre isn't cheap but it's good, and this is made w/quality parts/etc.. I've just seen these and I'd say it's a well done deal. Comparing one of these to a bike is like a car to a $2K scooter. -- BIG difference ;) Could prices come down eventually? Sure, but not to $3K, this isn't a glorified tricycle. People are still seeing a 'bike' in their mind, that's all.

I wish you the best..

[Charles2337]

They need to make a 2 seater one.

[MewFushisDad]

They do. It's called the Duo Quest.

[DanFrederiksen]

it's great but one thing they are missing, they should stop kidding themselves and get rid of the pedals. it simplifies the design and will take you in a much better direction that will appeal to many more

[HallmanBilly]

Yeah... if they eliminated the pedals, it wouldn't be legal. Chck yor local laws

[DanFrederiksen]

of course it could be legal. don't be so mindless

[KrunchyJD]

@DanFrederiksen No, that is dumb. These things are faster then a normal bike WITHOUT assist over flat ground. The pedals are what makes it efficient. It will only appeal to fat lazy people if they get rid of the pedals.

[DanFrederiksen]

@KrunchyJD I stand by my statements

[KrunchyJD]

@DanFrederiksen Further, how can you say getting rid of the pedals will improve it. They hardly get in the way of your feet, and give you the opportunity to pedal if you want to.

[DanFrederiksen]

@KrunchyJD it frees the design a lot and makes it cheaper to make.

[KrunchyJD]

@DanFrederiksen The main cost is in the body materials not the pedals, bicycle gears and chain. If you have ever ridden a bicycle you will know that air resistance is the biggest thing to overcome. This vehicle deals with that.pedalling will be easier, and you still have the electric boost you need. Savings would be insignificant, and so would benefits of removing pedals, Vs the enormous benefits of being able to pedal it. Are Americans really that lazy/ bicycle phobic, to suggest such a thing.

[DanFrederiksen]

@KrunchyJD I am European, Danish. and I'm that intelligent to suggest it.

try to be less intellectually lazy and actually think about what I'm saying.

I am always right.

[KrunchyJD]

@DanFrederiksen OK, if your Danish, you would probably have ridden a bike. The idea of this is that you get help pedalling. The only reason to get rid of the pedalls would be to increase the size of the motor, then you would have to register it.

Why not have the pedals there if they add hardly anything to the cost, and hardly any limitation on the design, but have enormous benefits. Removing the pedals means you are creating a small slow electric car. What is the point?

[DanFrederiksen]

@KrunchyJD to go places.

[GFS05np]

i have easily contended with 2 buffalo NY winters in an upright trail bike, but would like one of these if it could be made less expensively. wind is the main issue for uncovered bikes. this is the solution, i would like to see a shot of the under side of this bicycle. I am tired of salt & slush on shoes. looks like a fun & rewarding ride.

[IsaacBickerstaffEsq]

"i would like to see a shot of the under side of this bicycle."

There isn't anything to see. The chassis is a monocoque ( mon-uh-coke, not mon-uh-cue as Stephen pronounced it). A molded egg shell; fully enclosed.

[abundantsnotbob]

One of the most important things for me, would be a way that nobody could steal it and it could be left outside without being damaged by the elements. I have a Terratrike 3.4. This is probably the best looking velomobile, but it is expensive. they should make a model not made from carbon fiber, so that more people could afford them. The cheapest velomobile I know of is the aleweder. I would like to have one but they are too expensive. I would probably buy one for $3000 or less.

[mc21b]

"zero or cold conditions"

no coffee for this guy.

[urbandiscount]

no luggage capacity - for me the flevobike versatile wins.

[newculture]

Outstanding! This is just the sort of thing that I think many people would be interested in. I love the design, very compact, looks nice and aerodynamic, great job on the windshield, just excellent all around.  I think the price would be the one factor that would get people to say yea or nay, but you can see that there is some cost that goes into the design, so they're not going to be free. Great job again!

[freddotu]

mono-q? I thought it was mono-coke or mono-cock, according to a google search! (grin)