Velomobiles and why they fail the daily use test

Flying Furniture Cycles is Australia's most experienced recumbent retailer. We sell the broadest range of recumbent bikes and trikes in Australia AND we sell CHILD TRAILERS and touring and folding bikes too.
 
** Over 40 recumbent trikes and recumbent bikes to test all in one place right here **
 

Why do Velomobiles fail the daily commuter test?

Velomobiles appear faster than standard bicycles on the flat race tracks and long flat rides so why do Velomobiles fail the daily commute test?

(Or more accurately why do they fail to be any faster on your ride to work than a standard bicycle? And why do you arrive so much wetter and sweatier if they are supposed to be more efficient?)

1. Velomobiles are ALL heavy and slow to accelerate to speed after a stop or slow corner
2. Velomobiles are ALL heavy and sweaty and slow to pedal uphill
3. ALL stops and starts and any corners you need to slow down for use lots more rider energy
4. Velomobiles have really POOR ventilation, poor cooling, poor air flow over the pedalling rider

And 3 other reasons why Velomobiles finish second to the standard bicycle:
5. Velomobiles have light and fragile and hard to repair body shells or heavy tough body shells
6. Velomobiles are really expensive and usually use very specialised parts
7. They can't carry big items and in fact don't carry all that much

All in all there seems to be at least seven reasons why velomobiles fail the daily commuter test.

So is there a better way? Yes, we think so.

TWELVE reasons why you should consider a "Flying Furniture Velomobile hybrid" (a hybrid pedal and electric assist soft body shell trike design)?

1. They are faster than the best aerodynamic Velomobiles in real world riding with stops and starts and slow corners
2. They accelerate faster than a Velomobile so can reach high speeds faster.
3. You can ride easier and get somewhere without sweating if you occasionally want to or really NEED to.
(that is they can really replace car trips to work or meetings where you can't arrive sweaty)
4. They keep you dry from rain AND dry from sweating as you can only assist with light pedalling if you want to.
5. They allow as much pedaling as you want to which just improves speed and travel times.
6. They are lighter and smaller than a Velomobile so you can actually lift and carry one if you want to.
7. They provide as much weather protection as a fully enclosed Velomobile
8. The soft body shell allows the rider to lean into a corner and corner faster than a hard shell Velomobile.
9. You are very visible and with 2 front disk brakes as standard and a not overly heavy body you can stop incredibly quickly.
10. The soft body shell is not easily damaged and is easily repairable.
11. They are just as stylish, sporty and attention grabbing on the road and bike ways.
12. This system allows you to more easily tow a trailer with 1 or 2 children (up to approx 6 years old) aboard.

The German Hase company seem to think similarly.

Follow the link below to see the "Flying Furniture Velomobile Hybrid" (noting that although we show the Sports trike here we can convert any of the trikes shown on this website to electric assist and add the fairing and rain cape):

http://www.flyingfurniture.com.au/_ffc_new/shop/product/electric-assist-...

Epilogue: I actually wonder why all the recent "new" velomobiles are just the same old design as before in a new skin. Why doesn't someone build a "useful pedal vehicle" which can fit a big load or 2 children aboard as well as the rider and also be fast? It is simple really - a simpler vehicle like a bicycle can carry you and small load - up to a bike trailer size. The missing link that the world needs is a something that is useful, fast, very efficient (light and low powered) and can be used when a person thinks they want to carry more and therefore can use a small amount of electric assist.

Let me know if you have any other questions or need any further more specific information.