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Originally Posted by arcosine
Now for something completely different...it looks it anyway.
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I love this build. You're probably going to change the nose though; it looks like it would induce too much unwanted torque during crosswinds that could make you lose stability.
Where I used to live, which was South Texas.
I just updated it to Ghettoville, USA, which is St. Louis, MO, where I am currently located.
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I dont have a video yet of the corovelotrike, but I got one of the old Carp from 10 years ago,,,45 mph
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That's fast.
My coroplast-bodied trike could reach 33-35 mph on the flat with me riding it. I've gotten up to 51 mph downhill when I still had the 28/38/48T front cranks on it. Flat ground cruising speed was about 21 mph.
I'm working on a new body that should be significantly less lossy. My steering bars limit my minimum possible width/frontal area as I have to have room to accommodate them, so my bodyshell should have significantly more area than yours. At best, keeping the stock steering setup, I could get a frontal area around 0.5 m^2 from the looks of things(and that's with having holes cut in the sides to allow the steering bars to move, with elastic boots made to flex in and out as I steer, but to seal the airflow up when I'm going straight).
If I had a rack and pinion steering or tiller steering, and the steering bar clearance wasn't an issue any longer, the possibility of getting a frontal area as low as 0.45 m^2 exists.
Right now it has front suspension and is very comfortable and stable, even over potholes. I can make lane changes at 45+ mph with confidence that I won't lose control.
I will eventually get to 40 mph top speed on flat ground, and a cruising speed of 25+ mph, fully under human power, dammit.
Once reached, whenever I can raise the funds, it is THEN getting an overpowered electric drive system, and possibly an upgrade to a rear suspension, as well as moped rims all around, integrated lights/turn signals, and a roll cage.
The goal is a vehicle that can move like a velomobile with electric assist disabled. When electric assist is enabled, I want it to operate as a pedelec with sports car-like acceleration with a 60+ mph top speed. The efficiency target is 3000+ miles per gallon equivalent and a 200+ mile range at 30 mph with a rider input of 100W and the electric drive providing the rest. Theoretically it's perfectly possible. Getting the aerodynamics right is key, and they're not good enough yet.