Are Velomobiles or Recumbents Safe?

                                       photo from http://wimharwig.com/2009/04/

Results poll of accidents as reported on http://bickyenzijnfietsen.blogspot.ca/

Time to evaluate the data obtained.

The end result was 198 completed forms and came within easy with the largest sources wim fencers and ligfiets.net site (thanks)
The data are made ​​anonymous and can be found here for general use . This data is free to use but please add a link to my blog please. I put all the figures for percentage chance to have an accident within the 10.000km. How much time is difficult to estimate because everyone has different driving distances per year.

General figures:

3,192,500 recumbent kilometers (nearly 80 times around the earth cycling)
2934000 velomobile kilometers: (73 laps around the world cycling) Surveys completed following country breakdown: Recumbent Ende Belgians 30 Recumbent Ende Dutch 108 Recumbent Ende French 2 Velomobile Ende Belgians: 25 Velomobile Ende Dutch: 79

Recumbents

6% chance of accidents with bodily injuries with private counterparty 10.000km a
13% chance of accident with property damage to their own opposing bicycle per 10.000km
11% chance of damage per accident with counterparty without 10.000km
40% chance of accident without counterparty own bodily injury per 10.000km
37% chance of accident without counterparty with material damage to own a bike 10.000km Is 40% a great chance to get yourself hurt every 10.000km? If you break your leg or every 25.000km. But if an injury is a bruised buttocks. And it is well known that a fall with minor injuries recumbent gives a bukfiets. Dangerous compared to other traffic, you can not call it a recumbent. You're more likely to injure yourself by slipping anywhere, against driving through inadvertence than by anyone else in the movement of being run over. I regularly receive the comment to a comparative research with our friends stooping. But stooping my friends is not large enough to sufficiently completed forms to come. (Someone who can help or information available to him?)

Velomobiles

Quest: 46
versatile / orca: 5
WAW: 11
Sunrider: 1
Strada: 15
Mango: 16
Limit: 3
Alleweder: 8 3% chance of accidents with bodily injuries with private counterparty 10.000km a 15% chance of accident with property damage counterparty to own a bike 10.000km 3% chance of damage per accident with counterparty without 10.000km 3% without counterparty risk of accident with bodily injury per 10.000km own 21% without counterparty risk of accident with property damage to own a bike 10.000km Chances an accident / collision are much lower than in velomobile recumbent. The 3 wheels will generally less skidding crashes causing damage or injury. The distinctive shape will be of benefit in traffic.

calculation example 1

Physical injuries, I think the worst, with 2 broken fingers (no party) by bukfietsen I have had my share. With my Mango I have 6% chance of something similar encounter. with my 13.000km a year so I can about that 8% chance per year. That means statistically, 12.5 years driving without bodily injury, or 166,666 kilometers.
Personal injury is also relative. Most stories I've heard / read about hit or fall injuries geslipte velomobiles bad. The risk of damage is greater, for me as a 31% per year. And it does or pain to your wallet.

rekenvoorbeeld2

Like the fact that velomobiles twice as safe as recumbents:
So you have 107% chance every 10.000km something to come up with the recumbent and 45% chance with the velomobile.

Conclusion

Facts are Meaningless axis THEY CAN be overused to prove anything .
His recumbent and velomobile now more dangerous than driving or bukfietsen? Without figures are difficult to prove, of course. Personally I think after 28,000 kilometers lying recumbent safer than bukfietsen .. With the racing bike, I was every week once the pass cut off or ignored in traffic. With 4 x also to fall, I had not much confidence anymore. defensive driving course is the message because you can indeed have a recumbent be overlooked if you have a car right crosses. But if the car you cross he has seen and you memorize (because a recumbent you still not see every day)

When asked whether recumbents / velomobile is not dangerous I always answer that it is the car that makes it dangerous and not the type of bike.

Thanks to everyone for completing the data

A new riding season for us in the N.H, so a new challenge

Last year I missed the sign up for 30 days of Cycling Challenge but still did my own 30 day Challenge.

It was a pain in the @$$ somedays butt at the end I was stoked for the rest of the year. In someways it was the best month of riding for 2011.
So hear is your chance to challenge yourself. Join me and start your year right.
http://30daysofbiking.com/register/register.html
If you do sign up drop a note on the BROL thread so we can see how many recumbent riders will do this.
http://www.bentrideronline.com/messageboard/showthread.php?t=82550

Twas a fine day for velomobling today!

NOT!

My Drive Home: Heavy Snow Fall and lots of freezing slush!

My front yard this eveing:

Radio says 2 more days like this then 2 digit weather for the next week or so... yeah right! ;

if it was rain I could ride! #$%^@$%

A Rainbow of Mangos

Today as I was looking over some of the graphics I've done in the last couple of months I came across this one and was reminded of Skittles Rainbow...

now if only..

Rise Shock Testing goes on...

A test of the New RISE Shock and the older "normal" shock cureently supplied:
From Wim Shermer:




More testing to be done but i think this is going to be wild successful upgrade..Now to get my hands on one when they are available.

How to lube the Chain - Sinner Ligfietsen

Harry has another great video up on how to Oil your chain!
http://youtu.be/wl4RQLXu3Fc

(this is just a photo click on the link to Sinner Ligfietsen Channel )

I really enjoy these videos.
I thought on this one we were going to get an old fashioned Westren type Gunfight - Sort of a retro western theme music used - forsome reason it felt really appropriate. Way to Go Harry.

Your Velos Benefits

Several People have askeds for a copy of the Benefits Of a Velo with thier type of Velos.
These are the Types I have Currently:

To Get the Image you want: First left click on an image to get Image gallery then Just right click on the image you want and you can save and Print it out how ever you want. All I ask for in Payment is a Thanks in the Comments section. Larry

Benefits of A Velomobile

Modified from a graphic on the internet done for Bicycles, so I decided to do one with a Velo twist.
Enjoy

Have a great weekend!

Rear Wheel Clickin'

On Sunday I started to hear a clicking sound coming from the rear of my Mango. Monday and Tuesday I did not ride it too far about 5 Km each day but the sound kept getting a lot more frequent. So Wednesday I made a little 30 second video and sent it off to Harry (SinnerBikes) and He and his colleges diagnosed it as a bad bearing! Isn't modern technology wonderful with Youtube and Skype!

 "No problem"! I looked up Harry's video on how to remove the back wheel here on the Repair Video page and a little sweat and gears later, the wheel was off. I headed up to my Local Bike Parts Suppler and Store, United Cycle, where and they changed out both bearings as I watched (so I learned how to do it myself next time). I am still learning about bike repairs so I watch videos or more experienced mechanics first so I can attempt to do it later. If you are good at doing your own work then see the Sturmey-Archer XL-SD FRONT Bearing Replacement Video by: Nitramulap on the Repair Video page here for a great primer on how to change a bearing. Paul did a great job on the replacement & video.
United Cycle is the largest Bike store in the Edmonton area and they work great with little startup bike shops like mine where I get great service on more difficult jobs and part discounts. Large Distributors don't seem to like Small shops any more because volumes are so low. Its fantastic for me and my clients.
Anyways, An hour and 1/2 later I was back to the shop to put the wheel back on. Harry's video mentions how to take off the wheel but not about changing bearings or anything. That's just the first step.  So here is my explaination of how to install the rear bearing of a Mango or similar rear wheel (not sure if Quests and Stradas are the same).

Installing A Rear Bearing on A SinnerBikes Mango
Watch the video first by Nitramulap it will help he has several good graphics and pointers.
The rear bearings are similar to the front, only the bearings fit a bit looser in the rear wheel. You need 2  - 6001 bearings. Some grease (Pauls)  A #5 hex driver, a light source, a 13ml wrench and some patience. So when putting the wheel back together you have to use GREEN Loctite to set the bearing.  (not 100% sure why but According to Harry if you don't ... well, you will be doing this again soon).  I am not clear on the mechanics of how bearings work and why they must be tight this way. My local LBS did not say anything. Is this strictly a velomobile issue? (if some one can comment and explain why I will add it to this post). I had never even head Of GREEN Loctite until Harry said it was important (NO you cannot use blue, red or shudder purple Loctite! they are not strong enough).
Put the pieces back together and apply the GREEN Loctite carefully around the outer edge of the bearing. Wipe off  the excess. GREEN Loctite is used to flow into assembled parts and it the strongest Loctite. Be Very careful NOT to get any in the bearings!!!!
Once you have the wheel assembled install the wheel back into the Velo, tighten the wheel, but don't tighten to much so your wheel doesn't spin right. Then Leave it for 24 hrs so it cures properly, Do Not Ride Your Velo!!!!. ( I know that's tough, but better safe than sorry!) That's it. Enjoy your next ride!

Thanks Harry & Crew of SinnerBikes for the input and the Instructional Videos. Looking forward to more videos! You never know when they might be needed!   Like How to do the Rear Bearing Properly.

Cords Everywhere!!!

When I first got my mango I had a Cateye and my iPhone that's all I thought I need. ha. I have since added a Garmin 500 GPS, I have a Jambox and they all need cords, batteries,etc .. Overtime all the cords connectors got to be so much was like a snake pit in my bike bag. There seemed to be cords everywhere! Messing up the clean appearance of the interior. Then one day not too long ago I saw, while researching on eBay,  a chord with several different heads almost Medusa like. It has 30 pin connector end for all of the Apple products; mini USB, micro USB, a 4.0 DC Jack, and what they call and Nintendo type jack. You can see in the pictures what types of tips there really is. This has saved me a lot of space and time and USB ports I have to put in my mango. There is probably a lot of different types of these multi-cords on the market, look for one that fits your needs, it will save you a lot of space and tangles.

 One Cord to Bind them, One Cord to Rule Them ALL!    LOL

I have also had time to put in my Trek odometer with cadence. I had to create a modified cord to extend the cadence part. To deal with the cord routing I used zip ties and same nonslip mac tack tape I used to cover my steering hump, so now they're hidden yet I can get at them if I do need to take the cord out.

On Sunday I started to hear a clicking noise whether I was spinning or coasting coming from my rear end. No not my butt, the area around the swingarm and the rear wheel sprocket. Does not seem to affect the speed, coasting or peddling. it sounds like something trying to shift gear, But there is nothing there. I made a video so I could see and hear maybe post and find someone who might have a better idea; I just have to edit it because it is rather large to put up on my YouTube page. In an email to Harry at Sinnerbikes he suggested to WD the pivots and things first before teairng things apart. I did and tomorrow i will go for a test ride to see if it is still there.

I also changed out all my tires to Primo comments that I had on hand for hopefully a faster ride.
Well that's it for now. Stay in touch, the season is just starting, more ride reports and Mods and reviews coming up this is just beginning.
TTFN
Oh yeah; I added another magnet to the front corners of the Cover to snug it down a bit better)


I will add a couple more photos to this blog later in the week.

Spring Ride#1

Spring has finally seemed to have arrived in northern Alberta.The Beginning of the week we had the worst storm of the season, 5 days later its almost melted. Its spring in a new way for me too as this weekend was the first time since my surgery 6 weeks ago that I could climb into my velo. OH BOY was it hard to get out. NO stomach strength! I did not realise how much i used my abs to get out of the velo. My video in January look s like an athlete compared to me huffin and puffin and wiggling to get out. Plus having gained a few pounds I noticed that it’s a lot tighter and less roomy inside. That’s OK, just a lot more motivation soon I’ll be able to go for a jog in the Velo, LOL.

During the ride today, I really became aware how different riding a Velo around town really is. On my Goldrush little hills and valleys don’t seem that tough, but I certainly used my gearing a lot more. Probably due to the few pounds I gained and the Velo. The Goldrush seems a lot more responsive than the Mango but the Mango is definitely less susceptible to weather and traffic seems to treat me a lot more like a small vehicle than a bicycle. I can definitely see that having both bikes will serve different purposes but both very very enjoyable to ride.

Hopefully this will be the beginning of a great cycling year. I am definitely  motivated to lose a lot more weight and get a lot fitter and pushing around my big butt and a 70 + pound Velomobile is going to help.

Here’s a couple of pictures and the Garmin tracks of where I was riding today.

Near the end of a Fantastic spring ride in My Sinner Mango Velomobile

Now Go have a great day of riding yourself
Larry

1st ride after my surgery

Aww... Finally my 1st ride after my surgery. I was somewhat surprised at my fitness level, just no oomph! I have not stopped this short in my commute home in years. Partly it was fitness, added weight, new bike - Mango and a rubbing chain noise. It was the fact I was concerned about the chain noise and that my wife drove by on her way home that convinced my to call her to pull over in the van and pick me up.
So Tomorrow I will see if it was the chain guards inside that were rubbing or just my fat @$$.
The Mango is SOOO different to commute with; the traffic treats me like a mini mini. COOL!

Snow Day

 Just when you think its over WhaM! ... You wake up to this:

Thats okay we need the moisture and I can not ride my Mango until this weekend March 10 anyways. By then the snow should be mostly melted as uit is supposed to be over 3 c for the rest of the week and over 8 c for the weekend. Then its zoom zoom time!

I am sending an order in to Wim on Monday. If you are interested in Participating please try to use this form and/or email me by 5pm Sunday March 11. velorydrattelusdotnet Thanks for your support  I can only take Visa mastercars dor debit throught my shop . so include your phone number and I will call you'

Larry