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fairing for TWBent Artifice trike.
Posted: 5 Nov 2011, 5:06pm
by rand
Anyone out there with practical experience of front fairings for bent trike?
I'm considering fitting a fairing to my trike, but would like to hear members views and suggestions before I buy.
Any dealer in UK stock fairings for inspection?
Rand.
Re: fairing for TWBent Artifice trike.
Posted: 5 Nov 2011, 6:33pm
by Tigerbiten
I've a streamer fairing on my ICE trike and I tried a windwrap fairing when I was down at ICE picking up my new trike.
I like a fairing as it makes the trike look bigger from the front, so you can bully cars out of your way better .....
But I don't use one on the nightrides as it makes seeing potholes a little harder.
Fairings only really come into play above 15-20mph where they may give you +3-5% more top speed.
A proper tailbox could give you double that.
Or when it rains when they keep your legs/feet drier.
The major downside in the rain is that it collects on the top of the fairing.
Then if you hit a bump at +10 mph, you get a face full ..........
Streamer fairing:-
Nice wide fairing and not very deep in front.
So your legs stay dry-ish, you get a little spray in from the sides, but your feet get wet from water dripping off the front of the fairing.
You tend to need to fettle/bodge how the fairing attaches to the trike.
Once it in place, its fixed/doesn't tip up than much, so you need to work out how to get on/off the trike with it in place.
Getting off I just swing my right leg over the boom and left leg over the wheel before standing up. Getting on is the opposite.
Windwrap fairing:-
Didn't try it in the rain, but its a narrower fairing than the streamer which covers all your feet from the front.
So your feet will stay drier but you may get more spray in from the sides.
I liked the way the fairing folds forward for getting on/off.
I use a streamer fairing and couldn't get the windwrap fairing to give me the same fit/feel.
Also I thought the upper support bar was too narrow and I might catch my knees on it when peddling around a corner.
But I may be wrong on that as I never tried it at speed.
To get one I think its a question of asking around all the recumbent trike shops untill you find someone who stock/can get the one you want.
I got my fairing secondhand from Kevin in D-Tek.
Luck ............
Re: fairing for TWBent Artifice trike.
Posted: 5 Nov 2011, 6:56pm
by Cunobelin
I have a Streamer fairing, and the WIndwrap XT and GX for the Trikes.
The one thing you need is to be able to tilt forward in order to make access and egress easier
Ian At Wheel NV imports the Windwrap, or the European dealer is Icletta
Windwrap GX in Winter:
Windwrap XT in Winter:
Re: fairing for TWBent Artifice trike.
Posted: 6 Nov 2011, 8:56am
by byegad
Streamer on QNT. Faster downhill, into a wind for this slow rider. Dry legs and feet in rain and cool looking.
Re: fairing for TWBent Artifice trike.
Posted: 6 Nov 2011, 3:28pm
by hercule
I wonder if they have changed the shape of the Streamer fairing over the years. I've no idea how old mine is - I bought it second hand from Dtek - mine is much deeper in front and more rounded in profile than byegad's shown above. My feet don't get wet in the rain. I had to make my own fittings, which means no tilt mechanism, but I've never felt the need for one. An unrecorded additional advantage of fairings is that at picnic stops, the top of the fairing makes a nice place to rest your sandwiches/cake/bananas!
I did seriously think about buying a new one instead of a used one, but the inevitable accidental first scratch inflicted by me convinced me I had made the right decision! It's not difficult make your own fittings - mine were constructed from an adjustable handlebar stem, some aluminium U profile, and hydraulic hose clamps.
I couldn't recommend it highly enough: keeps you warm in cold weather (I need to wear shorts when everyone else is in tights), keeps you surprisingly dry in the rain (wet legs are a big downside of naked recumbents in the rain), and makes a noticeable difference to headwinds. Despite living in a very windy part of the country, side winds have never been an issue. With a tailwind you just fly! It does make a difference to average speed if you are rolling at 14/15mph or more. It also increases your road presence.
Downsides? It adds weight - but not such that I've noticed; transmission noise can be a bit more noticeable; storing and carrying the trike can be a little more awkward. More ingenuity is required for fitting front lights (I haven't got round to tackling that issue yet). None of these issues have proved significant for me, and whilst I made my fairing fittings so that I could remove the fairing quickly, I've never even considered doing so.
Re: fairing for TWBent Artifice trike.
Posted: 6 Nov 2011, 4:59pm
by byegad
No they haven't mine is mounted on the wrong way with the more curved mount at the back, and my feet and legs do stay dry!
Re: fairing for TWBent Artifice trike.
Posted: 6 Nov 2011, 5:06pm
by Cunobelin
byegad wrote:No they haven't mine is mounted on the wrong way with the more curved mount at the back, and my feet and legs do stay dry!
Some people just have a rebellious nature and refuse to conform!
First of all a non standard trike, and then fitting the fairing in the wrong way!
Re: fairing for TWBent Artifice trike.
Posted: 6 Nov 2011, 6:39pm
by rand
My thanks to, Tigerbiten, Cunobelin, Byegad and Hercule, for their responses to my posting.
I feel that my needs would best be served with the Streamer, so if anyone has any info they feel would help me, fire away.
I've just been in touch with Velotechnic and eagerly await their reply.
Rand.
Re: fairing for TWBent Artifice trike.
Posted: 7 Nov 2011, 6:30am
by Cunobelin
rand wrote:My thanks to, Tigerbiten, Cunobelin, Byegad and Hercule, for their responses to my posting.
I feel that my needs would best be served with the Streamer, so if anyone has any info they feel would help me, fire away.
I've just been in touch with Velotechnic and eagerly await their reply.
Rand.
HpVelotechnik are reluctant to deal direct and will refer you to their dealer, Bikefix, Kinetics and London Recumbents.
All have issues with quick responses and time delays can be expected.
Re: fairing for TWBent Artifice trike.
Posted: 7 Nov 2011, 8:55am
by byegad
From personal, well telephone and email, experience I can recommend London Recumbents.
Re: fairing for TWBent Artifice trike.
Posted: 7 Nov 2011, 9:01am
by 3tyretrackterry
i made my fairing using the same plastic as the proper one and some plumbing fittings it works really well and came in at about 75pound and an afternoons work
tigerbiten has seen it as has plantfit both users of this forum
triker1_2009 is my name on photobucket if you want to see photos
HTH
Re: fairing for TWBent Artifice trike.
Posted: 7 Nov 2011, 10:22am
by rand
Byegad,
London recumbents is one of three suppliers of Velotechnik products and I'm awaiting a reply to my emails to them.
I've just recieved reply from Bikefix and they sell them at £380.
HTH,
Many thanks for your suggestion, but I have absolutely NO chance of being able to construct a fairing by myself!
Rand.
Re: fairing for TWBent Artifice trike.
Posted: 7 Nov 2011, 11:29am
by [XAP]Bob
3tyretrackterry wrote:i made my fairing using the same plastic as the proper one and some plumbing fittings it works really well and came in at about 75pound and an afternoons work
tigerbiten has seen it as has plantfit both users of this forum
triker1_2009 is my name on photobucket if you want to see photos
HTH
It certainly looks to do the job!
Re: fairing for TWBent Artifice trike.
Posted: 7 Nov 2011, 11:52am
by rand
Byegad,
I'd appreciate it if you could view the Bikefix Streamer info on the following site and reassure me that it looks to be the same as your Streamer including fittings.
Many thanks,
Rand.
----- Original Message -----
From: bikefix
To: 'David Rand'
Sent: Monday, November 07, 2011 10:48 AM
Subject: RE: Streamer fairing
Here you are...
ftp://ftp.hpvelotechnik.com/anleitungen ... tung_e.pdfStuart
Re: fairing for TWBent Artifice trike.
Posted: 7 Nov 2011, 12:24pm
by byegad
That's the bunny!