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Old 08-16-2011, 06:30 AM   #15 (permalink)
BarelyAWake
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Yes actually, lots of 'em - so many in fact it's given me a headache lol

TBH, turning this thing into a full fledged velomobile is more than a lil bit of a challenge and I'm not sure about the consequences... everything is a compromise & one of the ones I had to make was it's overall length in order to motorize & suspend. I've been trying to keep it's wheelbase as close as possible to other "preformance" tadpole trikes - but I did hafta add roughly 10" to it's wheelbase to squeeze the motor in there w/the rear suspension's travel accounted for... and it all adds up.

Here's it's measurements BTW;
wheelbase (contact patches) 4'6"L x 32"W
8' LOA x 3'W x 3'T (top of helmet rest)

While that may not seem like much & it isn't particularly in height (gonna defo need the silly orange flag lol) - as soon as I start trying to match a body shell to it, it starts getting ridiculous, the width and very much the length start becoming relatively unmanageable, a minimum of ten feet long for example (pedal/feet clearance).

Add in some factors like difficulty in entering/exiting, visibility concerns (mine, others would ofc see me even better), weight & balance (leaning body mass for stability), ground clearance (suspension travel), and transportability (it just fits in the back of a pickup ATM) as well as the admittedly minor, even trite considerations regarding aesthetics... and it's become overwhelming to the point that I've shelved the idea for now...

...but I am w/o doubt open to any & all ideas regarding any aerodynamic suggestions or body shell ideas, I've not given up on it by any means - I've jus' got a couple few far more basic things on my plate lol, in the interim I've been considering one of these: Mueller Human Power Recumbent Fairings and Bicycle Windscreens

As for those "basics", I did finally get my pedal chain & power idlers sorted - other'n some lil things, the chassis "fabrication" stage is done & now it's all modification and component work

Last edited by BarelyAWake; 08-16-2011 at 06:35 AM..
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