A Quest

[meic]

I took yesterday off from Questing. I gave my body a rest by cycling 59 miles on the upright, combining a CTC ride with collecting my car from Martin's house.
I didnt even go into the garage to look at it.

Today I thought I would go out with the simple tasks of wiping the chain to get rid of the excess of black grease that gets me so filthy and removing the excess links causing chain problems.
I have come back, giving up in despair, that learning curve again.

I have plenty of old carpet that I could throw on the garage floor, so I can work on the Quest there, it cant get into my workshop upstairs and there isnt the necessary room free to use there anyway.

To work on the transmission there are two immediate problems, access and that the drive wheel is on the ground.
A plastic tool box under the tail lifts the wheel but you cant then lean on the Quest or put any weight on it, it isnt designed for that. You can turn the cranks by lying down, lifting the front a bit and sticking your arm through the feet holes.
I decided I would start with the Quest on its side, so I had good access to a run of chain and the tensioner. I had to see the tensioner to see how much chain to remove and to do that I needed it in large-large gear. I managed the gearchange on the toolbox moving from leaning into the cockpit to lying on the floor for every three clicks of the shifter.
Then I lay it on the left side again, because I didnt learn out on the road on Sunday. As I am turning the cranks, to find the new section of chain (then going to fetch a headtorch so I can see the chain) the chain falls off the cassette again. Then I spend ages moving the Quest from on one side to another (which means manhandling it across the carpet because I dont have enough space to just roll it right over and get access on both sides) and putting it on and off the toolbox. Having to lean into the cockpit but being unable to support yourself.
At least I have now learned one thing, dont turn the cranks with the bike in first while lying on its left side. I walked away with the chain still stuck behind the cassette, it will be easier when I go back fresh.
Of course this would have taken 10 seconds on the upright because I am set up for it and know exactly what I am doing with them.

[meic]

I dont think that you can compare my experience as a brand new novice without recumbent legs on an old neo-prototype model, to that of an experienced recumbenteer buying a new 6,500 Euro Quest.

[old_windbag]

I've been viewing a few velomobile walk arounds and I think the general concept is spot on and with our current e-technologies I think they could have a future. Some of the practical issues I think could be helped perhaps by outside engineering input to "productionise" them to a new level. I think the access aspects you have raised being important for quick adjustments etc. I get the feeling that due to the small market that the companies making them are making them effectively handbuilt. It would be great for a mass market manufacturer, or a lotus, to get involved to review the designs and create lift off body or access panels and other design tweaks where needed. Some may have these but so far I've not seen them.

I think they have great potential and with a concerted effort to popularise could be advantageous especially on urban commutes. Our infrastructure does not perhaps help on cycle paths with barriers, pinchpoints so maybe best on the road where they can hold their speed. Also the aspect of insurance comes to mind, cycle insurance is ridiculously expensive so I wonder what the premium on a 6500 euro velomobile would be. All things to think about but I think there is much potential in these rare vehicles.

[meic]

Seat Angle 35
-40º (custom made)
•Crank set Shimano 105 triple 52/42/30(hollowtech)
•Pedals Shimano PDM 525 (spd)
Main chain Sachs/Sedis pc59 9sp
Secondary chain Sachs/Sedis pc48 8sp

Sprockets main chain Sram 9v 12-26
Derailleurs Shimano 105
•
Shifters Sram Grip shift attack
•
Freewheel rear second chain Shimano BMX race 18t
Sprocket second chain Ofmega 28t
Brakes MBL Aluminium drum brakes (singe side mounted)
•
Tyres Vredestein Monte Carlo 37-406 95psi

I found this though it was wrongly attached to one of the newer Quests which have a conventional derailleur on a 26" wheel. This Quest has a 20" drive wheel and an intermediate shaft for the cassette with a "cageless" derailleur.
You can see there is an 18/28 ratio from that shaft to the rear wheel but I dont know if it reduces or increases the gearing. My cassette isnt a 12-26 that was probably replaced for a life in Wales.

[reohn2]

Old_windy
Velomobiles will only ever be niche,and even then much more niche than 'bents,'bent trikes are more niche than 'bent bikes for very good reasons.
We're looking a vehicles (trikes 'bent or upwrong,and velo mobiles) that has non of the plusses of a bicycle and all the minuses of width,manoeuvreability,and then some, and that's before we get to cost .

OK there'll be some people that 'bent trikes an velomobiles will work for but they'll always be a small percentage of the whole and the owners will be 99% enthusiasts,for that reason their cost will remain high because they'll always be handbuilt or very small run manufacture.
If we're purely thinking of a to b transport over short <40 miles,small electric cars beat them hands down and there's developments by big motor makers in that field.
If we're talking 10miles or less,upwrong pedelecs (with decent infrastructure)beat either,velomobiles are not practical like trikes aren't.

[meic]

that has non of the plusses of a bicycle and all the minuses of width,manoeuvreability,and then some,

That isnt true is it?
The velomobile and other trikes have many of the advantages of cycles. Zero emissions (not even some off-set to a power station), no need for insurance, licence, VED or helmets, they give you exercise and can even use some cycle infrastructure.

They do have pluses over a cycle like weather protection, they could be left outside comfortably (if they were not so expensive) and then they go twice as fast/far for the same energy output at a moderate pace on flat ground. You can do journeys regardless of the wind direction and strength.

[reohn2]

that has non of the plusses of a bicycle and all the minuses of width,manoeuvreability,and then some,

That isnt true is it?
The velomobile and other trikes have many of the advantages of cycles. Zero emissions (not even some off-set to a power station), no need for insurance, licence, VED or helmets, they give you exercise and can even use some cycle infrastructure.

They do have pluses over a cycle like weather protection, they could be left outside comfortably (if they were not so expensive) and then they go twice as fast/far for the same energy output at a moderate pace on flat ground. You can do journeys regardless of the wind direction and strength.

I was comparing velomobiles and trikes to bicycles.
Weather protection I'll give you.
Left outside on the street ,they'd need some serious locks.
Speed on the flat is killed to death by traffic,like any trike unless they have dedicated cycling infrastructure such as in NL(which I did mention up thread)other traffic holds them up unlike bikes and like 'bent trikes your sat right amonst the fumes from ICE powered vehicles.
Sidewinds in a velomobile could be 'interesting' than a 'bent trike I should imagine and as we know more interesting still on an upwrong,but how many times a year are winds that bad?
Basicaĺy velomobiles are slow cars and hopeless on hills

[meic]

Basicaĺy velomobiles are slow cars

It is 77cm wide. 8" more than a flatbar bike. Possibly no more than my bike with Andrew Hague panniers.
A bit thinner than my Burly trailer.

[reohn2]

Basicaĺy velomobiles are slow cars

It is 77cm wide. 8" more than a flatbar bike. Possibly no more than my bike with Andrew Hague panniers.
A bit thinner than my Burly trailer.

And far less manoeuvreable,you've already found some of its very impracticalities with a simple thing like the chain coming off,what happens if you get a p*n*t*r* in the rear wheel
In traffic it would be as slow as the slowest car.
If it's gridlock I can get off bike and push it if needs be,it ain't gonna happen with a velomobile or a 'bent trike

[tatanab]

It is 77cm wide. 8" more than a flatbar bike. Possibly no more than my bike with Andrew Hague panniers.
A bit thinner than my Burly trailer.

This is something I point out when people say to me that my upright trikes are wide. Sadly many of these people are (bi)cyclists. My widest trike is 75cm which is narrower than "some" mountain bike handlebars. As for riding it; it projects 10cm (a.k.a 4 inches) either side of my elbows so cannot possibly cause a problem to somebody overtaking me. Feeding through traffic is not generally a problem, but it is a lot more manoeuvrable than your Quest could possibly be.

Not my cup of tea at all, but I applaud you for trying it out and look forward to updates on your experiences.

[meic]

My problems with the chain are due to inexperience. Now you mention the chain, it is all original (except our added links) and the cassette because being fully enclosed from the elements and dirt it is near maintenance free! The cassette was perfectly clean gleaming metal between the sprockets.

The punctures are (theoretically) a doddle. Each wheel is single sided, they are already supported on the rotating wheel. You just lever the tyre, turn the wheel peeling it over the rim, pop out the inner tube or even patch in situ. then put the tyre back under the rim rotating the wheel as you pop the bead back into place. I hope not to find out if theory and practice co-incide.

[meic]

Not my cup of tea at all, but I applaud you for trying it out

Who could refuse an offer like having a Quest on loan.

I would even trial an upright trike. I have tried one in Abergevenny car park (pretty sure it was not yours), exactly the same problem as when I first got on a motorcycle combination, my subconscious refused to allow me to turn the bars. It would take me much longer to learn to handle one of those.

[reohn2]

With a rear wheel deflation do you have to look for a mossy bank to roll it on its side ?

Potholes
Leaning on well cambered roads

[meic]

As it isnt mine, yes I do. Possibly I should pack a mat or sheet to lay down for it.

Though if the rear wheel deflates at the wrong time apparently it may find the bank and roll onto it without me having to do anything at all, except crawl out afterwards.

[reohn2]

BTW, is it noisy to ride in say on chip n seal roads?