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The current issue is Issue 15. The next issue is out early Dec 2004.
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Two tantalising trikes from Australia
A sneak preview of an neat composite-framed 'next-generation' Hotmover recumbent trike - and an exciting 26kg fully-faired velomobile from Trisled...
First up is the upcoming new Hotmover recumbent trike which, the manufacturer Hamish Gale tells me, should be released in the next 4-6 months. He describes the developments thus:
"As with all our current models this model will have the option of electric assist. The batteries are inside the main frame of the Hotmover and the electric assist version will be powered by a hub motor as in the pictures. The frame/seat is made of composite material - glass and carbon fiber. We are close to having a working prototype on the ground for testing so stay tuned!"
The other recent development is the launch by trike manufacturer TriSled of a fully-faired and very fast-looking velomobile weighting just 26kg. The Sorcerer is thus several kilos lighter than most of the existing models on the market... check that web page for many more details, including a refreshingly honest discussion of ventilation in such an enclosed vehicle.
Posted on 11 September 2003
Your comments ...| From: Marquis d'Egville ([email protected]) on 11 September 2003 |
| A 6500mm wide velomobile - now that is something I would really like to see - even Seamus would find that a bit roomey! |
| From: jes (@pedalcars.info) on 12 September 2003 |
I didn't realise that fully faired trikes come in at 26kg.
Makes me feel a whole lot better about our (nearly) fully faired pedal cars weighing about 27.5kg these days.
Thank you for brightening up my day and making me feel less overweight in the chassis department!
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| From: Seamus ([email protected]) on 12 September 2003 |
2 wheels good.
3 wheels bad.
4 wheels badderer! |
| From: antony (ditto) on 12 September 2003 |
Nice to read that the wheels are "all round", too! ;-)
Nice looking machine, especially the fully enclosed version.
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| From: antony (again) on 12 September 2003 |
| It's good to be bad. |
| From: jes (@pedalcars.info) on 12 September 2003 |
And even better to be open minded.
I assume you are speaking from experience of driving all 3 kinds of HPV, Seamus. |
| From: jes (@pedalcars.info) on 12 September 2003 |
OK, so I bit.
It's been a long week. |
| From: andy scaife ([email protected]) on 12 September 2003 |
| Looks like my new trailer going backwards. (Carbon-fibre finished car roof box, with mag wheels. trailers can be cool too). Maybe I should take a mould and get busy. |
| From: Seamus ([email protected]) on 12 September 2003 |
5 (and more) wheels badderingest.
1 wheel silly. |
| From: Tom ([email protected]) on 12 September 2003 |
| Thank heavens, Seamus, for a minute i thought you were indulging in mindless ZEM-bashing. I just sent 20 wheels, (not counting bike wheels) off to Somerset on cycle promotion duty. How bad does that make me?!? |
| From: jes (@lots of wheels is silly) on 12 September 2003 |
Assume these were not all for the same bike!
Perhaps at Leicester next year we could try for the world record pedal car stack.
OK, so it's not as impressive as penny farthings because basically they stand up by themselves anyway but...
How many wheels does the conference bike have?
And are there enough in the UK to have a race?
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| From: Tom (CaptainBrake@Jason's pedalling) on 12 September 2003 |
| Three wheels on the older ones, four on the new ones, but the rear two are so close together it's a trike really. There's several new ones in the country, so yes, with a twisty enough course that could be great fun. Do I get to keep my unfair advantage of getting Jason and his brompton to push? |
| From: Tom ([email protected]) on 12 September 2003 |
| ...and no, the twenty wheels were all on the lorries. Goodness only knows how many bike wheels there are... |
| From: Tom ([email protected]) on 12 September 2003 |
| ...and no, the twenty wheels were all on the lorries. Goodness only knows how many bike wheels there are... |
| From: S. (etc) on 12 September 2003 |
No Spokesfest next year, or ever again.
This years excellent one was the last. |
| From: jes (@pedalcars) on 13 September 2003 |
I didn't mention Spokesfest.
I was talking about the 2nd European Pedal Car Championships.
This year it was St. Etiene de Chigny (and very nice it was too!) next year if all goes to plan it will be Leicester.
Hence, we hope for a record! |
| From: Ralf Grosser ([email protected]) on 14 September 2003 |
Rule No. one about exiteing new bikes.
Never trust a CGI image.
Rule No. two.
If you built it for real it will not look as good as the CGI.
Rule No. three.
THe greatest looking CGI has nothing to do with how the endproduct will preform. |
| From: Antony (at go on, guess.) on 15 September 2003 |
Dragging this back distinctly off-topic...
Hmm, conference bike racing sounds like a fantastic idea. Teams of, well, anything up to seven I guess. How about at Curborough? (short course). One long straight, two hairpins, one twisty bit. Or Preston Sports Arena, with its 17 turns and some gradient as well, but Curby for preference 'cos everyone can see everything there. |
| From: S. (etc) on 15 September 2003 |
| You'd want a really twisty course to take full advantage of the Conference Bike's 89 and a bit degrees turning ability. |
| From: sue ([email protected]) on 18 September 2003 |
| You'd need higher gears to get any speed up. Or you could go for an all-round competition featuring speed and careful riding - carrying a tray of beers in the middle and seeing who finished in the best time AND spilt the least beer. Or make up a slalom course. Hey, Conference Bike Pentathlon! Anyone reckon they could jump one off a ramp? |
| From: Tom (Panickingabout Carfreeday.com) on 18 September 2003 |
| The ideal spec would be speed drives on 4 positions and mountain drives on the other 3. |
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