Versatile velomobile for two

[bellaggio1770]

I wish this was a real tandem streamlined bike. Imagine how fast that would go!

[scrillah81]

How often do you take your velomobile out for a ride? Do you use this more than your car now?

[bigbadbecks73]

Yeah I'll admit I thought it was a two abreast velomobile not simply mum taking junior for a spin down the street - oh well

[Texmurphy51]

NIce but try using it in Pa where I live. I have a Stone driveway, need heat 8 months of the year, plow through snow for 3 to 4 and have to climb hills constantly.

Not Practical.

[themanyone]

@Texmurphy51 I don't think I'm tough or anything, average maybe, but I rode my bike all winter in Alaska for many years. An enclosed version would be a tad warmer, if not more practical. Just enduring the wind takes two pair of everything...

[Texmurphy51]

@themanyone Dude I am 60 years old and dont think I want to be out in -10F riding a bicycle to work in the snow. If you feel that doing this will save the world then go for it. I am telling you, if you rode that thing here you would get run over of knocked off the road in the winter. I have snow tires with studs to make it to the main road when it snows. Do you really think that a bicycle could make it? I have a neighbor who walks to work so that might work

[themanyone]

@Texmurphy51 I'm 43, but I plan to keep going. In a printer repair video, KpeH95uYodA I take a break and ride my bike down the hill in the snow to the home depot to buy a longer screwdriver. It's a recumbent, so if it tips over I just put my feet down flat. The velomovile is a trike, however, so no falling over, and the enclosure makes it more streamlined. I already pass traffic, so reduced drag would just make that easier. Hills would be a problem, but there is always electric assist.

[Texmurphy51]

@themanyone Well I dont do printer repair but work as a 12 hour shift as a Maintenance Tech in a factory. You might have lots of energy cause your job does not require much physical work but I am spent after 12 hrs. I can tell you now that you would Never be able to ride that bicycle on our roads here in the early morning after a snow. I am glad you are saving fuel so Obama can burn it in in his jet on the way to golf, while his dog flies in a seperate one.

[KrunchyJD]

@Texmurphy51 They ride these things in The Netherlands in winter and in the snow. In fact they are warmer in winter then a bike. I dont think weather is an excuse, traffic, maybe, but not weather!

[Texmurphy51]

@KrunchyJD

You would not be able to ride it here in Pa during most of the winter.

Major highways are clear but side roads are not. The road to my house gets plowed but still inches of snow on it. You cannot drive a car rear wheel drive car on it without snow tires. .

Nothing is flat here either. I live close to work but have a vertical climb of 500 feet twice to get there.

I have a stone driveway that would give that thing trouble with no snow.

We get snow all winter unlike the Netherlands

[c33r0k33]

The Smithsonian had an article about a back to back enclosed recumbent racer. At the time with primitive technology (1980-something) it broke all records. Ventilation was a problem. I wish someone would improve on that idea. I Love velomobiles. I just wish I knew someone in lower Michigan who had one I could try out. I own a Black Bent...

[experimental0000]

looks a bit cramped for two people since the body doesn't look like it's long enough for two. as for the haters on here.. just stfu. if you dont like it then don't use one just because you can't understand it doens't mean that others are the same way.

[emforty2]

proof that riding velomobils makes a happier society

may just be the solution for traffic congestion and rampant obesity

[tcw00]

@emforty2 lol I agree. I so want one

[Duncan55Watson]

Great shots. Love the video. And velomobiles are very practical.

[Dietzie84]

I run a homemade 2 seater Velocar through the CBD of my town on an almost daily basis and never have a problem with cars or even prime movers trying to monster me. A highvis flag is a good idea for all velos and recumbents so they can be more easily seen in traffic ( I have an Australian flag on a 5 foot pole on the back of mine) Im yet to try my luck in a larger city but so far i am being respected. :)

[RLviddy]

I love this! I'd feel better if it were built a ways higher so you could be on the highway and not dwarfed/run over by a-holes in their giant, useless SUV's. A taller vehicle would reduce aerodynamics but it just seems like a safer idea.

[ihamoitc2005]

beautiful but impractical.

[tomcatfranks]

How is it impractical?

[ihamoitc2005]

How is it practical?

[Bigjohnnywad]

Can you imagine getting rear ended in this by a SUV?? How pratical is this to take on the roads??

[ihamoitc2005]

@Bigjohnnywad

Who needs an SUV? A SMART car would crush this thing in a flash.

It's a shame because it is so beautifully designed and made.

[Bigjohnnywad]

You take a chance and get hit in that pedal car !! I guarantee you will not be responding to this email after....One less idiot in the world..

[andhemills]

Too bad you won't take one for a ride...

[Bigjohnnywad]

Your the fool defending it-You jump in first...I learn from example.. LOL LOL

[kardentyrell]

beautifully practical, with th oil peak and all :p

[totoroben]

@Bigjohnnywad You should be asking this question the other way around.

[Bigjohnnywad]

@totoroben You should be minding your own fucking business-

[drsquirrel0]

@Bigjohnnywad Dunno - probably more practical than a car in certain cities these days...

And from watching others - it seems the strangeness of these units makes people go WTF and take more notice - thus less chance of a rear end.

[Bigjohnnywad]

Exactly! Can you imagine getting rear ended in this by a SUV??

[drumzstix666]

can it at least hold my backpack?

[tomcatfranks]

Yes, they'll hold more stuff than you think!

[argosy2006]

looks like a shoe

[particlesofenergy]

does cramming a kid in your crotch constitute a two seater?

[redtail5]

yes

[particlesofenergy]

Uh, NO!

[redtail5]

see, you just responded to an answer to your question by answering it yourself. So why did you ask in the first place?

just teasing ya mate

[particlesofenergy]

Actually I was disagreeing to your reply. And, the original comment was meant to be ironical.

[geemoe2007]

I've GOT to get me one of THESE!!! :-))

[soythig]

Don't crash, otherwise that babys heads coming off.

[KooolaNL]

DOES IT HAVE GEARS

[TheJoggler1]

Yes, it has 14 gears on an internal Rohloff Speedhub.

[totoroben]

@TheJoggler1 I'm jealous. Never even seen a Rohloff in real life, but I imagine it's magical.

[greenbicyclemonkey]

Fantastic! While I would love one of my own, the price tag is still too steep for me. To bring the price down, though- we need brave people like you to invest in these progressive companies! Thanks for sharing this video- great to see one in action!

[Charles2337]

Reminds me of a shoe.

[jerryaltman]

Cute ! I wish there was electric velomobiles in my country.

[pavlopwnsyourface]

killer paintjob!

[urbandiscount]

it's just a matter of choice. I could spend the amount on a car or on this. I chose this. never regretted it.

[fantabulospleef]

forgive me, i was unaware that you did not own this. and it just seems that they can be very "over-priced".

and i never said that i wasnt practical. infact i would love to have one.

how much dose this model sell for?

[fantabulospleef]

it sometimes cute to see what rich people do with there time and money...

[prideventures]

I am going to build one of these things. I started riding my bike into the downtown area of Phila., and found it took me sometimes less time than driving or public transportation, and I was not tired. HPV - I have spent most of this day after church researching these things on the internet and YouTube. Wow they are expensive. So I guess I better get to engineering, LOL. I want one so bad!!!

[tomcatfranks]

I have buit one already, so let me know if you need help, I know a few tricks that would help! :)

[prideventures]

Thanks Tom - I have found the community for this movement is great - everyone wants to help the other.......I can see the day when the city streets will be full of vehicles like this and smaller personal electric rides...I just hope the leaders make accomodations....in my city the Parking Authority is threatening to ticket scooters and mopeds for parking on the pavement, they want them to park at meters to collect the fees. Riders fear theft because they can't lock to a fence. Hope this changes.

[Bodneyblue]

Nice maybe..but the price!

We someone could design such things with cost in mind. Build something for say..£400, then it makes if affordable to many more people an a real alternative to a car or motorbike. At the prices they are..there just fancy toys for the rich.

[BukerG]

Look on a bike shop website for the prices of a specialist racing bike-I saw ones north of £2000! Velomobiles are custom/handbuilt for now,so are expensive. Mass production would bring the price down. I'd like one,just not at a bigger pricetag than the car I have now!

[landongendur]

That is so cool. I want to make a human powered vehicle so bad! I just have no idea how :(

[tomcatfranks]

If you want velo plans, I could share my plans with you. I made one of these, it sits a little higher, though (good for traffic to see me). I know a few tricks to making them.

[landongendur]

Sounds cool. My question is how does a person make the body and frame? Is it moulded out of fiberglass?

[tomcatfranks]

The bodies for these are built out of fibreglas, the body I made for mine is an electric conduit frame, with cloroplast panels from election signs. :)

[landongendur]

Awesome! I thought about cloroplast too :)

[ravnfroe]

Oooh, from the preview thumb I though they had finally created a decent velomobile tandem.

[tsport100]

EXPLAIN WHAT? Do some simple research yourself!

[tsport100]

Put a 72 volt hub motor on the back and it'll do highway speed for sure!

[GreatRogers]

put a duccati engine in that thing, and perhaps and enclosin windsheild, and that would be soooo sexy

[Charles2337]

It's meant to be a trike.