seibaatgung

What do you think about the Podbike? Interesting that it has 4 wheels.

surveyor6

Cool, but I dont think the 4 wheeler would be street legal in my state. We are limited to three wheels.

seibaatgung

Do you have a list of states where a 4 wheel velomobile is considered a car?

BlazingPedals

I'm not aware of any list that exists. You just have to look up your own state's definition of a bike. Some states say a bike has 2 or 3 wheels, some say 2 or more. If 4 wheels isn't a bike in your state, you'd have to register it as a car and insure it, which might be expensive.

seibaatgung

Which defeats much of the purpose of getting a velomobile.

skier

there’s been some debate on that on the bentrider forum, mostly surrounding the Quattrovelo. Just because it isn’t defined as a bicycle doesn’t mean it’s a car. If you wanted to buy one and were really concerned it would probably be worth consulting with a lawyer.

I think the general consensus was that if you didn’t have e-assist, cops wouldn’t bother you any more than with any other velo. But if you had e-assist you were in a grey zone and may be challenged.

seibaatgung

Great to know. I'm the kind of person who would only use the e-assist for climbing hills

cat0020

I'd imagine it gets hot inside pretty quick.
Flat tire might be a pain to change, maybe it has solid rubber tires.
Until the novelty wears out, it will just be hated among motor vehicle traffic as bicycles.. only it takes up more of the road that motorists may think belong to them.

seibaatgung

Most of them have vents if not ac
Pretty sure I've never heard of a velomobile with solid tires. Solid tires are for a pretty narrow use case - roads that are consistently bad (gives flats) but not very bad (enough to damage wheel), with no possible time to put in a new tube.

cat0020

Regardless whether it has AC inside, have you tried working out in a AC gym? still gets hot.

Transport & storage of these 4-wheeled vehicle are still going to be a hassle.. for any mechanical issues it may encounter, especially when you get a flat tire.

seibaatgung

Pretty sure it would be less, since the wheel is at the end of an axle

cat0020

Not sure what you mean by "less".. getting a flat tire still render it inoperable and in need of transport to a destination to get the flat tire fixed.. whether it be a garage or shop.. unless you carry the tools and spare within the Podbike.. all that extra weight.

seibaatgung

easier to switch out the tube when you don't have to take the wheel off the bike. easier to carry a tube in the storage compartment of a velomobile.

cat0020

So by "less" you meant "easier"?
Have you ever tried to fix a flat on a 4-wheeled vehicle without taking the wheel off the vehicle?
IME of changing flat tires after three decades, it is not easier.

seibaatgung

Much easier to drag a velomobile to grass and put it on its side than a car.

alo

I like it. I may get something like that in the future.

seibaatgung

I personally like the Drycycle, but I would have to import it from the UK. Also it's not recumbent, which makes it less efficient but more visible.

cat0020

And you've dragged a 4-wheeled vehicle onto grass, side of road and changed a flat tire without taking the wheel off before?
You seem to fail to answer my question in previous post
.

seibaatgung

An electric velomobile is around 250 pounds. I can squat that. Pretty sure most cyclists can.

cat0020

I didn't ask what you can squat, stop avoiding the question.
IME, more recumbent riders are likely to have back issues, could do without lifting 250 lb. when changing a flat tire.

Bicycles in general about practicality, take up less space in traffic & storage when not in use.
Purposed priority on these human powered 4-wheeled or 3-wheeled vehicles seems to be weather protection, over practicality & minimize space occupation.

seibaatgung

I'm not avoiding the question. I'm assuming it's not as simple as a carbon bike but it's not beyond my capabilities either.

cat0020

Stop assuming, I didn't ask if it was beyond you capabilities, I was simply asking whether you've done it, ever?
Sure seems like you're avoiding the question..

seibaatgung

perhaps I was too indirect.

cat0020

Simple yes or no answer would do.

Your inability to be direct at answering simple question is not my problem.

seibaatgung

No