Velomobile Project Overview

Your first question might be what is a velomobile. This is a velomobile:

Essentially it is a three wheeled recumbent tricycle with a aerodynamic shell. They cut through wind resistance and allow the rider to go faster than on a regular bicycle or the same speed with less energy expended.

Motivation:

• I want one.
  • Commuting faster, going faster, zooooom with no vrooom.
• They are the same kind of dorky cool I aspire to be.
• I like building things
• Buying one can get really expensive.

For Version 1 I decided to go with a simple build method to get a working velomobile as quickly as possible but with the ability to upgrade it to a more streamlined shell afterwards (we’ll see if my software developer agile/scrum ideas will work in real life). I am going to build a rib structure out of insulation foam (a method used by many in the velomobile community) and skin it with Coroplast (a different method used by other’s usually without the foam ribs). Version two I plan to head form hobby foam into a more curvy aerodynamic shape.

I have broken down the project into a few phases with target completion dates:

• Version 1
  • Research (June 2020) (Complete)
    • Pick a trike
    • Pick a build methodology
  • Design Phase 1 (June 2020) (Complete)
    • Build a CAD model of the outer shell using the specs of the trike I am going to buy
  • Buy the recumbent trike (when I get a job and have some income again) (Complete)
  • Scale Model (In Progress)
    • Build a scale model to learn tools and processes
  • Design Phase 2 (August 2020)
    • Take detailed measurements of the trike and update CAD model
    • Design structure that will hold the shell to the frame of the trike and any 3D printed parts that may need to be made.
    • Incorporate learnings from scale model build
  • Build Phase 1 (September - October 2020)
    • Cut Foam Rib Structure
    • Skin With Coroplast or insulation foam.
    • Build and attach Coroplast undercarriage
    • Decorate?
  • First Test Ride (Nov 7th 2020) (aggressive I doubt this happens)
    • My birthday present to myself
• Version 2
  • Research (some time in 2021)
    • Buy some foam and test bending it around a rib structure to learn the way to do it for the full scale model
  • Skin the velomobile (some time in 2021).

A few pictures of other people’s designs / inspirations for the project:

Velomobile Pictures