fairing for TWBent Artifice trike.

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rand
Posts: 318
Joined: 5 Mar 2008, 6:38pm

fairing for TWBent Artifice trike.

Post 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.
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Tigerbiten
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Joined: 29 Jun 2009, 6:49am

Re: fairing for TWBent Artifice trike.

Post 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 ..... :evil:
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 ............ :D
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Cunobelin
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Re: fairing for TWBent Artifice trike.

Post 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:

Image

Windwrap XT in Winter:

Image
byegad
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Joined: 3 Sep 2007, 9:44am

Re: fairing for TWBent Artifice trike.

Post by byegad »

Streamer on QNT. Faster downhill, into a wind for this slow rider. Dry legs and feet in rain and cool looking.
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"I thought of that while riding my bike." -Albert Einstein, on the Theory of Relativity

2007 ICE QNT
2008 Hase Kettwiesel AL27
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1951 engine
hercule
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Re: fairing for TWBent Artifice trike.

Post 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.
byegad
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Re: fairing for TWBent Artifice trike.

Post 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!
"I thought of that while riding my bike." -Albert Einstein, on the Theory of Relativity

2007 ICE QNT
2008 Hase Kettwiesel AL27
2011 Catrike Trail
1951 engine
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Cunobelin
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Re: fairing for TWBent Artifice trike.

Post 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!
rand
Posts: 318
Joined: 5 Mar 2008, 6:38pm

Re: fairing for TWBent Artifice trike.

Post 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.
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Cunobelin
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Re: fairing for TWBent Artifice trike.

Post 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.
byegad
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Re: fairing for TWBent Artifice trike.

Post by byegad »

From personal, well telephone and email, experience I can recommend London Recumbents.
"I thought of that while riding my bike." -Albert Einstein, on the Theory of Relativity

2007 ICE QNT
2008 Hase Kettwiesel AL27
2011 Catrike Trail
1951 engine
3tyretrackterry
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Joined: 15 May 2010, 9:40pm
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Re: fairing for TWBent Artifice trike.

Post 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
rand
Posts: 318
Joined: 5 Mar 2008, 6:38pm

Re: fairing for TWBent Artifice trike.

Post 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.
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[XAP]Bob
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Re: fairing for TWBent Artifice trike.

Post 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!
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
rand
Posts: 318
Joined: 5 Mar 2008, 6:38pm

Re: fairing for TWBent Artifice trike.

Post 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.pdf

Stuart
byegad
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Joined: 3 Sep 2007, 9:44am

Re: fairing for TWBent Artifice trike.

Post by byegad »

That's the bunny! :D
"I thought of that while riding my bike." -Albert Einstein, on the Theory of Relativity

2007 ICE QNT
2008 Hase Kettwiesel AL27
2011 Catrike Trail
1951 engine
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