Velocars (Comments: 2)

2 comments to “Velocars”

Jack, September 14th, 2008 at 12:38 pm:

• Thanks to Ethan for directing attention to an important topic and an interesting history. I have some doubts about velocars for ordinary use, as compared to a standard “safety bicycle.” The latter’s design basically won a long-ago competition with all kinds of designs (faired, encapsulated, etc.), and I think the victory has to do with weight minimization and occasionally crucial concerns like stability in crosswinds. True, velocars, faired recumbents and other models, etc., can move like the wind and set speed records, and also be great conversation pieces, but these characteristics don’t translate well into overall practicality. Consider the storage/parking issue, too, or an urbanite’s common need to carry the machine up and down stairs. Further, I don’t see much advantage to any HPV that has a cockpit open to the weather – you might as well be on a standard bike in your rain gear. And if you’re enclosed in a weather-tight compartment, you’ve got ventilation and cooling problems to deal with… Footnote: contrary to the info on the linked page, recumbents did not descend from early 20th century velocars – recumbents arose in the 19th century, along with a host of other designs, most of which have become museum pieces – as at the excellent bike museum in Orchard Park, NY, near Buffalo (and I hope the museum is still operating there ar somewhere nearby – haven’t been there myself for years).

Adam, September 14th, 2008 at 7:44 pm:

• This brings me back to Jack’s previous comment about a modern velocar: “Here’s my modest proposal: they take out the engine/battery, cut other unnecessary weight (like removing the shell/body), get rid of the redundant third wheel, and get the price down under $1000, and… criminy! they’ve created a bicycle, the ultimate machine for short and long-distance (via intermodality) travel!”

  I do, however, feel that these type of things, with a battery power option, will be in common use someday.