After Gutenberg

Subtitle: Optibike Meets Twike Meets niKO (The first car on Earth from another planet)

O.K., so much for thinking that a human-electric hybrid system with regenerative braking was an original idea, although, so far, no mention of Aerogel ultra caps in the canopy wall from any NASA type.

This blog previously suggested the addition of an exceptionally efficient, German wheel-hub motor to a Tadpole Racer, plus the shell contains aerogel super capacitors to capture the kinetic energy from regenerative braking so that the velomobile becomes a human-electric hybrid vehicle.

BTW: It bears repeating that the wheel-hub motor should have three modes: 1) drive, 2) coast and 3) generate.

Recumbent tricycles come in two basic configurations. Trikes with two wheels in back are called a delta design and trikes with two wheels in front are called a tadpole design. Typically designed for speed, recumbent tricycles with a tadpole configuration place the rider lower to the ground, thus better aerodynamics and a lower center of gravity help to avoid tipping in fast turns.

In the picture above, it looks like the team from California State University at Northridge took a Quest; cut off a top section and added a thermoformed canopy, which made the lightweight, Tadpole Racer weigh even less, while improving visibility and maintaining the aerodynamics. Such “modded” recumbent tricycles with light, sleek, outer shells can be propelled to speeds of 60 mph.

If looking for electric assist, the Aerorider, already exists. It is a human-powered vehicle with electric assist; the website refers to it as a hybrid tricycle. The promotional information also describes the Aerorider as an ultra light vehicle. Yet the fiberglass / carbon epoxy canopy is heavy, certainly heavier than the thermal-formed canopy used by the NASA-types.

More intriguing than the Aerorider were some other velomobiles discussed at Ethan Davis’ North American Velomobilist Site. In particular the Leitra (Light Individual Transportation), a tricycle with two front wheels and one rear wheel. The rear wheel is the chain wheel; all three wheels have brakes. The Leitra has a full fairing, yet the front wheels are outside of the shell.

The front mudguards are made in two different sizes: the small and cheap that protects from splash and the bigger that fully enclosed the wheels and gives an aerodynamic advantage. When driving, the top of the front wheels are moving forward in twice the speed you are driving, so by making the mudguard closed the wind resistance is minimized.

The back mudguard is enclosing the wheel on the chain side so water and mud don’t dirty the chain. Leaving the other side free makes it easier for fixing a flat tire.

Primarily the Leitra is a HPV (Human Powered Vehicle) yet it is possible to get one delivered with the Bionx electric motor.

The Bionx would seem to be a popular choice; a version of the Go-One, which is produced by Beyss in Germany, also uses this motor for electric assist. Two words for when the electric motor comes in handy, those two words are “uphill assist”. As an experienced velomobilist observed, the superb aerodynamics do you no good when you are huffing up a hill and wished you had an 18 pound road bike rather than a 70 pound velomobile.

BTW: Bionx is common because of the availability of a conversion kit. There are a number of wheel-hub motors that could work. Most are made in China. This blog recently mentioned the Hero eBike, which is manufactured in India.

Inspired Cycle Engineering makes an “off-the-peg” HPV (Human Powered Vehicle) in a tadpole configuration, two front wheels and one rear wheel. The one shown above has a minimal fairing. Still, not something with which to drive over a 25 foot cliff.

While the design emphasis of the tadpole racer is speed, the human factor becomes much more important with everyday usage, such as delivery or commuting. Indeed, the original basis for the recumbent style was to place the rider in a more comfortable position. The recumbent design already lowers wind resistance when compared with the more upright position. A full fairing or aerodynamic shell is then an additional refinement, an incremental improvement to the aerodynamics.

But, with the addition of an all-weather outer shell, there are other considerations, i.e., weight, visibility, and heat retention.

Weight considerations:

Lance Armstrong wrote a book entitled, “It’s Not About The Bike.” A bicycle is a very efficient engine; some argue the most efficient yet devised. A great deal of attention is spent on weight reduction. Such a focus emphasizes the many compromises necessary when at the outer limits of design parameters. The Wikipedia entry notes that since a velomobile, or bicycle car, is is heavier yet more aerodynamic than a bicycle, the drive train needs a wider gearing range than a bicycle.

Visibility:

While safety is paramount, aesthetics also play a role in decisions about the outer shell. Two main types of full fairings on a velomobile are the open cockpit versus a canopy. The advantage when the operator’s head is exposed (think of a soapbox derby vehicle with only one rear wheel) is: more unobstructed vision, better hearing, and some cooling. The disadvantage is more exposed to the weather. With a fully enclosed cockpit, the safety recommendation is to have a convex rear-view mirror.

Heat retention:

Cycling is aerobic exercise, which means it requires oxygen and is exothermic. Ventilation for removing the steam from the windscreen and cooling the rider in hot weather.

So two questions for any NASA type AG readers:

1. Any fairing use evaporation as a means for cooling?
2. Does any series hybrid tricycle exist?

Series Hybrid Human-powered Electric Vehicle

Rather than a chain drive, the cyclist, unless you can get your hamster, pedals a permanent magnet, brush less DC generator with inverter. The electricity generated powers a very efficient, wheel-hub electric motor. The electric motor has the capability to switch and become a generator; the electricity from using the motor-generator to slow the vehicle is stored for later use (regenerative braking).

One challenge is that the pedal generator would need to be very durable, yet very light in weight. The challenge would be to make a pedal generator and power cable as light as, or lighter than, a standard chain wheel, chain, rear axle and derailleur. Gearing would come from the electronics in the hub motor rather than by means of gear rings and rear cluster.

Hey, guys, don’t look now, but I think your fairing is flying away on its own.

Let’s Not Stop There: Further Flights of Fancy

So, now, one of the problems is the additional weight of a full fairing. But, what if the fairing made the vehicle lighter and much, much safer?
What if the fairing was an inflated, safety air bag?
What if you could ride off a 25-foot cliff without serious injury?

A Delta tricyle (one front, two rear) rather than one with a Tadpole configuration (two front wheels, one rear wheel), yet a lightweight full fairing made of corrugated plastic.

O.K., O.K., I’ll go take my medicine, but keep reading…

Autoblog Green recently posted some coolness, an inflatable car.

(Yeah, I would like to know what recreational substances they are testing while in Frankfurt, too.)

Sheer Internet vapor? Perhaps, the question still remains: “Could an airbag car trump a Hypercar?” The press on the XP Cars web site suggests you consider a baffled pressure tube system (think Zodiac™ rubber boat). The inflated baffles provide the actual supporting and protective structure of the vehicle. Or, consider how airbags improve your safety in a crash.

Recall that NASA recently threw tens of millions of dollars of ultra-sensitive electronics onto the surface of Mars from nearly a mile up and then bounced that same delicate gear for over a mile over boulders and everything worked flawlessly. This was due to the instruments being shrouded in an already expanded inflatable housing that has served as the model for the Whisper™ body structure.

So, whaddya think? Sort of an inflatable NMG that you charge by pedaling — more bicycle car or Velotaxi than microcar — now to work on the mini magnetic cooling system.

It’s Not About The Bike: My Journey Back To Life ASIN: 0399146113