Anyone ever fitted a Fairing to a bicycle?

[downfader]

I often admire the motorbikes at work. Theres some really loverly ones owned obviously by those that can afford such beauties. But looking at a BMW bike the other week as I passed the thought occured to me "why has noone fitted a fairing to a bicycle?"

I mean, surely it would help keep the rain off the legs, reduce drag, and act as a sail with a tail wind, LOL!

 

[Arch]

I often admire the motorbikes at work. Theres some really loverly ones owned obviously by those that can afford such beauties. But looking at a BMW bike the other week as I passed the thought occured to me "why has noone fitted a fairing to a bicycle?"

I mean, surely it would help keep the rain off the legs, reduce drag, and act as a sail with a tail wind, LOL!

They have, on various occasions. It tends to be a DIY thing though. Except on recumbents, where it's more common - I guess the aero benefit is even greater.

http://www.zzipper.com/

Although, here's on one an upright Dahon.


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkMve3RBjI8


The ultimate in fairing of course, is a velomobile:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velomobile

So good at keeping the wind and weather off, that overheating can be a problem.

 

[gbb]

Wished i'd had a camera at the time..but circa 1977 i saw a guy (about 20) cycling along in peterborough with a home made fairing on his bike....a whip ariel on the back and i think he had a car battery feeding a radio mounted to the rear rack.

I never saw anything so stupid looking in all my life !!!!!

 

[downfader]

Already knew of the velomobile, but to me thats more a full-body shell than a fairing. Hence less effect from tailwinds. They are awesome though!

 

[Arch]

Already knew of the velomobile, but to me thats more a full-body shell than a fairing. Hence less effect from tailwinds. They are awesome though!

They are fantastic. I've had a very brief spin in a couple, and the outside conditions (in one case a very blustery wind) just vanish.

Some of the newer ones, esp the WAW:

look to me quite like the nose of a Spitfire - long and very aero.

I think one of the reasons fairings are less used on uprights is stability in side winds, esp on two wheelers. Not a problem on a trike though. There was a fairing kit for an upright bike at Eurobike, I can't recall the name off hand now. I'll hunt about...

 

[Arch]

Not Eurobike. Spezi. I didn't go to Eurobike.

It was Veltop.

http://www.veltop.eu/index.php?en

More a top fairing than a front one though.

In this country of course, there's also the weird factor. Some people might just about be happy to be seen on a bike, but not to look any odder. Probably why there are more on recumbents. We look odd already, a bit more won't hurt!