[Bent] Riding when it's cold

[Steve Stollman]

On 2/14/2010 8:17 PM, JOHN TETZ wrote:
> Jules wrote;
> >Actually, you don't really need a velo to stay comfortable when it's
> cold.
> ........Jules I fully understand your point of view. I too have gone 
> thru the various stages starting with open vehicles with some kind of 
> nose fairing to fully shelled streamliners. Yes it can be dine but 
> this is akin to enthusiasts or fringe. If we are trying to generate a 
> practical all season alternate transportation vehicle for average 
> folks a bit more is needed and I feel a trike based  Velomobile fits 
> the requirements.
> The shell of course extends the riding season for the entire year and 
> can provide some aerodynamic advantages.  I use one layer of socks, 
> fleece  pants,  light long johns, a light jacket, sweater, glove 
> liners (gloves at 20 degrees), a skull cap (I'm bald) and a helmet. 
> Certainly not overdressed with many layers of bulky clothing.
> But the most important feature of a trike based VM is is no need to 
> balance. Balance may appear to be no big deal but after running a VM 
> for 4 years I feel this to be number one on my list. If I run a VM for 
> several weeks and then get on a two wheeler I wiggle a bit for the 
> first half hour or so until my muscle memory takes over. Its not much 
> but it's there all the time.
> As a transportation vehicle your coming into many intersections, your 
> looking  for traffic, paying attention to the pot holes etc and you 
> see a car coming. In a two wheeled vehicle you have to un-clip at 
> least one pedal to quickly get a foot down. Often I unclip one foot 
> before the intersection - hopefully it's the correct foot _ I have 
> rolled a streamliner more than once.  The tension is high. .In a VM 
> you simply put on the brakes and come to a stop. You can spend more of 
> your time and energy sizing up the intersection situation. No tension 
> - relaxed.  On take off you simply push on the pedals, no tension from 
> a slow speed  wobble as you get up to speed. You can even be in the 
> wrong gear.
> This situation will occur over and over and over.  And it 
> happens in mall parking lot intersections and when a car is backing 
> out of a parking spot. I have had to jamb on the brakes a few times. 
> No big deal in a VM. I never realized this until I ran my VM . It 
> surprised me as to how important this simple thing could be.
> I run at night quite a bit and have gone down because of black ice in 
> a two wheeled vehicle . No such problem in a  VM. Again much more 
> relaxed. Having to get the feet down does not make a viable alternate 
> transportation vehicle.
> Just about every time I go up town someone stops to ask about my VM. 
> The public sees the trike and realize no need to balance. They also 
> say they like my little car. The connection to car is good because car 
> equals transportation.  Bike equals recreation - sport - toy, 
>  and stops a critical change in consciousness.
> I also feel VMs work better in suburbia. VMs are a bit wider than a 
> two wheeler. Parking and security in cities would be more 
> difficult. And because Suburbia is far from being green it needs 
> help. Running a 3,000 pound vehicle for a typical 2 to 5 miles for 
> shopping is not environmentally intelligent.
> The thing is we have the technology right now - we don't have to wait 
> for things like battery improvements and better electric vehicles - we 
> have the vehicle - and the much needed exercise could lower heath care 
> costs.
> I live in a town of 20,000. I am the only one riding just about every 
> day to shop and run various errands. If 1 % were to ride that 200 
> people would be enough to convince the local government to start 
> putting in bike lanes, and for car drivers to be accustomed to HPVs.  
> If 10% were to ride this would be enough to help the struggling 
> environment. Who knows what else this could lead to.
> I have been waiting for 25 years for an appropriate change in 
> activity. I wonder if I will live long enough to see thousands of VMs 
> darting around communities.
> John Tetz
>
>
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