So far the top speed I've gotten it up to was 47 miles per hour coming down a pretty steep hill. That was without a bottom to the fairing. With the almost finished bottom I expect the areodynamics will improve.
Love the set up. Also, great job on the editing and narration. You narrated AFTER you shot, which is really cool - I rarely see that done with home clips and it works well ('cept for the rare echo (...rare echo)), but it's neat anyway.
Full body fairings are very expensive sold with tadpole trikes when they are sold as Velomobiles and even when they are sold as add on kits for makers such as Catrike. I used to tell myself that it was because they were made of carbon fiber and Kevlar but the reality no mater how costly carbon fiber is, is that it’s expensive because the manufacturers market Velomobiles as alternatives to cars rather than the enclosed trikes that they are. Making your own fairing is definitely the way to go.
I plan to manufacture velomobile shells for a much lower cost. Granted, they won't be quite as light, but they won't be anywhere near the high cost of carbon or kevlar velomobile shells. I think I might be able to manufacture them for only a few hundred bucks. I'm going to see if a can keep costs under $600 for the shell.
If you plan on making shells consider using uv-stabilized lexan/polycarbonate. Really light semi-cheap for sheets, and strong. Like how most see through fairings are made. You can paint the inside white or yellow to avoid the greenhouse effects. I'm eventually going to make a tail box and a bob fairing out if it. I think - but am not 100% sure - it can be shaped with a heat gun.
Looks nice and so easy but is it realy easy to make a coroplast fearing. I have 14m2 coroplast in my shed it is 3mm and white. Now i see some youtube trikes and now i know, it will work. Graet idea to make the tandem for your son. I like to work with aluminium, is your trike a Raptor model ?
I'm guessing by project you're referring to the fairing part not the trike itself. The fairing is made out of 4mil coroplast. One sheet is a recycled political sign. The other two cost me $18 a piece at a sign shop. There's also maybe $20 worth of aluminum some hot glue and some colored electrical tape. The only thing to be aware of if doing this for a two wheeled bike is that the fairing will make you more vulnerable to crosswinds. Its not so much a problem with three wheels.
ok cool. So may I ask how much this project cost you. I have an electric bike. I want something similar to my bike that would shield me from the elements. It gets cold here. Your velomobile seems like a good fit.
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So far the top speed I've gotten it up to was 47 miles per hour coming down a pretty steep hill. That was without a bottom to the fairing. With the almost finished bottom I expect the areodynamics will improve.
Nice velo! Great shell! Love the ease of use planned into it. Very clever.
Sounds great. I look forward to seeing what you can produce.
Inventive, good design if a little unrefined and I enjoyed the video.
Thanks for posting.
Yes, It was my primary means of transport last May and June.
Love the set up.
Also, great job on the editing and narration. You narrated AFTER you shot, which is really cool - I rarely see that done with home clips and it works well ('cept for the rare echo (...rare echo)), but it's neat anyway.
nice job thanks for the vid
Full body fairings are very expensive sold with tadpole trikes when they are sold as Velomobiles and even when they are sold as add on kits for makers such as Catrike. I used to tell myself that it was because they were made of carbon fiber and Kevlar but the reality no mater how costly carbon fiber is, is that it’s expensive because the manufacturers market Velomobiles as alternatives to cars rather than the enclosed trikes that they are. Making your own fairing is definitely the way to go.
Nice build -- would love to know how that bolted/riveted aluminum frame has held up.
Thanks for sharing
Cheers, Patrick
I plan to manufacture velomobile shells for a much lower cost. Granted, they won't be quite as light, but they won't be anywhere near the high cost of carbon or kevlar velomobile shells. I think I might be able to manufacture them for only a few hundred bucks. I'm going to see if a can keep costs under $600 for the shell.
If you plan on making shells consider using uv-stabilized lexan/polycarbonate. Really light semi-cheap for sheets, and strong. Like how most see through fairings are made. You can paint the inside white or yellow to avoid the greenhouse effects.
I'm eventually going to make a tail box and a bob fairing out if it. I think - but am not 100% sure - it can be shaped with a heat gun.
Nice job, i'd love to build one myself.
Very nice,good job. Looks like a pro factory made : )>
I like the "minitrike"
Does the body cut wind resistance to any measurable degree? It looks perfectly positioned to catch you in the throat in a collision.
Just wondering... If it was built for a Carfree Challenge, how did you get it to the place where the competition was held?
any footage of you building the trike itself, I have never seen one made of Al bolted together
THANK YOU ALL FOR WATCHING :[)
Looks nice and so easy but is it realy easy to make a coroplast fearing. I have 14m2 coroplast in my shed it is 3mm and white. Now i see some youtube trikes and now i know, it will work. Graet idea to make the tandem for your son. I like to work with aluminium, is your trike a Raptor model ?
I'm guessing by project you're referring to the fairing part not the trike itself. The fairing is made out of 4mil coroplast. One sheet is a recycled political sign. The other two cost me $18 a piece at a sign shop. There's also maybe $20 worth of aluminum some hot glue and some colored electrical tape. The only thing to be aware of if doing this for a two wheeled bike is that the fairing will make you more vulnerable to crosswinds. Its not so much a problem with three wheels.
ok cool. So may I ask how much this project cost you. I have an electric bike. I want something similar to my bike that would shield me from the elements. It gets cold here. Your velomobile seems like a good fit.
nice use of coroplast
are you still riding this?
Can these be driven on the street?
And give your son some streamlining too! :)