View Single Post
Old 10-06-2018, 10:00 AM   #116 (permalink)
Bicycle Bob
EcoModding Apprentice
 
Bicycle Bob's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: N. Saskatchewan, CA
Posts: 1,805

Appliance White - '93 Geo Metro 4-Dr. Auto
Last 3: 42.35 mpg (US)

Stealth RV - '91 Chevy Sprint Base
Thanks: 91
Thanked 460 Times in 328 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by euromodder View Post
In the C5 the rider sits very near the rear axle, which puts CoG close to the rear axle.

Velomobiles with reverse-trike config tend to topple as well
There the rider -and CoG- is relatively far aft

Benefits of trikes are small, and simply don't outweigh the drawbacks when speed goes up - along with their dynamic instability .
The Sinclair cg moves forward drastically with the brakes on. It requires vigorous hiking maneuvers by the rider in an emergency. These are precluded by the new canopy.

My velomobile has 25% of the weight on the single rear wheel, just enough to permit a hard stop downhill. I could have put the cg anywhere I wanted. In general, a trike should have a lower cg relative to its width, but a fine study by Paul Van Valkenburg found that they just have a strong tendency to understeer or oversteer at the end with two wheels.

I know of no reputable source that finds dynamic instability in trikes. They have done fine at Bonneville.

Last edited by Bicycle Bob; 10-06-2018 at 10:05 AM.. Reason: addendum
  Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to Bicycle Bob For This Useful Post:
Frank Lee (10-07-2018)