A shining velomobile

[mr1000rx]

pee wee herman wants his car back

[zackthegoth]

that must be nice to stare at while driving in sunlight. lol

[schumispecial]

The view somewhere from behind reminds me of vintage airplane (on purpose I take it). I am thinking of building something like yours, and using aviation gimmicks, like quick-release hatches, inspection panels and so on. I would love to see a drive video of your machine!

[freddotu]

@schumispecial, there are a few of the AAW videos in my collection here on YouTube. You can also search for AAW velomobile for other's contributions.

Because the skin of the velomobile transfers the loads, cutting openings may weaken it.

[Jasminewynja]

@freddotu

Excuse an ignorant question :)

Doesnt the extra weight the hull means that you lose about the same power as the wind resistance creates when using a common bike?

[freddotu]

@Jasminewynja, the extra weight of the shell is felt when climbing, but on flat ground or downhill, it is of little concern. Bicycles have the most aerodynamic drag above 15 mph/25 mph and the shape of the velomobile reduces much of that drag. It has been said that a well designed velomobile has ten percent of the aero drag of an upright bicycle.

[Jasminewynja]

@freddotu

Thanks for your answer! :)

Yeseterday I watched a video here at youtube about another velomobile and the driver was going around 20kmh uphills (not steep but still uphill) basicly without pedaling, only using the force of the side wind and the hull of the velimobile as a "sail" pushing/pulling him uphills. Wont it mean the opposite can happen, that the wind and hull work as a break?

I'm really curios about these velimobiles as i bike about 4000km each year:)

[freddotu]

@Jasminewynja, because these vehicles are designed to be aerodynamic, there is very little benefit from a side-wind, but that is not to say that there is no benefit at all. I live near the ocean and sometimes feel some gain from side wind, but not enough to help me up hills.

By building up speed on the downhill, one can use the reduced drag in the air to make the next hill climb that much easier.

[hbourj]

@Jasminewynja Yes and no. You lose speed uphill, and you get more speed downhill.

On flat roads, if you are a strong cyclist, you go faster than with a common bike, because you benefit a lot of the less wind resistance. But if you are a bad cyclist, you don't see a neat difference, you get just a better comfort, in every weather.

[hbourj]

@Jasminewynja @Jasminewynja Yes and no. You lose speed uphill, and you get more speed downhill.

On flat roads, if you are a strong cyclist, you go faster than with a common bike, because you benefit a lot of the less wind resistance. But if you are a bad cyclist, you don't see a neat difference, you get just a better comfort, in every weather.

[Jasminewynja]

@hbourj

Thank you for your answer :) I think they are a bit too big for me to own since i live in a city and can't keep it iwhere it's safe from vandalism and theft. But they look fun indeed. Are they windy/airy inside? I mean, if not it should be easy to get too hot and you'll "overheat" inside, right?

[hbourj]

@Jasminewynja

I don't overheat inside if i don't close the up part with the fairing, a flexible sheet attached by snaps.

But this spring the temperature did not exceed 26 °C (78 °F). Maybe at 32°C (90 °F) I shall overheat. I use often my Alleweder at night after 9 P.M., the light is powerful and reflective strips make visible the velomobile. If very hot weather, I can remove the black nose, making inside airy.

[Jasminewynja]

@hbourj

Ahh, i see. Thanks for a good answer :)

[MrIPhonemaniac]

no wonder everyone passes u pissed off ur driving a piece of shit not to mention anoyying....

[freddotu]

@MrIPhonemaniac, you need to go on Wheel of Fortune and "buy a clue" because you clearly don't have any.

[palmvictory]

Nice looking shine, Bud!

"I'm where drivers see me, even the distracted ones. "

Hear, hear!  I have a Catrike 700, and I believe the more we're on the road, d-r-i-v-i-n-g our vehicles, the more they are used to the sight.

[nonicknameyet]

I have an alleweder (watch my vid :) ) But....but ..... how did you polish this bicycle soooo beautiful......

[freddotu]

thank you for your comment. Your alleweder is also quite nice. I like the different camera views and the solar panels on the cowling. I would expect that you get many questions about having a solar powered vehicle.

The shining finish was the result of great effort and a product called Pro Polish Plus purchased on eBay. There are still listings on eBay for this product, from the USA.

In order to get the final finish, it took four steps of preparation. I had some severe damage from chlorine.

[freddotu]

which required Scotchbrite pads to remove. I used a small powered hand sanding machine (about 10cm on a side) with the pad attached and made the entire surface very dull, but uniform.

Attaching a cloth with the coarsest polish was next, again with the sanding machine. Each time made the surface smoother and shinier, until the final, mirror-like result.

Hours of work, but the result was quite worth it. It was then sold on eBay to a lucky rider.

[RedSockAward]

That one looks damn cool :-).

Looks more like a car :-).

[ChevyPerformanceMan]

So those are street legal?

[freddotu]

as most, if not all states allow three-wheeled pedal powered vehicles on the roads, it is indeed street-legal.

The safest place to ride it, and any bicycle, is in the roadway, managing and controlling the lane, in order to prevent dangerous passing or too-close encounters with distracted motor vehicle operators.

I'm where drivers see me, even the distracted ones.

[freddotu]

Damn, I hit Remove instead of reply! You said:

"Yeah I have a bicycle that i use for fitness and i get in situations like in the other videos you have and I'm on the BIKE LANE! How much are these and do they move as fast?"

[freddotu]

The human motor determines speed, as with an HPV, but I'm faster with the velo than with my other recumbent, on flat ground. Velos are slower climbing, due to weight, but quite fast on the downhills and rollers.

Expensive, from two grand used to fifteen grand for the top-end from overseas. Look for pedal your self healthy (all one word) with d o t o r g

[freddotu]

I don't have any real problems on the road, since I control the lane. I won't ride in a bike lane that's part of the roadway any more, since taking the LAB courses. Far safer to be part of the flow. FL doesn't have mandatory bike lane laws and it's a good thing.

[duffmetal1970]

P 51 mustang nose art would look cool

[freddotu]

There's a WAW velomobile painted in that manner and it's really great!

[abundantsnotbob]

Is than an Alleweder?

[freddotu]

It is an Alleweder, the AAW a3 model. The model numbers are up around 6 now and made in fiberglass.

[cyclenut]

Beautiful, I would love to have a velomobile.

One day I will have to build my self one, because here in the US the automobile is crammed down our throats.

[busterpiggle]

That's a very cool looking machine! Needs something on the front though, maybe headlights or a hood ornament...

[isko38ca]

the glare from that shiny metal can cause accident on a sunny day

[freddotu]

an amusing concept that a reflective surface would cause a crash (not accident). Any vehicle operator unable to operate safely in sunny conditions should be denied operation on public roads.

Realistically, the surfaces are curved and do not reflect in the same manner as a flat mirror.

[gurlsingerfan]

Yeah, given the miles of chrome that comes on any SUV the shiny metal shouldn't be a problem on this little thing! :-)

[soythig]

so sexy, i want one. is it homemade?

[clafever]

Shiny = Reflective

Black = Absorbtive

[wfd57fatman]

So clafever, as you noticed, the front absorbs and the back reflects... it becomes a thermal rectifier vectoring the air toward the back... thus moving the vehicle forward on just the surrounding heat! On a good sunny day you wont need to pedal!

[HaveLucidDreamz]

also wfd57 thats not true since metals not only are shiny but good conductors of heat, so it does likely get hot.... this is also due to metals having free electrons, thermal vibrations travel easy through a metal because the free electrons flow throughout the material easily. This is also why they conduct electricity and are maleable.

[HaveLucidDreamz]

yep shiny things are reflective because light photons are scattered back from fast oscillating electrons. This is why metals are more likely to reflect since they have free electrons. What you are seeing is photons being bounced back at you from the environment, hence why shiny things look like mirrors.

Not on topic, but just for the record.

[DecimusAquila]

I bet that thing gets hot in the sun!

[Charles2337]

Looks like a shoe.

[pseudotruth]

Looks great up close, but at a distance, I suspect this polished finish could act as a kind of camouflage.

I don't think it's a good idea.

I think velomobiles are a great idea though. I can't wait for the death of the fossil-fuelled automobile.

[mphello]

@pseudotruth Me, neither. Damn: just noticed: your comment was 2 years ago. Sigh.

If Americans had elected Ralph Nader in 1996 like they should have, we would have outlawed the production and import of any more fossil fuel vehicles, forcing producers and consumers to create and consume only all-electrics.

[duffmetal1970]

AWSOME!!!

[freddotu]

It's in Florida and the summer is hot, but moving along provides cooling. This velomobile was sold recently (sunday) via eBay auction, so it will have a new home soon.

[MewFushisDad]

Very Cool. Good job.  Your Velomobile is looking great.

Does the body get hot when riding it during day light?

[lostinthegame77]

wtf is that thing?