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Bikes are okay, but you can't take a passenger or very much luggage. They're pretty cold and wet in winter and the crash protection isn't great.
What about a small, two seater car, something the size of a SMART, pedalled like a recumbant in order to get as much power out of your legs as possible?
Ideal for short trips around town. Solar cells could power a radio and the pedal power could also power windscreen wipers and lights in poor weather conditions.
Does anything like this already exist?
Velomobile
http://www.velomobile.de/
Typically one seat rather than two; otherwise, quite baked. [egnor, Mar 24 2001, last modified Oct 17 2004]
The Twike
http://www.twike.com
Adds in electric power, but you can do without. [tenhand, Mar 24 2001, last modified Oct 17 2004]
Patent for device like absterge's
http://www.delphion...at.cmd/US04007893__
I don't think the name will stick, though. [jutta, Mar 24 2001]
Rhoades Car
http://www.rhoadescar.com
I believe this is what you are looking for. [VeXaR, Mar 24 2001, last modified Oct 17 2004]
The Quadracycle
http://www.quadracy...wroom/showroom.html
Named 'em ourselves. [RayfordSteele, Jul 11 2002, last modified Oct 17 2004]
The Stormy Weather Velomobile
http://www.lightfoo...s.com/velo_proj.htm
A "velomobile" is a human-powered vehicle which provides all-weather protection, . . . cargo capacity . . . [baconbrain, Sep 17 2006]
HumanCar reference
http://www.humancar.com/faq.htm
[jurist, Sep 18 2006, last modified Sep 19 2006]
A HumanCar video link
http://www.youtube....ode=related&search=
There are several other videos linked on this site, too. I found some of them preferable to this for content, information and picture quality. [jurist, Sep 18 2006, last modified Sep 19 2006]
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vaguely related, I seem to recall seeing an advertisement for something similar with a helicopter blade, something like 80 prop rotations for every one of the pedals. (ok, so, it only takes 30 minutes to get up to speed... :P ) Sadly, I have not been able to find any links, nor have I seen anyone buzzing around at 150 ft in clear, plastic bubbles. Anybody? |
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the chuckle brothers had one... |
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Did each Chuckle Brother have one or was it a single Chuckle Brothers car? Side-by-side arrangement or a frontseat-backseat type of affair? |
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Nah, it's directly geared. Quit pedaling, and the blades would stop. |
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That's odd. This is exactly what my father does for a living in his converted machine shop. I used to put 'em together. All hand-built, except for the bike components. Been in business since '94 or so. |
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Good luck trying to get your hands on a Rhodes Car, by the way. We went to visit them once, and the place was boarded up. |
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Why not just transfer the leg motion mechanically thereby losing less energy. Oh wait, that's already been invented. It's called a bicycle. |
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When I was visiting Chincoteague with my parents, we rented a 4-seated pedal surrey. A two-seat version of that would fit what you're describing. |
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As for human-powered aircraft, does nobody remember the Gosamer Condor? |
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Didn’t the Flintstones have one of these? Who needs pedals when you can just cut a hole in the floor?
Seriously, it’s a great idea. If I could buy one, I would. More people need wake from their mass media programmed stupor, and follow through on ideas like this! |
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The Twike is a 2-seat 3-wheel human-electric hybrid vehicle- a series hybrid that uses human power to recharge the battery pack to extend range by about 25%, as I recall. Top speed around 20 mph, and it's expensive. |
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Most of them cost more than a "beater" used car. I like the look of Lightfoot Cycles' Velomobile, but will have to stay with one of their simpler recumbents. |
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No bike parts are used.
It's automotive technology. Alternative
chassis/power system with an open-
standards offer. You may want to look
into it a bit more before calling it bike
related. Although, we love bikes just as
much. |
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jurist -thnx for the links- yes, there are a
bunch of vids. out there- |
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