Ren: My '92 Civic

[Sven7]

Updates.

I have driven to work once in the past two weeks. I really am not using my automobiles much at all except on the weekends.

In two days I'm leaving for the rally, and had to (wanted to) make my car a bit more rally-friendly. I drive so little that I don't even bother hypermiling much anymore. LRR tires went away, drop springs went away and air dam said bye-bye. In were stock springs, new rear shocks, new rear drums/shoes and new rear upper control arms (the Ebay ones broke).

Used 195/60/15 Blizzaks on Cobalt steelies.

MG 4476 par Tyler Linner, on ipernity

I'm getting it aligned then heading out to the rally.

Also, last weekend I went with a work friend to the Ohio Bop Til You Drop HPV race in Springfield. It was amazing! I loved seeing all the rigs out there, and even got to try out a lowracer. (If you were there, I was the short kid with the SAAB shirt. Thanks for the hospitality and info!)

Trying out a lowracer, courtesy of Mr. Ollinger:

NSFW Language (I was excited!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JU5SML8A3jE

This has solidified in my mind that the "Stromlinet Vogn II" may be virtually useless to me. The recumbent streamliners at that event would get me to about 30mph, enough to roll around town expediently and without fuel.

My friend and I are going to build a lowracer out of wood and whatnot to test head tube angles and offset, and to get the frame fitment correct before we build the final version which I will use for commuting.

The plans are to build a RWD, multi-speed vehicle. The frame will be modular, with a stressed aluminum seat to which the rear fork and front subframe will bolt. We're thinking 16" up front and 20" out back, and I insist on routing the chain up and over the front wheel for practicality. Still undecided whether the subframes will be steel or carbon fiber. With the modular design it should be not only lighter than normal, but relatively easy to switch out frame parts for lighter or better ones down the road.

I should be able to cruise at about 20mph without a fairing of any kind, and if that goes alright I will probably begin work on a fairing. This is a project that I think I can handle with his help, and that will benefit me in the short run (next few years).

All this talk about lowracers and bike commuting brought us to talk about radical lifestyle changes up to and including selling my car. I am going to test this theory. After this weekend I will be going an entire month without driving my car or truck. We will see if it is practical. I am not sure I want to ride to Royal Oak on the Pink Terror, but the only reason I'd do that is for car parts. If I have no car, I don't buy parts for it, pay insurance for it, etc. The truck would ditch the collector plates and use normal plates in that circumstance.


MG 4351 par Tyler Linner, on ipernity

That's about it. I haven't been around here much, and haven't been working much on the car but that doesn't mean I've stopped living efficiently and frugally.

[arcosine]

I don't like the small wheels, too bumpy. I have 700c in back and 451 in front. Notice the sign, that's a 550 mile ride from home. I subscribe to the KISS principal. Glad to see your interest in HPVs. Check out Velomobiles-- Coroplast on face book.

[MetroMPG]

It's ironic in a way that this forum sometimes "helps" people engineer their cars right out of their lives. It's happened before, and it'll happen again!

(Says the guy whose car often sits unused for weeks at a time...)

[Sven7]

Originally Posted by arcosine

I don't like the small wheels, too bumpy. I have 700c in back and 451 in front. Notice the sign, that's a 550 mile ride from home. I subscribe to the KISS principal. Glad to see your interest in HPVs. Check out Velomobiles-- Coroplast on face book.

To be quite honest, we were considering 20 on the front and 700 on the back, but I'm a small guy and I simply won't be able to fit well over that size wheel. If/when I build a fairing, the rear wheel should not be taller than my head!

I'm leaning against coroplast as a fairing material for several reasons. For one, it is hard to bend into a smooth compound curve. Second, possibly most important, I am sick of hearing that people think it is (or looks like) cardboard. They give me crap for "putting cardboard on [my] car."

I don't want to offend anyone, but seeing people's reactions to my cars, I don't think a coroplast velomobile would be considered by some to be 'professional' or, more importantly, a valid form of transportation. I live in a conservative area and work at a major automotive manufacturer. If I'm trying to drastically reduce my car use, I'd better replace it with something deemed acceptable by the more conservative people around here.

One of the reasons I post here and make my vehicles stand out is to start a dialogue with the general public. If the average person dismisses the thing off the bat, it's harder to plant a seed in their mind about efficiency. The Probe's paint and strangeness attracted people, but the build quality did little to inspire them to follow in my footsteps. I'd like my velo to be a real class act, and something that true gear heads will want to inspect out of curiosity.

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

It's ironic in a way that this forum sometimes "helps" people engineer their cars right out of their lives. It's happened before, and it'll happen again!

Yes, it's also a bit sad personally. I enjoy driving my car but realized I really don't need it. We shall see how this winter goes. Maybe I won't want to ride in the cold and snow this year, but with a fairing over a velo there should be no problem.

I should mention that a big motivator here would be saving about $200/month that I spend on insurance, gas an maintenance right now.

[Sven7]

LSPR went well. The large tires worked pretty well on dry gravel but of course mud was still a bit of an issue on Menge Creek. I haven't updated the fuel log yet but did a rough calc at about 38mpg. Not bad for having no airdam.

Also, a couple bolts worked themselves loose on the way back and everything from the downpipe back fell off on the freeway up by West Branch at 7pm Sunday. I had to pull the entire thing off, break it into a couple pieces, shove it inside the car and drive the last few hours with just a header. Working on fixing that.

I have only been averaging around 10mph on my beater bike around town. This recumbent project needs to get up and running; a butt mold must be taken and we must measure my legs.

Oh yeah, and I think I do too many small road trips in the summer to get rid of my car. I don't need it around town, though.

[arcosine]

Well, having your head at wheel level is fine for aerodynamics, riding around a closed course, but it's darn right scary looking at car wheels, much less semi truck tires, on the road. It's nice to be able to see the drivers eyes at an intersection, to see if the woman on the cell phone actually sees you. Coroplast is easy to work with, so you can build a fairing in a day or two. Getting a mold right takes months. It's good to build a mule and skin it with coroplast to get things worked out. I can average 20 in my coroliner fairly easily. In 2009, I averaged 32 mph for an hour at Northbrook and 22 mph for 12 hours at Calvin's 12 hour challenge in Ohio, but that was with the top on in race mode. I also sprinted to 40 mph on a level bike trail.. Sitting in a more upright posture is much easier to balance and climb. Having the pedals too high above the seat leads to fatigue in your legs, like holding a weight over your head where your arms start aching, the blood flow is less, so it gets really slow going up hills.. I usually place the bottom bracket 3 inches above the seat and seat back around 50 to 45 degrees. I prefer long wheel base, they ride better, no chain or heel interference with the front tire or axle, but are long, heavier, and don't handle as well. My touring street bike (pictured above) currently has the seat 12 inches off the ground. You should check out the WISIL site.

http://www.wisil.recumbents.com/home/

[jjackstone]

I don't want to offend anyone, but seeing people's reactions to my cars, I don't think a coroplast velomobile would be considered by some to be 'professional' or, more importantly, a valid form of transportation. I live in a conservative area and work at a major automotive manufacturer. If I'm trying to drastically reduce my car use, I'd better replace it with something deemed acceptable by the more conservative people around here.

One of the reasons I post here and make my vehicles stand out is to start a dialogue with the general public. If the average person dismisses the thing off the bat, it's harder to plant a seed in their mind about efficiency. The Probe's paint and strangeness attracted people, but the build quality did little to inspire them to follow in my footsteps. I'd like my velo to be a real class act, and something that true gear heads will want to inspect out of curiosity

.

You should probably look into a velomobile then. Quests are "only" about $10K. Or obviously build your own. Lightning F40s(2 wheeled faired bikes) are less expensive and quite fast. I'll link you to a couple quick and dirty homebuilt coros. Less than two weeks to build.

Two Coro-Veloliners - BentRider Online Forums

I did one similar a couple years ago and placed vinyl tape over the tie wraps for better aero.

So, see you at Battle Mountain next year?

JJ

[arcosine]

These guys are in detroit area:

The Recumbent Bicycle and Human Powered Vehicle Information Center

[sheepdog 44]

Originally Posted by arcosine

In 2009, I averaged.... 22 mph for 12 hours at Calvin's 12 hour challenge in Ohio, but that was with the top on in race mode.

You went 264 miles in one day?!? Tell me about your 500 mile trip to Tennessee. Is there bike path that long, or did you use roads?

[arcosine]

Originally Posted by sheepdog 44

You went 264 miles in one day?!? Tell me about your 500 mile trip to Tennessee. Is there bike path that long, or did you use roads?

There is no bike path in the country 550 miles long. I try to take the back roads.

For details click here:
https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/dire...r=arcosine&v=4