"Why?" I'd say, because they restrict our natural rights regarding freedom of travel. They did it to horse-drawn carriages in the early 1900s, and now they're doing it to us cyclists. Time to put some left-libertarian, geoist thinking to practical use!
I don't have a velomobile yet, but my preference in recumbents and trikes includes a high, upright seating position (>40 degrees). For a VM, shell should open to front or back; not side. And how 'bout replacable body panels?
I think that there is a lot that can be done in this area. I am a student in Mechanical engineering right now and would love to get into this area of human transportation. I think they should be on type that can be attached to each other end to end. This way a group of people could help pedal but if it is just you on other occations then you wont have to lug the extra weght arround, Just detach and have fun!
Yes, but an ultra light body. Lighter than carbon/kevlar. Mono-cote or Super-cote are tough flexible heat shrink plastic used to cover RC model aircraft wings. A lite frame of semi-rigid alum poles with a covering.
How about a monocote type enclosure for existing trikes. Lightweight construction would keep weight to just a few pounds. The enclosure would allow existing trikes to commute in foul weather and be more aerodynamic/visible. LED lighting could be powered with minimal weight. Cost would be greatly reduces vs. carbon/kevlar enclosures.
do away with the kammback rear ends and utilise a boat tail for aerodynamic purposes. could use the extra tail for a small trunk or battery storage for electric assist. lighten up as much as possible with a thin carbon fiber base shell using kevlar on the outside for crash durability. the lighter the better and every pound shed will make your customers feel they got their money's worth.
It needs to be bigger, higher off the ground, easier to get into and out of. I installed my own 12V lighting system, but even with 700 lumen LEDs it is not very good compared to an automobile's. I have a 500 Watt motor, but it needs triple that much power. It should have 4 wheels to track better, with larger tires. Pedaling it requires thumping your knees into the body pretty hard. (I'm 5'9") Turning radius is too small for good maneuverability.
I own a Mango and drive it to work in downtown Toronto. I'd like to see a velo that's a little higher off the ground to improve visibility in city traffic -- maybe a compromise between the Cabbike and the Mango. I'd also like to see solar panels used to power the lights, horn and electric assist motor.
Thanks for commenting! The solar panels would be an excellent way to power the electrics without having to replace batteries. My neighbor gave me a couple of those solar powered garden lights, which I'm putting on my home-built velomobile as headlights. I just have to remember to take them out during the day so they can charge up for night-riding. My velo is built taller than normal, so it can been seen easier in traffic. I didn't feel safe sitting too low, and wanted to enter/exit it easily.
1. 2 passenger, side-by-side seating on lightweight bench seat (more compact than individual seating.) 2. Shared pedal mechanism...would have to be something unconventional like a reciprocating pedal assembly perhaps.
3. Electric or single cylinder diesel engine (burning biodiesel) for range/speed assist.
4. Range should be 55-85 miles.
5. Top speed should be 55 mph with cruising speed of 45mph.
I don't think you can build and market a velo for $1000.00, even if it were built in Asia or Mexico. $4000.00 to $5000.00 would be possible in the US.
I am finishing a prototype with an electric assist hub motor, commuting to work is my main goal. Being visible, entry and exit, and good brakes are my main concerns.
Price it the biggest issue. Mass produce them in Tiawan (the GOOD China) or Mexico (where the labor is cheaper and the import costs are less) and perhaps a series of good quality velos could be offered to the general public for under $1000.
With gas high, and probably going higher, the velo is a great option. Right now my 13-year-old son uses a bike for school and we're about to add an electric motor on it. But we'd like something that's more "all climate." Maybe we'll home build one.
Another thing that needs to be addressed with velomobiles is parking. They're too big to park on the sidewalk, yet if you park them on the street, I'd image it would be hard to lock them up. Perhaps they need to have some sort of metal handle on the back, that you could run a cable lock through, then around a parking meter, sign post, etc.
That's a good point! When I go to the store in my (homemade)velo, I find that there's no room on the sidewalk in front of the store, so I actually pull into a car's parking space. The way I lock it while I'm in the store is I use a German bicycle lock that looks like a handcuff, and I lock the back wheel, so if anyone tries to take off in it, the lock will jam against the frame.
I made my velo's seat sit abit higher off the ground than normal, the body isn't cigar-shaped, instead it has a boxy body, that looks more like an European microcar. From the ground to the roof it's about 4 feet high, it's highly visable in traffic. I like your idea of a metal handle that can serve as an anchor point for lockup! Maybe even an alarm system would be good. Thanks for the feedback!:) Keep cycling, Tomcat
Besides what you already said about them needing to be less expensive, they also need to be able to easily keep up with the other vehicles on the road. I used to desperately want one, as I was under the impression that an average rider could cruise at around 30 mph! Once I realized that you'd have to trundle along at the edge of the road (Yet take up more room than a bike), I stopped wanting one so much... That said, I still think it'd be cool to own a Go-One!
I don't own one, I'd love to own one. Biking is my primary mode of transportation right now, but it's only around town. I'd like enough speed to get to other towns without bothering the other highway drivers too bad. Due to cost I'm thinking of attempting to build my own, perhaps even design.
I think a velomobile needs to be as efficient as possible (low wind drag), have luggage capacity for camping tours and (very important) an enclosed drive train for low maintenance. The shell should offer protection against bad weather and crashes to the rider. Velomobiles that lack these requirements should go straigth back to the drawing board as far as I'm concerned. So far the basics, a real improvement would be a cheaper way to make the shell.
Thanks, sorry I missed that one! I was focusing on commercially built velos, an' missed that one entirely! I'll check that one out! What are your thoughts on the cargo space of velomobiles? Just right, or not quite enough room?
Some velomobiles have a lot of room, others only very small. It depends what you want to do with it. For commuting you need little room, but for camping gear you need more. When you pack items individually, rather than in stuff sacks, you can use the limited space in the velomobile the best. In general you'd best keep the weight of your luggage real low, since you need to get it all uphill under your own power.
What about a cargo truck styled velo, with a large cargo capacity for getting groceries? I've built one, but it needs a body, I'll make a video of it soon. It rides smooth, very cruis-able(lol), for long distance.
I think that velomobiles are not going to take off until they
are taller. A major hurdle is feeling safe in larger traffic, and
if one were to put larger wheels on them and stand them
up farther off the ground, and place lighting and cockpit
higher, then with electric assist they would be better
regarded by the unpersuaded public, and without really
affecting their streamlined efficiency. I think the lack of
general public acceptance as transportation stems
from that, & think multipassenger.
rstevewarmorycom 3 months ago
They need to use fiber glass instead of carbon fiber!!!!! very very expensive!!!
coycoy75basualdo 4 months ago
first improvement is a change in attitude of our lawmakers with regards to bicycling
more funds allocated for human powered vehicles roadway separate from auto traffic like in the Netherlands
tax the automobile users to pay for it why? because they pollute you have to pay !
emforty2 1 year ago
@emforty2
"Why?" I'd say, because they restrict our natural rights regarding freedom of travel. They did it to horse-drawn carriages in the early 1900s, and now they're doing it to us cyclists. Time to put some left-libertarian, geoist thinking to practical use!
I don't have a velomobile yet, but my preference in recumbents and trikes includes a high, upright seating position (>40 degrees). For a VM, shell should open to front or back; not side. And how 'bout replacable body panels?
LibertaerUeberAlles 1 year ago
I think that there is a lot that can be done in this area. I am a student in Mechanical engineering right now and would love to get into this area of human transportation. I think they should be on type that can be attached to each other end to end. This way a group of people could help pedal but if it is just you on other occations then you wont have to lug the extra weght arround, Just detach and have fun!
mcdanijr 1 year ago
all wheel drive would be good for winter riding
stephmc111 2 years ago
Yes, but an ultra light body. Lighter than carbon/kevlar. Mono-cote or Super-cote are tough flexible heat shrink plastic used to cover RC model aircraft wings. A lite frame of semi-rigid alum poles with a covering.
gregindc1 2 years ago 4
How about a monocote type enclosure for existing trikes. Lightweight construction would keep weight to just a few pounds. The enclosure would allow existing trikes to commute in foul weather and be more aerodynamic/visible. LED lighting could be powered with minimal weight. Cost would be greatly reduces vs. carbon/kevlar enclosures.
gregindc1 2 years ago
You mean like a body kit? I agree, there's alot of 'open' trikes that could benefit from this kind of kit!
tomcatfranks 2 years ago
do away with the kammback rear ends and utilise a boat tail for aerodynamic purposes. could use the extra tail for a small trunk or battery storage for electric assist. lighten up as much as possible with a thin carbon fiber base shell using kevlar on the outside for crash durability. the lighter the better and every pound shed will make your customers feel they got their money's worth.
pocketmonkey101 2 years ago
lighter, safer and cargo space is a biggy aswell
pandymoose 2 years ago
I have a Quest with added electric drive.
It needs to be bigger, higher off the ground, easier to get into and out of. I installed my own 12V lighting system, but even with 700 lumen LEDs it is not very good compared to an automobile's. I have a 500 Watt motor, but it needs triple that much power. It should have 4 wheels to track better, with larger tires. Pedaling it requires thumping your knees into the body pretty hard. (I'm 5'9") Turning radius is too small for good maneuverability.
TogetherinParis 2 years ago
lower price and sufficient trunk space
krejerki 3 years ago
I own a Mango and drive it to work in downtown Toronto. I'd like to see a velo that's a little higher off the ground to improve visibility in city traffic -- maybe a compromise between the Cabbike and the Mango. I'd also like to see solar panels used to power the lights, horn and electric assist motor.
TheJoggler1 3 years ago
Thanks for commenting! The solar panels would be an excellent way to power the electrics without having to replace batteries. My neighbor gave me a couple of those solar powered garden lights, which I'm putting on my home-built velomobile as headlights. I just have to remember to take them out during the day so they can charge up for night-riding. My velo is built taller than normal, so it can been seen easier in traffic. I didn't feel safe sitting too low, and wanted to enter/exit it easily.
tomcatfranks 3 years ago
I would like the following (ambitious):
1. 2 passenger, side-by-side seating on lightweight bench seat (more compact than individual seating.) 2. Shared pedal mechanism...would have to be something unconventional like a reciprocating pedal assembly perhaps.
3. Electric or single cylinder diesel engine (burning biodiesel) for range/speed assist.
4. Range should be 55-85 miles.
5. Top speed should be 55 mph with cruising speed of 45mph.
nicklockard 3 years ago 2
I don't think you can build and market a velo for $1000.00, even if it were built in Asia or Mexico. $4000.00 to $5000.00 would be possible in the US.
I am finishing a prototype with an electric assist hub motor, commuting to work is my main goal. Being visible, entry and exit, and good brakes are my main concerns.
beesauer 3 years ago
Price it the biggest issue. Mass produce them in Tiawan (the GOOD China) or Mexico (where the labor is cheaper and the import costs are less) and perhaps a series of good quality velos could be offered to the general public for under $1000.
With gas high, and probably going higher, the velo is a great option. Right now my 13-year-old son uses a bike for school and we're about to add an electric motor on it. But we'd like something that's more "all climate." Maybe we'll home build one.
kf5wt 3 years ago 2
Another thing that needs to be addressed with velomobiles is parking. They're too big to park on the sidewalk, yet if you park them on the street, I'd image it would be hard to lock them up. Perhaps they need to have some sort of metal handle on the back, that you could run a cable lock through, then around a parking meter, sign post, etc.
Zothecula 3 years ago
That's a good point! When I go to the store in my (homemade)velo, I find that there's no room on the sidewalk in front of the store, so I actually pull into a car's parking space. The way I lock it while I'm in the store is I use a German bicycle lock that looks like a handcuff, and I lock the back wheel, so if anyone tries to take off in it, the lock will jam against the frame.
tomcatfranks 3 years ago
I made my velo's seat sit abit higher off the ground than normal, the body isn't cigar-shaped, instead it has a boxy body, that looks more like an European microcar. From the ground to the roof it's about 4 feet high, it's highly visable in traffic. I like your idea of a metal handle that can serve as an anchor point for lockup! Maybe even an alarm system would be good. Thanks for the feedback!:) Keep cycling, Tomcat
tomcatfranks 3 years ago
Besides what you already said about them needing to be less expensive, they also need to be able to easily keep up with the other vehicles on the road. I used to desperately want one, as I was under the impression that an average rider could cruise at around 30 mph! Once I realized that you'd have to trundle along at the edge of the road (Yet take up more room than a bike), I stopped wanting one so much... That said, I still think it'd be cool to own a Go-One!
Zothecula 3 years ago
I don't own one, I'd love to own one. Biking is my primary mode of transportation right now, but it's only around town. I'd like enough speed to get to other towns without bothering the other highway drivers too bad. Due to cost I'm thinking of attempting to build my own, perhaps even design.
blazera 3 years ago
I have alot of plans and ideas from sites, if you give me your email addy, I'll send you them. I think 90% of velos are homemade. Happy cycling!!:)
tomcatfranks 3 years ago
I think a velomobile needs to be as efficient as possible (low wind drag), have luggage capacity for camping tours and (very important) an enclosed drive train for low maintenance. The shell should offer protection against bad weather and crashes to the rider. Velomobiles that lack these requirements should go straigth back to the drawing board as far as I'm concerned. So far the basics, a real improvement would be a cheaper way to make the shell.
twilwel 3 years ago
You didn't show a Quest velomobile ; so I would suggest that the first improvement could be a Quest velomobile ...........
BTW; they named it "quest" because they are searching for the same answers as you do in this video. ;-)
keep on cycling,
Wim.
harwig 3 years ago
Thanks, sorry I missed that one! I was focusing on commercially built velos, an' missed that one entirely! I'll check that one out! What are your thoughts on the cargo space of velomobiles? Just right, or not quite enough room?
tomcatfranks 3 years ago
Some velomobiles have a lot of room, others only very small. It depends what you want to do with it. For commuting you need little room, but for camping gear you need more. When you pack items individually, rather than in stuff sacks, you can use the limited space in the velomobile the best. In general you'd best keep the weight of your luggage real low, since you need to get it all uphill under your own power.
twilwel 3 years ago
What about a cargo truck styled velo, with a large cargo capacity for getting groceries? I've built one, but it needs a body, I'll make a video of it soon. It rides smooth, very cruis-able(lol), for long distance.
tomcatfranks 3 years ago