Does anyone own a quest or similar velomobile?
02-19-15, 01:21 PM
#1
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Does anyone own a quest or similar velomobile?
Just wondering if anyone on BF owns one of these:
How do they ride? If you got your own, a pic would be nice.
How do they ride? If you got your own, a pic would be nice.
02-20-15, 07:04 AM
#2
pan y agua
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There's a guy around here that has one. It's pretty fast. He's passed us a couple of times when we've been out on our tandem. First time, we cranked it up, caught and dropped him, but it took some work.
Second time, it was into a very stiff headwind, and we couldn't quite hold his wheel. It throws off no draft and has a huge aero advantage.
Also you'll likely get more responses in the recumbant forum.
Second time, it was into a very stiff headwind, and we couldn't quite hold his wheel. It throws off no draft and has a huge aero advantage.
Also you'll likely get more responses in the recumbant forum.
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You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.
02-20-15, 07:48 AM
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I think they're pretty cool - but they've got a long way to go before being practical... especially at current prices(!)
I wish I knew someone who had one, I'd love to try one out.
I wish I knew someone who had one, I'd love to try one out.
02-20-15, 09:13 AM
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I don't own one, but my buddy got a Quest a couple years ago. It's fully-suspended. It's heavy to get moving at first, but once up to speed it cruises. I took it out for a test run, after doing a metric century. His inseam is about 2 inches longer than mine, but even without adjusting anything I was able to hold 25 mph on relatively flat ground, for 2 miles out and 2 miles back. As far as hills go, I figure it takes a mile of 6% before his weight liability overshadows his aero advantage.
Here's a vid he took. The small hill at the beginning is the last of a series called the "5 tears." It's the easiest of the 5, the first one being something like 18%. That's me he passes at 1:24. I was coasting at 45 mph when he went by.
Here's a vid he took. The small hill at the beginning is the last of a series called the "5 tears." It's the easiest of the 5, the first one being something like 18%. That's me he passes at 1:24. I was coasting at 45 mph when he went by.
02-20-15, 09:52 AM
#5
pan y agua
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^ I'm thinking one of these with an electric motor would be neat for commuting.
You wouldn't need a lot of battery capacity, just using the motor to assist getting up to speed from stops, and on steep climbs.
I've actually thought about buying one, but, the heat in Florida would appear to be a significant problem most of the year.
You wouldn't need a lot of battery capacity, just using the motor to assist getting up to speed from stops, and on steep climbs.
I've actually thought about buying one, but, the heat in Florida would appear to be a significant problem most of the year.
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You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.
You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.
02-20-15, 12:32 PM
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You'd think they'd be ovens, but they're not. The way he puts it, he's sitting in the shade with a small breeze blowing on his face. In his case, the body is white and reflects most of the sun. Some pilots use small electric fans, and yes some models are designed for electric assist. If you look closely at the video, he has a small NACA duct on his dashboard area, and it's causing a small area of condensation on his inner windshield.
02-21-15, 08:24 AM
#7
the digitalmouse
(last one is quite old - those coraplast sidepanels are replaced with foam)
Full gallery of construction and mods: https://plus.google.com/photos/10312...62171240327505
But there are 3-4 Quests (the one in your photo) in my area, and see them from time to time, and I try to ride at least a new model when I get down to the SPEZI bike show in Germany in April. Very fast, very comfy, great for medium-to-long tours and all of the guys I know that ride velomobiles use them for commuting quite regularly. I do too - 12-15 km commute round-trip to work 5 days a week (depends if I want to go straight home or not), regardless of weather, plus another 10-15 with my dog on weekends. I can take my fairing off and ride it as a normal recumbent which is easy when the dog is running along side. No motor, but I could see myself needing one in about.. 15-20 years.
Regarding Quests, even after ten years they are still considered one the faster, more affordable velomobiles.
Last edited by digitalmouse; 02-21-15 at 08:27 AM.
02-25-15, 04:30 PM
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Then I realized that he wasn't driving...
Is the steering and brake mechanism pretty much the same as a recumbent?
02-25-15, 04:36 PM
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02-25-15, 04:39 PM
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02-25-15, 05:38 PM
#11
well hello there
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Two wheels good. Four wheels bad.
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Two wheels good. Four wheels bad.
02-26-15, 12:42 AM
#12
the digitalmouse
The current uniqueness of a velomobile means that stealing it makes you stand out like a sore thumb. There are about a dozen or so in and around Copenhagen and we all know each other and know many of the people around the world who ride velomobiles (something like 2000 in active use in the world I'd say, so it's a rather close community). Any VM that is stolen is immediately announced on various forums, emails, or social media around the world. Essentially, if you steal it, you won't be able to ride it *anywhere*.
02-26-15, 12:53 AM
#13
the digitalmouse
Talk to C.G. Rasmussen at info@leitra.dk (builder of the famous Leitra velomobile)
He created the Wildcat fairing as a response to people like myself wanting a fairing for a recumbent trike that was easy to attach and remove. Here is another model based on the same platform as mine (Steintrike Nomad) but with external wheels:
Of course it comes in many shapes and flavors:
He created the Wildcat fairing as a response to people like myself wanting a fairing for a recumbent trike that was easy to attach and remove. Here is another model based on the same platform as mine (Steintrike Nomad) but with external wheels:
Of course it comes in many shapes and flavors:
