RideVelo

Alright, a little slow in coming I know (real life has been real busy), but as promised here are my impressions of the different velomobiles that I got to test ride at the Left Coast Velomobile Gathering this year.

As a bit of a disclaimer, every velomobile seems to have its own quirks and idiosyncrasies, requiring a short learning curve before you get fully comfortable with it. It took me quite a while before I really felt at home in my Team. Some of my more minor criticisms below could probably be attributed to not having that “breaking in” time.

Quest (with electric assist!) owned and sold by John Mottl of Rainshadow Velo on Orcas Island, WA

I’ve been dying to ride a Quest for years – pretty much since I first discovered velomobiles. Unfortunately for me, John is a very tall fellow – I had to slide halfway down the seat to reach the pedals and by then I could barely see over the lip. I still managed to pedal around a little, but I can’t really consider it a test ride. Climbing in though, I was really impressed with how solid the build was – no untoward creaks or cracks as I hoisted myself on the edges of the head hole. I liked the way the seat readily flipped forward to access rear storage. My main dislike about the Quest has always been its very wide turning radius and this was definitely evidenced here. During the social rides, the Quest owners were required multiple times to make 3-point (or more) turns around sharp bike path corners. I also noticed on my short spin that the wheels would rub against the shell in a hard turn. I’m not sure where or how badly they were rubbing, but it seems like this could potentially shorten tire life. Since I couldn’t really see where I was going I didn’t even try the electric assist for fear of running someone down, but other folks were saying good things about it. Overall I still really liked the Quest, but I feel like it is meant for the open road and would be a lot less fun than other velomobiles if ridden on bike or multi-use trails where maneuverability can be an issue.

LEIBA Classic belonging Todd Ritchie of Tacoma – Tacoma Velomobiles

Of all the velomobiles I rode, I felt like this one was the closest to my Team in terms of being a well-rounded velomobile that is practical, versatile, and fun. The cockpit was roomy and there was a good amount of cargo space, especially with Todd’s addition of a little shelf behind the head rest for smaller items. The turning radius on the Leiba was astounding and subjectively felt like the tightest of the bunch. Todd was having some drive-train issues, so I couldn’t get a good feel for how fast it might potentially be, but I think it might be similar to the Team. The Leiba is fully enclosed, but ventilation options seemed pretty good and well-designed. Visibility seems to be an issue with all enclosed velomobiles, especially in rain or at night. Todd was talking about installing a windshield wiper (something not included with the Leiba) to address this.

Aerocoupe made by Taylor Wilhour/Velocity Velos in Cottage Grove, OR

This is a relatively new velomobile shell that goes over a TerraTrike Cruiser or Tour. This is definitely the most alien-looking velomobile I’ve seen, which I think makes it pretty fun. The tinted canopy makes the rider pretty much invisible (though visibility of the outside world is very good). I think this is both good and bad. Good because it looks pretty slick (you’re really not sure what is going to climb out of this thing) and presumably helps keep you from cooking in the sun so much. Bad (personal opinion) because it really cuts off the rider from those outside, even more so than a regular canopy. When I’m out riding lots of people want to talk, ask questions, know who I am and why I’m riding a velomobile, etc. I really believe that one of the greatest things about riding any human powered vehicle is that it gets you out of the “box” both literally and figuratively and connects you with your surroundings and other people in a way you can’t in a car. But I digress. The main shell seemed very simple (a good thing) and well-made, basically two half-shells bolted together apparently with some kind of weather-sealant between them. Although this is built around a bare trike, I don’t think the Aerocoupe is easily removable like the Borealis, below. Like a lot of the velomobiles with some sort of canopy I saw (my own included), the canopy hinges/supports seemed to be a weak point. The canopy needed to be supported with both hands when opening from the inside and felt pretty wobbly. Once in place though, it was sturdy enough.

Borealis made by Steve Schleicher/Rainforest Designs in Maple Ridge, BC

I was really wanting to like the Borealis. I still love the idea of it – a convertible that switches from bare trike to velomobile depending on the season or your mood. I was a bit disappointed and worried with how open everything was though. Multiple openings where parts came together seemed to be inviting water and dirt. The wheel wells on the front wheels in particular didn’t seem to provide quite enough coverage. Unfortunately I didn’t get to test any of the velomobiles in the rain, so I could only try to imagine the trajectory of road spray and water droplets. However, a fair amount of sand in the bottom of the Borealis was a giveaway that water was probably getting in. The build quality appeared really good though and if keeping yourself and your stuff completely clean and dry isn’t absolutely critical to you, this would still be a step up from riding a bike in foul weather. If you already have an Ice Trice QNT trike and want to get into a velomobile without a big additional outlay or a second vehicle, this would still be a good choice.

Go-One³ owned by Greg Thomas in CA

The Go-One³ is certainly one of the more “finished” looking velomobiles. Despite its sleek design though, performance seemed about on par with other velos. Greg had a non-standard drive system hooked up to an electric motor, so there may be some difference accounted for in that. This was actually my first chance to try out a chain-drive assist that spins the pedals and it was a lot different than riding with the BionX. I think the main benefit is that it can take advantage of your gears, but at one point I forgot about it and stopped (or tried anyway) pedaling while the assist was on and my legs got a bit of a rude jerk. One of the main drawbacks of the Go-One³ is that there is essentially no cargo space and you can’t use a standard rear rack for panniers. Beyss has developed a custom rear rack, but I have never seen them actually offer it for sale. I kind of see the canopy on this one as a mixed blessing. It can be removed for warm weather riding, but it’s too big to take with you. In a place where a sunny day is really a sunny day this would be fine, but in a place like Western Washington that just doesn’t fly.

Alleweder (AAW) owned by Ed Gunderson of Cresswell, OR *See Alleweder kits in the U.S.

I’m almost embarrassed to say it now, but I actually test rode the Alleweder almost as an afterthought. I’ve always liked they way they look (similar to a P-51 Mustang), but I had kind of dismissed them a long time ago pretty much for the same reason. They just look so industrial with the bare aluminum and rivets all over that I had assumed Alleweders would be rather cumbersome and slow. I was happily surprised at how nimble it felt and when it seemed to perform just as well as any of the other velos. The all-metal design is actually pretty cool and can probably take daily wear and tear a little better than the fiberglass bodies that seem prone to minor stress cracks. The only thing that I felt a little iffy about was the seat. Although it was comfortable, it was simply a strip of closed cell foam on the aluminum (albeit contoured aluminum). Maybe I’m just spoiled by my Ventisit seat cushion though.

Tripod made by Phil Rush/Columbia Cycle Works in Portland, OR

I already talked about the Tripod a bit in a previous post, so I was glad to get to try it out. By the time I got around to test riding it though the canopy had been removed (it was getting pretty warm out) so I can’t make any comments on that. Obviously this is a really new velomobile and I felt like it was still kind of in the development stage. The quality and components seemed a bit sub-par and it definitely wasn’t very speedy or nimble. It rides significantly higher than pretty much every other velomobile, which helps visibility, but also made it a little harder to get into. The cockpit was exceptionally roomy and with the top off that feeling was greatly magnified – I felt very exposed to the world and the sunshine. Most velomobiles would not be good for claustrophobic folks, but I think you’d be hard pressed to feel closed in in this one. Phil’s website had led me to believe that the retractable charging cord was on a spring reel like in old vacuum cleaners, but this one was just folded up and stuffed into a little compartment – I’m not sure if that is the final or standard design though. In addition to the hardshell top, there is some kind of soft cover that can snap on when you want just a little protection, but I didn’t get to see this. I also didn’t get to try the electric assist. Overall I didn’t personally like the Tripod, but I still think it’s a strong niche product. It’s cheap, it has good cargo space, it’s got a no-fuss built-in charger, and it’s got above average visibility. For a serious cyclist or velomobile enthusiast it will probably be a disappointment. It would be good for someone who might not otherwise get into a velomobile or who would normally take their car on short errands around town. All in all, it’s a velomobile with definite, if specific, purpose and for the price you can’t complain too much.

That’s it! I hope this can help other folks who might not get the chance to test ride these velomobiles. If you have a specific question that I didn’t address, please feel free to leave a comment and I’ll answer as best as I can.