# I want one of these ....



## Donger (3 Jul 2016)

Seen in Holland today .... the label says "Velomobiel.nl". I sooo want one. Saw this forum and thought I'd share this one with its target audience:


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## StuAff (3 Jul 2016)

Strada. @Auntie Helen has a riding bud with one. Fantastic bit of kit, seen one in the carbon myself....


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## NorthernDave (3 Jul 2016)

I like! But then I saw the price...

http://www.velomobiel.nl


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## Drago (3 Jul 2016)

Anyone ever had the pleasure? What are they like to ride?


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## StuAff (3 Jul 2016)

Not cheap, no, but then production is small-scale & complex- building a carbon monocoque is very different to a diamond frame. Also cheaper than many high-end bikes, and a darn sight faster (as well as more practical) for most riders...


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## StuAff (3 Jul 2016)

User said:


> Absolutely fabulous! I only wish I had somewhere to keep one.
> 
> As @StuAff says, @Auntie Helen has a velomobile, as do a couple of other people. IIrC Auntie Helen's is a Mango (I may be wrong though).


Helen has a Versatile (now sold in updated form as Orca)


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## StuAff (3 Jul 2016)

User said:


> Ah - very nice. Who is it on here who has the Mango?


@Aushiker. There are a few owners in the UK, don't think any of them post here.


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## ufkacbln (4 Jul 2016)

There is a cheaper and more robust version called the RotoVelo, made from the same plastic as wheelie bins

They decided to demonstrate how they could take a few knocks:


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## Drago (4 Jul 2016)

My language skills don't stretch to fluent welsh, so I can't see how much they cost. Anyone know the asking price for a typical spec machine?


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## ufkacbln (4 Jul 2016)

Most are personal imports from Holland


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## Milkfloat (4 Jul 2016)

Drago said:


> My language skills don't stretch to fluent welsh, so I can't see how much they cost. Anyone know the asking price for a typical spec machine?



£6K ish


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## Drago (4 Jul 2016)

Ouch. I could afford it, but I think id have trouble justifying it even to my self. Lovely though, I can see why they cost what they do with the small scale carbon manufacturing behind it.


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## Scoosh (4 Jul 2016)

> *I want one of these ....*


.. as do we all ...   but equally  ->


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## Arellcat (5 Jul 2016)

StuAff said:


> There are a few owners in the UK, don't think any of them post here.



At the last count I think there were perhaps 40 velomobile owners in the UK, not including racetrack-only machines. I ride a carbon Quest and I post here, a tiny little bit a least.


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## Shaun (5 Jul 2016)

If I ever win the lottery ... 

I'd love to have a go in one though, I bet it's fantastic flying along so close to the ground with hardly any drag. Maybe I could get them to send us one for review?!


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## StuAff (6 Jul 2016)

Arellcat said:


> At the last count I think there were perhaps 40 velomobile owners in the UK, not including racetrack-only machines. I ride a carbon Quest and I post here, a tiny little bit a least.


Sorry, meant Mango owners specifically. Have enjoyed your posts in various places about the Quest, btw.


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## Smokin Joe (6 Jul 2016)

Shaun said:


> If I ever win the lottery ...
> 
> I'd love to have a go in one though, I bet it's fantastic flying along so close to the ground with hardly any drag. Maybe I could get them to send us one for review?!


Of course you'd want someone to test it over the Welsh hills. I could put myself out...


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## byegad (18 Jul 2016)

I had a go in the Rotovelo which Peter Eland was reviewing for Velovision Magazine. In a brief ride I found getting up to 'spin out' speed in top gear was relatively easy and likely to be sustainable for this not so fit 60+ year old on the flat pretty much all day. How it would perform up hill I don't know. 

I have to admit I'm still tempted though.


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## rb58 (18 Jul 2016)

I well remember chasing @arallsopp down to Brighton in his. It was the day of the London to Brighton veteran car run. He was super-fast and drew as many admiring glances as the old cars we were riding with. But the rear mech exploded on the return and we bodged a single speed arrangement to get home again. That was an effort, but I think he only got out and pushed once. T'was a great day.


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## arallsopp (18 Jul 2016)

rb58 said:


> That was an effort, but I think he only got out and pushed once. T'was a great day.



On Mount McBludgeon, if I recall, though I try desperately not to think of it 

Pushing a 30+ kilo trike with tank steering that you can't influence from above knee height is next to no fun (no fun being single speeding the same).

T'was a great day though, you're right.


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## Pikey (21 Jul 2020)

Well @Donger if you feel like the experience but without the body kit, I’m selling my Catrike 700. I haven’t used it since I saw you on the Audax in Chippenham all of those years ago lol (long story)!


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## Grant Fondo (21 Jul 2020)

Donger said:


> Seen in Holland today .... the label says "Velomobiel.nl". I sooo want one. Saw this forum and thought I'd share this one with its target audience:
> View attachment 133883


You could paint one of these yellow?


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## Donger (21 Jul 2020)

Pikey said:


> Well @Donger if you feel like the experience but without the body kit, I’m selling my Catrike 700. I haven’t used it since I saw you on the Audax in Chippenham all of those years ago lol (long story)!


Kept freaking out horses did it?


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## Shreds (21 Jul 2020)

Join BHPC to uncover the delights of such unknown pleasures.


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## neil earley (22 Oct 2020)

For sale on fb


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## BilboSmeggins (24 Oct 2020)

And for those baulking at the cost...... They hold their resale value incredibly well. If you were to buy 2nd-hand, and look after it well, you could sell on for very little loss a year or so down the line. So, in effect, you could have the best fun you could ever have on (in) a cycle for almost no charge. 


View: https://youtu.be/MIsa0L5UNgs


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## BilboSmeggins (24 Oct 2020)

Oh, and that velo for sale that Neil put up a couple of post ago is an absolute steal at the price. It is absolutely immaculate inside and out. For a dalliance into the amazing world of velos, you couldn’t go wrong with it.


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## Gravity Aided (24 Oct 2020)

Fellow at work has one, with the canopy, and it keeps pace with traffic quite easily, apparently.


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## Gravity Aided (24 Oct 2020)

https://www.utahtrikes.com/PROD-11620156.html
Build up your own, spec it as you like, 3500 USD.


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## cyberknight (24 Oct 2020)

one came past us on a club ride once, tried to keep up chain ganging it and i reckon the prson inside was just ticking over


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## wafter (24 Oct 2020)

I saw an Alleweider(sp) outside Warlands a couple of days ago 

I absolutely love velomobiles and would have one in the blink of an eye if we had the transport infrastructure to support them. In a nutshell they produce very little drag, are pretty stable and mostly weather-sealed; but are also heavy (c. 30kg+), more involved to get in and out of, cumbersome to move around when not in them, expensive and take up a good chunk of space.

As one might expect these excel at covering large distances at speed on flat ground and in all weathers, so would be great for commuting or touring in flat countries (i.e Holland) that have the infrastructure to mean you can ride with confidence without fear of being crushed by an Artic because its driver's not seen you 

Tbh it's a lifestyle ideal of mine to live somewhere like Holland with one of these for longer journeys, a bike for town trips and a car for the odd occasion I had to go really far or get there in a hurry. Sadly I'm stuck in a country where the norm is to drive your £300/month PCP-funded german luxo-barge round the shops and anyone who doesn't is clearly a deviant to be treated with suspicion and disdain


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