Living with a velomobile

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Aushiker
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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby Aushiker » Thu Apr 04, 2013 5:08 pm



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Bartek
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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby Bartek » Mon Apr 08, 2013 10:27 pm

Well I have been living with my Velomobile for nearly two months now and have just gone over 700km so far, I have been wondering what the rest of you Velomobilists (is that a word?) carry with you on your everyday rides or commuting? Also how do you stow the things you carry?

Pictures would be nice :D

as an example, I would like to see a picture of how people stow the flexible roof, I have removed the aluminium rods, cant seem to roll it at all it folds slightly but seems to take up a lot of room! :roll:
Probably operator error :oops:
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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby John Lewis » Mon Apr 08, 2013 10:56 pm

I remove the rods, roll it starting at the windscreen end and secure with a velcro strap. I then put it in a bag that I have for protection. I don't leave it rolled for too long as I'm concerned it might take a set.
I have a pair of the Radical Design Velomobile bags. Other stuff just gets stuck down the sides behind the seat.
I keep a bit of rolled bubble wrap up in the space behind the headrest to use if I need to lay the velo on its side at any time.
I'm only to 663 km but I haven't been able to ride a lot which is annoying.
John

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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby Roinik » Tue Apr 09, 2013 8:39 pm

And I believe that it was in this thread that it was almost officially agreed that a velomobile rider would be referred to as a 'pilot' and that one or more velomobiles together would be called a 'squadron'.
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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby burnt » Tue Apr 09, 2013 10:10 pm

I keep my Flevo roof in a pillow case and store it down the rhs. The poles I velcro together and keep them on the floor down the rhs as well. Like John I have the Radical Design Bags either side of the seat. I'm nearly up to 4000km in 12 months and still learning things each trip!

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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby John Lewis » Tue Apr 09, 2013 11:58 pm

You are leaving me for dead Terry.
Which way do you roll your roof? so its long or so its short in length?

John

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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby burnt » Wed Apr 10, 2013 10:25 pm

I don't roll it at all John, I put the clear panel end first in the pillow case and then put it rear end first down the rhs of the velo. (or maybe the other way round, it fits quite happily on the rhs). i'll take a photo of it one day.

I am interested in the rolling of it though, does it maintain its shape?

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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby Rhubarb » Thu Apr 11, 2013 4:41 pm


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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby John Lewis » Fri Apr 12, 2013 10:36 pm

Good one Ben.
I watched just the lot. Don't know why but I'd be pretty leery at some of your speeds. Mine starts to have a mind of its own after about 40 kmh.
I tried some vid the other day but not good enough to post. It turned out very dark and shaky so I'll have to try again.

John

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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby adrian_d » Mon Apr 15, 2013 12:09 pm

This has to be the most intriguing thread. If I had one I'd call it "Living without a Velomobile - Impossible".

Does anyone go out riding when its rainy weather? You'd have the whole track to yourself. With the addition of a small windscreen wiper you'd be set.
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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby Riggsbie » Mon Apr 15, 2013 12:21 pm

I have been out in my Mango and caught some showers....

With the Flevo roof you get moist shoulders and upper chest as water comes in through the sides and under the clear windscreen and you also get a bit of water running inside from the top edge of the body....

Only had very minor shower when using the race hood and foggy was the only issue, but a Fog City motorcycle visor insert fixed that !


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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby adrian_d » Mon Apr 15, 2013 12:39 pm

That would be awesome fun. The race hood would look awesome for sure.

I'm wondering if a exoskeleton made from the same material as what holds up tents could be used in combination with very stretchy waterproof fabric to improve aerodynamics of a recumbent trike similar to a velo?
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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby Joeblake » Mon Apr 15, 2013 2:12 pm

You mean like this?

http://www.windwrap.com/gtosock.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby Riggsbie » Mon Apr 15, 2013 2:18 pm

I am just fabricating a carbon pole framework for a wind sock for the rear of my Musashi.....

The tail end benefits are supposed to be very worthwhile......


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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby John Lewis » Mon Apr 15, 2013 2:25 pm

Hi adrian,
Yes that sort of thing has been done but the simplest do it yourself method is probably to use coreflute plastic sheet to make a shell.
Here's one by Lee Wakefield. Do a search and you should find more pics of this one.
Made from coreflute with hot melt glue, tape and cable ties.

Image

Here's a link to a simpler one made by a chap in Tasmania.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/23600382@N06/page3/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It's not as flash looking as Lee's but proved to be very durable.

Freddy Flatfoot who posts here from time to time has also built a very useful coreflute velo that he uses to commute I think.
Some pictures of his here.

http://s281.photobucket.com/user/freddy ... t=3&page=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

He rolled it the other day apparently. Only minor damage to velo and rider. Certainly would I think have been much worse on an open bike.

So if you want to experiment coreflute is a good way to go.

To finish up here is a set of instructions for building one.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Facet-V1-Velomobile/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I just might have to try this one day although I have no need.

Go for it adrian and have fun.

John

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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby Rhubarb » Mon Apr 15, 2013 5:10 pm

adrian_d wrote:This has to be the most intriguing thread. If I had one I'd call it "Living without a Velomobile - Impossible".

Does anyone go out riding when its rainy weather? You'd have the whole track to yourself. With the addition of a small windscreen wiper you'd be set.

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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby John Lewis » Mon Apr 15, 2013 9:58 pm

burnt wrote:I don't roll it at all John, I put the clear panel end first in the pillow case and then put it rear end first down the rhs of the velo. (or maybe the other way round, it fits quite happily on the rhs). i'll take a photo of it one day.

I am interested in the rolling of it though, does it maintain its shape?
Finally did a couple of shots.

I don't leave it rolled up. It has been rolled for at most 24 hours with no problems.

Here is the rolled roof.

Image

And here it is in a drysack. I put it down on the right hand side.

Image

John

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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby burnt » Thu Apr 18, 2013 9:08 am

2 Mangoes for Brekky


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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby bradwoodbr » Thu Apr 18, 2013 10:41 am

Fantastic - awesome filming, commentary and music.
You made my day 8) - thanks Burnt, M1 & M2, Neil & Jonathan
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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby Joeblake » Thu Apr 18, 2013 11:24 am

Great footage, and a lovely area to ride by the looks of it.

Now a question. As a result of looking at some of the velomovies here I bought an Action Camera, and tried it out. It works very well, except because of vibration I can't mount it directly on my trike, so I thought to use the helmet mount. I'm frankly puzzled as to how it works.

Image

I presume the red rectangle is "sticky stuff" which goes onto the black rectangle with the threaded socket, which then mounts on the helmet or other flat surface. (Presumably the adhesive pad is double sided? I haven't peeled it off yet.)

The puzzling bit is the black ball mount. I have three different ones, with different angles. There is a sliding tongue which goes into the base of the camera, not a problem. But what happens with the ball? The knurled ring has an internal thread which goes onto the socket, but the ball mount is too small to be contained by the ring.

Is there something I'm missing, or doing incorrectly?

I would appreciate any help.

Thanks,

Joe
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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby Bartek » Thu Apr 18, 2013 12:04 pm

I would suggest, looking at the pics that the ball goes into the socket and is secured with the knurled ring and a 'washer' or spacer of some kind. You may have a part missing!

edit; again just from looking at the pics if the threaded socket has slots cut into it and the knurled ring is tapered at the top then the act of screwing it down may secure the ball

edit 2: just noticed the pics of the roof rolling the other day, John, thanks for that it makes a lot more sense now and surprisingly mine does the same! :roll: Thanks to the other 'Pilots' for their input I have managed to secure the flexible roof and reattach the foam/velcro.
Last edited by Bartek on Thu Apr 18, 2013 2:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby Joeblake » Thu Apr 18, 2013 12:25 pm

I thought there was a washer missing, but I looked at the manual and there is a photograph showing the contents of the box, including the helmet mount, and it does not indicate any washer of any sort.


Image


This piccy show that the ball sits nicely into the socket, but the hole in the knurled nut is too large to contain the ball. I think exactly as you do as to how the splits in the socket would adjust as the nut is screwed down. Great minds etc :lol:

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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby Joeblake » Thu Apr 18, 2013 12:31 pm

Perhaps I should cast my net wider. There is a thread about video cameras, so a broader experience base.

Joe
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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby Riggsbie » Thu Apr 18, 2013 7:20 pm

Nice video Burnt !

Good weather and great cycle paths and road surfaces......I wish we had something close to that here in Victoria, are roads are like Victorian roads ;-)

So how many roadies did you smoke ? Looked like you got a few......


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Re: Living with a velomobile

Postby John Lewis » Thu Apr 18, 2013 10:20 pm

Great video burnt. Really great to see you both out there smoking roadies. Hope you didn't get too much water inside. I recall some comments on similar from Nitramluap some time back.
I like that nice flat terrain unlike here. I went down to the beach yesterday. 17 km round trip. Average speed going was 20 kmh and the overall average was an abysmal 15 kmh. I did hit 57 on a downhill though without going all over the road.

John

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