Living with a velomobile

John Lewis
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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby John Lewis » Fri Nov 09, 2012 5:56 pm

Good to here progress is being made.

I was told mine was "born" on the 17 th November 2011.
It was a long gestation as the order was fouled up somehow and I didn't get the Mango until May 3rd 2012.
I think it was 7 months to the day from when I ordered.
I sure hope yours is a lot quicker.

John

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Bartek
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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby Bartek » Sat Nov 10, 2012 1:28 pm

So do I, its hard waiting. I need more videos, I SAID I NEED MORE VIDEOS :D
Sinner Mango Sport RE
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Riggsbie
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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby Riggsbie » Sat Nov 10, 2012 4:29 pm

Tell us the spec and we might upload a video for ya ;-)


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John Lewis
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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby John Lewis » Sat Nov 10, 2012 11:43 pm

Well its hard for Bartek to wait.
Bad for me too. I have my Mango and can't ride at present due to a health problem.
Don't know how long I'm going to have to wait to see a specialist.

John

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Bartek
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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby Bartek » Sun Nov 11, 2012 12:54 am

John Lewis wrote:Well its hard for Bartek to wait.
Bad for me too. I have my Mango and can't ride at present due to a health problem.
Don't know how long I'm going to have to wait to see a specialist.

John
Is that because you are in Albany or will you be seeing one in Perth?
Sinner Mango Sport RE
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Trek 350

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Riggsbie
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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby Riggsbie » Sun Nov 11, 2012 9:20 am

Hey team.....

I am off the Mango for a bit, I have tennis elbow in my left elbow from resting my left elbow on the inside of the shell while riding (to counter the road camber always pushing my upper body to the left) and holding the steering column...... on some long rides...... Need to add more foam at the contact points on the inside of the body !

:-(

All this cycling is supposed to be good for ya ;-)

Back out on the Vortex and been riding a DF but the lack of speed and extra effort is hard work after a Mango !


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John Lewis
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Location: Albany. 400km South of Perth

Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby John Lewis » Sun Nov 11, 2012 2:04 pm

Bartek.
Probably in city as I got a letter from RPH. My doc said Albany though so I don't know. The letter said that when there was a slot they'd give 30 days notice. Phoned to be told it might be a long wait 18 months or more.
Problem is an SVT (Supra Ventricular Tachycardia) When I exercise, even at a low level, my pulse suddenly shoots up to 230+. My max should be around 150. Doc says I can ride if I take it real easy and stop if the pulse goes off. If it doesn't come down call an ambulance. Just riding very quietly my pulse has been sitting at 80% calculated max. I'd expect to be puffing a bit if for real but I'm not. If I go above 80% it takes off.
Reading on the net (always a bad thing) I'm not sure I'd agree to any of the treatments they do for a number of reasons.

I can ride the trike at about 6 to 9 kmh and 50 or so cadence in my very lowest gears. My lowest is 12 GI and velo low is 30GI.

Riggsbie.
Doesn't your velo have two foam blocks at about shoulder height that press on you shoulders to keep you in position?

Mine has them velcro'd on. I had to add a bit more width thogh as my shoulders were not broad enough.

John

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Riggsbie
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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby Riggsbie » Sun Nov 11, 2012 7:48 pm

No foam blocks....

Might need to talk to Harma - looks like Arjen forgot something else !!
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John Lewis
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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby John Lewis » Sun Nov 11, 2012 9:40 pm

Riggsbie wrote:No foam blocks....

Might need to talk to Harma - looks like Arjen forgot something else !!
Its high density foam. seems to be 3 layers stuck together. I've seen it at the upholsterers.
Its about 120 x 50 x40 cm. There is a strip of velcro hooks down one of the 50 mm sides and the corresponding loops is a strip just below the turned over edge where the top and bottom of the cockpit join. That edge is a bit sharp so it also helps to keep you off that.

Mine needed to be widened about 10 -15 mm each side so 55 instead of 40 mm to suit me. The idea is to be lightly wedged in.

John

Rhubarb
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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby Rhubarb » Tue Nov 13, 2012 12:42 am


John Lewis
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Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2007 7:12 pm
Location: Albany. 400km South of Perth

Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby John Lewis » Tue Nov 13, 2012 2:06 pm

I see the driver of the car behind you was busy taking a photo of you on his mobile (By the look of it) while you were waiting for the lights.

Better than the one i had leaning out the windo and looking back as he drove while doing the same thing.

John

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Aushiker
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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby Aushiker » Tue Nov 13, 2012 7:59 pm


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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby Aushiker » Wed Nov 14, 2012 6:13 pm

nitramluap wrote:I did and I think everyone else did too. Not aware of any disc versions in Oz.
Pity as interested to know if the complete electrics (lights etc) can be set as a dynamo powered unit. I understand that the offer the disc wheel with a dynamo.

Andrew

nitramluap
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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby nitramluap » Wed Nov 14, 2012 9:31 pm

Aushiker wrote:
nitramluap wrote:I did and I think everyone else did too. Not aware of any disc versions in Oz.
Pity as interested to know if the complete electrics (lights etc) can be set as a dynamo powered unit. I understand that the offer the disc wheel with a dynamo.

Andrew
If I recall correctly it is set up so that the dynamo can be toggled on/off (ie. off when hill climbing!) and its power goes directly to trickle charging the battery pack, which provides consistent power to the bike.
My bike is heavier than your bike. :D

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Aushiker
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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby Aushiker » Wed Nov 14, 2012 9:45 pm

nitramluap wrote:If I recall correctly it is set up so that the dynamo can be toggled on/off (ie. off when hill climbing!) and its power goes directly to trickle charging the battery pack, which provides consistent power to the bike.
Interesting. Hadn't thought of using it to charge the battery but it makes sense.

Is it easy to pop-out the battery to charge it out of the Mango?

I guess one is also limited in the light choices, particularly the rear light. Is that right?

Frustrating with the lack of detailed photos/information at the Sinner website.

Andrew

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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby Rhubarb » Wed Nov 14, 2012 9:54 pm

Battery is easy to remove - its just held in place by velcro, but you disconnect the lead to connect the charger so don't need to remove it anyway.

nitramluap
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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby nitramluap » Wed Nov 14, 2012 9:55 pm

Aushiker wrote:
nitramluap wrote:If I recall correctly it is set up so that the dynamo can be toggled on/off (ie. off when hill climbing!) and its power goes directly to trickle charging the battery pack, which provides consistent power to the bike.
Interesting. Hadn't thought of using it to charge the battery but it makes sense.

Is it easy to pop-out the battery to charge it out of the Mango?

I guess one is also limited in the light choices, particularly the rear light. Is that right?

Frustrating with the lack of detailed photos/information at the Sinner website.

Andrew
Yes, it makes sense as the power drain can be high at times (particularly if using the electric horn) and I'm sure this would exceed the generating capacity of the dynamo. This setup allows a steady charge when the battery drain is low - sort of like the alternator & battery arrangement on an aircraft or motor vehicle.

The battery pack can either be removed and charged externally or simply charged while sitting in the Mango. I just unplug it from the Mango's wiring system and plug the charger into it. Easy.

I think you can have different options with the rear lights but as far as brake light is concerned it is a standard LED (although the new Mango's lights are much, much brighter than mine) but you can have more than one fitted - you could have a small line of LEDs all powered by the Mango's power supply. You could do the same with the indicators on each side - ie a line of 4 LEDs, closely spaced.

I think Sinner is in a process of change at the moment and are likely to improve their customer relations too. One of the reasons that there is little information is that so many customers order bespoke Mangos (Di2 shifters, hub gears, etc.) but they should have more baseline information on their site, I agree.
My bike is heavier than your bike. :D

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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby Rhubarb » Wed Nov 14, 2012 9:56 pm

The rear lights are built in LEDs. I got 2 in mine which is non-standard. I also got dual LEDs on my indicators, just to make sure they are seen in broad daylight.

nitramluap
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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby nitramluap » Wed Nov 14, 2012 10:01 pm

Rhubarb wrote:The rear lights are built in LEDs. I got 2 in mine which is non-standard. I also got dual LEDs on my indicators, just to make sure they are seen in broad daylight.
Yes, but they can also hardwire in lights like this, powered by the Mango's electrical system, although they don't very neat:

http://www.bumm.de/produkte/akku-rueckl ... ite-d.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The nice thing about the embedded LEDs is that they can never be stolen or damaged.
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Aushiker
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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby Aushiker » Wed Nov 14, 2012 10:06 pm

nitramluap wrote:
Rhubarb wrote:The rear lights are built in LEDs. I got 2 in mine which is non-standard. I also got dual LEDs on my indicators, just to make sure they are seen in broad daylight.
Yes, but they can also hardwire in lights like this, powered by the Mango's electrical system, although they don't very neat:

http://www.bumm.de/produkte/akku-rueckl ... ite-d.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The nice thing about the embedded LEDs is that they can never be stolen or damaged.
Saw that approach on their website but of course not in your video :) I assume your brake lights are normal rear lights as well.

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nitramluap
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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby nitramluap » Wed Nov 14, 2012 10:14 pm

Yes, my rear light is an LED with two brightness levels. One for when it is functioning as a rear light and a brighter mode when it is either a brake light or I have turned the rear 'fog light' switch to on. If the 'fog light' is on, the light doesn't get brighter when I brake though. If you have multiple LEDs then they all behave this way in unison.
My bike is heavier than your bike. :D

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Aushiker
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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby Aushiker » Wed Nov 14, 2012 10:20 pm

nitramluap wrote:Yes, my rear light is an LED with two brightness levels. One for when it is functioning as a rear light and a brighter mode when it is either a brake light or I have turned the rear 'fog light' switch to on. If the 'fog light' is on, the light doesn't get brighter when I brake though. If you have multiple LEDs then they all behave this way in unison.
Sounds good and sounds like the charging would be easy as well. Now comes the bigger issues ... fit in a lift? :)

Andrew

nitramluap
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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby nitramluap » Wed Nov 14, 2012 10:24 pm

Aushiker wrote:
nitramluap wrote:Yes, my rear light is an LED with two brightness levels. One for when it is functioning as a rear light and a brighter mode when it is either a brake light or I have turned the rear 'fog light' switch to on. If the 'fog light' is on, the light doesn't get brighter when I brake though. If you have multiple LEDs then they all behave this way in unison.
Sounds good and sounds like the charging would be easy as well. Now comes the bigger issues ... fit in a lift? :)

Andrew
Depends how big the lift is!! :-D
My bike is heavier than your bike. :D

John Lewis
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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby John Lewis » Wed Nov 14, 2012 11:07 pm

Harma was as good as her word.

My 22 tooth mid drive cog arrived in the mail today.

John

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Riggsbie
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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby Riggsbie » Thu Nov 15, 2012 12:18 am

Excellent news John.....

I hope it allows you to get out and about !


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