djb

gruezi Renato

Just so you know, this topic was started 13 years ago, and velomobiles are extremely extremely rare over here in North America, so I very much suspect that you would find more reliable information on some Dutch or German or Scandinavian websites of people who actually own and use velomobiles.

good luck with your idea

CliffordK

If it is something "new", then you'll have to do some of the basic design work yourself.

What do you have in mind?

What tools do you have at your disposal?

Time & Time Frame?

CliffordK

Plenty of time to perfect the design for those of us who are newbies.

DropBarFan

'Light' gets really expensive: Quest Carbon is 28 kg/62 lbs for $8,500. Marcel Graber rode a 22 kg/48 lb Alpha 7 (https://www.velomobiel.ro/stories/alpha-7/) which supposedly is nearing production for sale, no price listed yet. Home-build seems like a lot of work to make something which would probably be really heavy & not work too great.

CliffordK

It would certainly depend on where one is at.

It may well work well in a flat, wet area. Although, hot and humid in the velomobile could be very HOT.

It could be a major hassle to have say a 70 pound bike + 30 pounds of gear, and pushing it up big mountains.... that is without electric assist (solar, regen, etc).

Any idea how well the would function in the midwest wind?

DropBarFan

Yeah, imagine taking it up steps or a steep rocky trail! Won't go on planes, might not fit in some pickups/vans even. The aero ones apparently do well vs headwinds, I'd guess crosswinds wouldn't be too bad considering the trike configuration. I could see the appeal for rich bike enthusiasts who want something different to add to their bike stable.

djb

Rich or not, you'd still get schmucked by a passing truck likely.
sad to say, but not really practical for real world roads.

Renato GF Naso

Dear djb, hi!!
Do you know Swiss-German? Great!! 13 years ago? Wow! So you're from Montreal?! Too bad I've never been there! (Just Gatineau, close to Ottawa...) Dutch/German/Scandinavian websites? OK, I'll try over there.
Thank you very much for the tip, and all the best!!
Renato

Renato GF Naso

Hi CliffordK!!

Yes, it is; then I've got to do some design work.

Just a Bluet for cooking, but with shower and a portable; walls with good insulation, for winter camping!! (According Swiss law, the trailer can have a load exceeding 50 cm in lenght, this way I will have enough space for sleeping, despite the shower...

Tools? Not many, sorry to say.

Time? In few years, I hope!! (It depends on the money)

Thanks and have a nice day!!

djb

sorry, that is the only word I know!
I suggested those countries because it seems to me those are where I have seen that some people own velomobiles.

CliffordK

I think of a velomobile being a bicycle faired to lower wind resistance, and potentially a bit of rain protection.

It sounds like you are looking for a pedal powered motorhome, somewhat like @saddlesores found, or perhaps would show up at the Burning Man event in Nevada.

The trick will be keeping it light, with low wind resistance.

You might consider a trailer rather than the velomobile. There may well be advantages of being inside at times, but also advantages of being out in the wind, especially in the summer when it could get hot and stuffy inside, plus better visibility when out on a bike.

Renato GF Naso

Dear CliffordK!! Thank you for your insight!! Yes, that might become a sort of pedal-powered motorhome!! (I'll check @saddlesores, later; thank you!!) Trailer? That would be way much easier since I've got one already... but that wouldn't protect me from too much sun, rain, hail, snow, and the giant hornets in China...
Low wind resistance? I was thinking of a reclining seat inside; wiper and (electric, 12V) windshield-washer.
For my workshop, I think I would need an hydraulic pipe-bender (for the frame), a lathe and a milling machine (to make needed special adapters myself), but I haven't got the money at the moment... maybe later on... thanks again!!

CliffordK

A lathe and mill can be handy, although some things you can do with simpler tools. Drill press?

I doubt you'd need a hydraulic tubing bender... or at least not motorized. There are a number of small benders available.

Of course, it is also good to have a tight fit with your bending mandrels, so perhaps making your own on the lathe?

There was a company making trailer bike tents. But, I think they still make the tent, and maybe the trailer, but not the combo.

https://hiconsumption.com/2012/10/wo...-by-kamp-rite/

Apparently this semi-folding bike camper trailer actually made it to production.
https://www.widepathcamper.eu/bicycle-camper

There are several custom homebuilt camper designs. Some using light insulation as part of the overall design.

Still, keep in mind if you're going pedal power, you still have to pull the thing around.

saddlesores

you may consider making the bottom half a fiberglass tub...or carbon fiber i guess......with a windshield and open top. at night you would set up the retractable vinyl roof. something like you'd have on an older MG or TR.
https://www.mgexp.com/article/mgb/fo...soft-top-1.jpg
https://cn.bing.com/th?id=OIP.nXxoF-...d=Api&rs=1&p=0
if jcwhitney is still around, you could get a production model top and cut to size.

noglider 

This discussion was just mentioned in the highly recommended Facebook group called Bicycle World.

The facebook post is here.

The group is here.

3speed

Something like this, maybe front wheel driven, with a removable plastic bubble hatch in the middle? Then have the bed be a reclining style thing that you can raise up to form a seat rather than a bed? So basically you'd have a long velomobile with a seat that reclines into a bed. Impractical, but would be an "all in one" solution. It could make for a nice relaxing tour as long as time and a chill attitude are on your side.

jvt

Gossamer Albatross, the human-powered plane that flew across the English Channel was built from aluminium and carbon tubing, foam and mylar. It weighed in at 32 kg, with a 29-metre wingspan. I thought that similar construction techniques might be suitable for a lightweight aeroshell on my recumbent trike.

I also looked at building a skin on frame canoe and towing it as a trailer with removable wheels. A 14-foot model weighs in at 20 lbs, so they say. Again, lightweight framework and tough mylar or nylon skin.

From a cost and build time perspective, skin-on-frame is very economical. People have been using this methodology to build kayaks for hundreds of years, and it's a highly evolved technology. Modern materials are robust, light, relatively cheap and easily repairable. A simple frame with mylar covering might achieve 90% efficiency, compared to a more sophisticated carbon shell.

I can't post images or URLs but my references can be found at the following sites:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacCready_Gossamer_Albatross

gaboats.com/boats/snowshoe14.html]gaboats.com/boats/snowshoe14.html

NeedARealBike

Highly unlikely. Plenty of people already have and continue to do it and post videos on YouTube. Saw a guy doing it even in the overcrowded craphole that is NYC.

Happy Feet

Yay zombie thread! Again.

For the truly amphibious I got to thinking about a cf solo canoe trike.

Sealed bearing rear wheel in a well molded into the canoe body with slots for a belt drive. Wheel with spoke flaps maybe for water borne propulsion. Front two wheel/steering rack bolt on/off so canoe body sits upon it. Foldng seat.

You can sleep in a canoe and it is a natural aero design.

LynxTheWizard

Having ridden a velomobile I would never pick one over a regular touring bike for a tour for these reasons:

1) It's miserable on bad roads
2) it's very slow to turn and usually they have very poor turning radius, you cannot get over potholes and other obstacles
3) you are sitting so low that traffic tends not to see you that well contrary to popular belief

Its cool to ride on shorter trips because it can go very fast on good paved roads but in general most infrastructure is just not suited for this type of vehicle yet.
That being said, check out https://narvelos.fr/expedition-cap-nord/ and for inspiration if you are into it.

btw "velo" means bicycle and is used in many languages so it might get confusing

seibaatgung

Anyone here who owns a velomobile have any recommendations?

jvt

I saw someone put something like this together. It was too small to sleep aboard, though. He used a delta confit with an IGH to drive the rear wheels. Could remove them and paddle away. I thought he might have made it pedal powered, but he stayed with regular double ended paddles.

after more research I think a folding kayak might be a better option. It forms a much smaller package and can be put on a trailer once folded up. Could be air portable as well, which is important to me as I need to fly to reach some of the areas I like to ride.