Building a velomobile.
10-06-07, 04:09 PM
#1
Illuminator
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Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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Bikes: 2006 Specialized Allez Triple / 2007 Gary Fisher Zebrano
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Building a velomobile.
Hey, im building a velomobile, similar to go-one3, but I am facing a small challange of getting light materials that arent gonna cost me a fortune. I am making the frame out of aluminum pipes, using normal 25 and 27 inch wheels, but I still cant find a good materiel, which I can use to make shape, without having a hole in my budget. lets say, something for 1 000. because I am spending 5k in total for the bike.
Thanxx
Thanxx
10-06-07, 05:50 PM
#2
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Location: Hampton Roads, VA
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One option is to use thin luan plywood to make the shape then cover it with fiberglass cloth and epoxy. Steam and wooden frames can be used to bend the plywood into the desired shape. The fiberglass cloth and epoxy provides the strength and makes a 'composite' structure. West Marine and MAS are two epoxy systems for such construction.
10-06-07, 07:09 PM
#3
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Location: Northampton, MA
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Bikes: Iron Monkey: a junkyard steel 26" slick-tired city bike. Grey Fox: A Trek 7x00 frame, painted, with everything built, from spokes up. Jet Jaguar: A 92 Cannondale R900 frame, powder coated matte black with red and aluminum highlights.
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Neat solution, Road Biker. You'd have to be careful about sealing it because rot under the composite would spread horribly. If you did that, it would certainly be functional, assuming that it wasn't prohibitively expensive. Strategic use of carbon fiber would probably help, too.
The catch here is that this material, like any other, is one you have to learn to use. Fiber layup is a nontrivial technique, but if you're into it, you make make really cool stuff.
West Marine epoxy is great. Very easy to use, very low odor.
I can't find the name of the fabric supplier I used to use, dammit.
What materials do you know how to use? Can you weld aluminum? Do you know how to mold composites? Braze steel?
(I'm going to exceed my depth very quickly in this conversation, but it sounds like a neat project.)
The catch here is that this material, like any other, is one you have to learn to use. Fiber layup is a nontrivial technique, but if you're into it, you make make really cool stuff.
West Marine epoxy is great. Very easy to use, very low odor.
I can't find the name of the fabric supplier I used to use, dammit.
What materials do you know how to use? Can you weld aluminum? Do you know how to mold composites? Braze steel?
(I'm going to exceed my depth very quickly in this conversation, but it sounds like a neat project.)
Last edited by Joshua A.C. New; 10-06-07 at 07:16 PM.
10-07-07, 08:31 AM
#4
I would go with Coroplast as it's cheap and can be worked with a heat gun. You can keep your body form and make new panels when required. Crosswinds can be tough even when you're using a trike under the streamliner body so you can get tossed over a lot easier than you might think.
https://www.wisil.recumbents.com/wisi...l/hpvpfair.htm
Try this site as well.
https://www.recumbents.com/mars/pages...jtetzmain.html
Another site with lots of "how to" information which could help with your project.
https://www.wisil.recumbents.com/wisil/whatsup.htm
https://www.wisil.recumbents.com/wisi...l/hpvpfair.htm
Try this site as well.
https://www.recumbents.com/mars/pages...jtetzmain.html
Another site with lots of "how to" information which could help with your project.
https://www.wisil.recumbents.com/wisil/whatsup.htm
