A Quest

[[XAP]Bob]

bear in mind that you can easily improve on the quest aero

Can you? I would have thought there was not much there left to be had.

Masses to be had.
If you close the floor panel, and enclose the top (which you can't do at the moment for heating reasons) as well as the options at the front to be tighter then you'll make significant improvements.
The wheels could also be improved - assuming they aren't already disc covered, and probably enlarged at the front - could even be widened and enlarged, with independent aero shells.

Of course it's a different vehicle, but that's the point, I think we should be engineering 'up' from a velociraptor, not 'down' from a car.

[reohn2]

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........

I meant to reply to this post earlier and forgot
75cm is wide in comparison to most bikes used on the the road,65cm would be at the upper end for width flat barred bikes and dropped bar bikes are rarely wider than 44cm.The silly wide 750cm> MTB bars are simply bonkers and unnecessary even on the roughest single track.
But that's not the whole story,trikes are wide where you don't want them to be for negotiating traffic which is at the widest point of the vast majority of cars,cars are narrower above the window line,not counting the wingmirrors that is.In tight situations in standing traffic with moving on coming traffic I regularly ride past the offside of up to 20 cars(four or five TL changes )which I very much doubt would be possible on a trike of any kind,and on a 'bent trike I certainly wouldn't be able to see over cars for if the jam I'm overtaking begins to move up ahead.
Sorry for being pedantic but in heavy slow moving traffic nothing is quicker than a twowheeler with the high riding position of an upwrong,light,highly manoeuvreable,switchable to pedestrian mode if needs be,easily parked and stored,etc,etc

[Tigerbiten]

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........

But that's not the whole story,trikes are wide where you don't want them to be for negotiating traffic which is at the widest point of the vast majority of cars,cars are narrower above the window line,not counting the wingmirrors that is.In tight situations in standing traffic with moving on coming traffic I regularly ride past the offside of up to 20 cars(four or five TL changes )which I very much doubt would be possible on a trike of any kind,and on a 'bent trike I certainly wouldn't be able to see over cars for if the jam I'm overtaking begins to move up ahead.

I agree ......
I ride a bent tadpole trike and I find it a lot wider than a bike.

If I put my left front wheel where a bikes front wheel would be, normal for me, then my right front wheel is 18"-24" further out than a bikes riders hand. It does make for better overtakes by cars because I'm that much wider.

If I try and ride with my back wheel on the same line as a bikes back wheel so I'm a similar width to a bike, then my left front wheel will be so close to/over the curb as to make it dangerous unless I'm very slow. I only ride like this uphill while I'm trying to make it easier for cars to overtake me.

Luck ...........

[[XAP]Bob]

I manage to filter past traffic queues quite adequately on two or three wheels...

Given the overwhelming growth in Stupidly Upsized Vehicles it isn't a given that you can see past them on anything other than a tall bike.

[reohn2]

I manage to filter past traffic queues quite adequately on two or three wheels...

But three wheels will be more difficult or dicey in tight situations.

Given the overwhelming growth in Stupidly Upsized Vehicles it isn't a given that you can see past them on anything other than a tall bike.

On an upwrong there aren't many cars I can't see over,on a 'bent trike there are very few I could,the odd open top MX5 maybe?

[[XAP]Bob]

Three wheels isn't more dicey IME - the advantage of being able to stop without putting a foot down, and making progress at a defined, and visible to others, width outweighs the slight 'narrowness' benefit of two wheels.

tue dynamic width of a two wheeler is generally given as 1m - which is actually wider than a trike...

[meic]

But three wheels will be more difficult or dicey in tight situations.

But they dont fall over on tram lines, manhole covers or diesel spills. You persistently look at this with a very strong bias filter, only able to see the drawbacks of one vehicle type, while ignoring the drawbacks of the other.

I reckon that in deep city traffic jams the two wheeler is good for filtering but in moving urban traffic like Carmarthen the velomobile with a suitably battle hardened rider could hold its own as another vehicle in the traffic flow (with the exception of a few longer climbs), where a two wheeler would have to make space to be overtaken.
On my upright I already ride as if I am another car and only filter at the town's one ASL.

[reohn2]

I agree I'm biased,that's why I don't ride a trike of any sort,and whilst I agree about tramlines and diesel spills etc,they're something twowheelers learn to cope with as you would with the disadvantages of trikes and velomobiles.
To put the record straight I think trikes and velomobiles are great if they work for you,if they don't they're not and that's why they're in the minority.

[meic]

I dont think that they will work for me. I dont think the reason that they are not on the streets is because they dont work but because very few people have tried them. The reasons will be tradition and much higher start up prices.
It is accepted by many people that an upright is NOT to be ridden once the temperature gets below 4 deg C (you will find it in this Forum). In a world dominated by trikes that would be seen as a reason never to lose your third wheel.

[reohn2]

I dont think that they will work for me. I dont think the reason that they are not on the streets is because they dont work but because very few people have tried them. The reasons will be tradition and much higher start up prices.
It is accepted by many people that an upright is NOT to be ridden once the temperature gets below 4 deg C (you will find it in this Forum). In a world dominated by trikes that would be seen as a reason never to lose your third wheel.

Cost is of course is a factor,especially in the UK where utility cycling isn't as popular or taken as seriously as other northern European countries.
But trikes(other than cargo trikes) aren't as popular in those northern European countries where utility cycling is far more popular,valued more,where winters are harsher than the UK,with temps getting well below 4 deg C and snow and ice far more prevalent,and where cycling infrastructure is far more developed than here,and where more people tend to ride year round than in the UK.
There are good reasons for that which I think I've made a case for on this thread.
I'm not trike bashing ,just trying to put forward why as I see it trikes and Velomobiles aren't popular which is that their limitations are more than upright twowheeler.

[old_windbag]

The arguments about manoevring in and out out cars apply to our streets as they are now, car cluttered and congested. If we could change perceptions of transport and introduce designs such as one man vehicles, e-assisted velo's etc to move joe public away from constant car use then manoevring would be a very low priority as we'd mostly be travelling in similar efficient, low c of g,stable when stationary, lightweight vehicles with emptier streets. Pricing would be mproved by mass manufacture but it's a chicken and egg situation my non optimistic side knows will never be won....... especially when high powered electric suv's become the trend.

It's a utopian vision I know but it would make for a more pleasant environment and a transport that could be used year round safely. The bad winter of 2010 made me look at sporty trikes as an option to escape the house, being holed up for 6-7 weeks. I know I could get spiked tyres and ride, but when you're they only bread winner any accident can end up as a crisis. On here in many ways we are preaching to the converted in terms of using alternative transport where it is more applicable, the general public I don't feel are as open minded. If I just mention getting a bus I'm viewed as a heretic because I also own a car.

[[XAP]Bob]

I dont think that they will work for me. I dont think the reason that they are not on the streets is because they dont work but because very few people have tried them. The reasons will be tradition and much higher start up prices.
It is accepted by many people that an upright is NOT to be ridden once the temperature gets below 4 deg C (you will find it in this Forum). In a world dominated by trikes that would be seen as a reason never to lose your third wheel.

Cost is of course is a factor,especially in the UK where utility cycling isn't as popular or taken as seriously as other northern European countries.
But trikes(other than cargo trikes) aren't as popular in those northern European countries where utility cycling is far more popular,valued more,where winters are harsher than the UK,with temps getting well below 4 deg C and snow and ice far more prevalent,and where cycling infrastructure is far more developed than here,and where more people tend to ride year round than in the UK.
There are good reasons for that which I think I've made a case for on this thread.
I'm not trike bashing ,just trying to put forward why as I see it trikes and Velomobiles aren't popular which is that their limitations are more than upright twowheeler.

I ride a 'bent trike, a 'bent low racer, an upright drop bar bike, an upright folder...
I also have access to a Christiania sbox.

I ride 14 miles to work and back...
On a dry day I take the low racer.
If rain (or other precipitation) is expected then I take the trike.
I also take the trike if I need load carrying capability. It can happily take several weeks worth of clothes/food etc...

The uprights are generally only used for short (<5-10 mile) journeys where parking is possibly an issue, or for escorting a child (where matching styles is useful)

Traffic doesn't feature in my decision making - I can filter past traffic on the trike as easily as on the upright(s)


One reason that trikes aren't used as much on the continent is that they have dedicated cycle infrastructure - which is maintained. They can be gritted, if you fall over then you fall over and get back up, you don't fall under a bus.

* The low racer is set up as a dry weather vehicle - no guards etc...

[Vorpal]

I'm not sure that infrastructure is the only reason. I saw a recumbent the other day. It was ridden by someone who appeared to have some physical difficulties. I can count on one hand the number of times I have a 'bent here. I would think that recumbent trikes would be ideal for those crazy enough to carry on cycling in the Norwegian winter. Maybe it's down to their reputation for poor performance on hills. Or maybe it's just that it's such a relatively small market, companies don't bother with much non-standard stuff. That certainly seems to be the case when I try to get parts. I often end up ordering from abroad, because I can't find things here.

[[XAP]Bob]

It's not the only reason, but each reason you take away pushes them further into 'niche'

[reohn2]

Bob
I can think of a number of times when a trike of any kind would be a PITA and only a very few when a trike or velomobile would be a plus,ice and possibly windy weather being the only two I can think of.
I can see well cambered roads leaving me a little dis-chuffed after a short while,I'm a bit of a nosey crow too so being below hedge/garden wall height would leave me feeling like I was riding in a tunnel,of course YVWV