"We Must be the change we wish to see in the world"
-Ghandi
Why a velomobile?
A velomobile is vehicle that propelled mostly by the muscle power of the rider, and the primary feature that distinguishes it from other pedal powered cycles is the inclusion of a full fairing or shell. The shell can provide several major benefits over an unfaired cycle:
weather protection
cargo capacity
substantially greater speeds through superior aerodynamics.
Increased safety and crash protection
Even more FUN!
The joy and excitement of traveling down the road at 25 to 30 miles an hour under one’s own power with seemingly minimal effort has to be experienced to be believed. At times it makes one feel almost like he or she possesses super powers. An aerodynamic velomobile can provide this experience!
In addition to the content here, also check out The North American Velonaut Blog - lots more there!
Although velomobiles are currently being used by some people in Europe as practical, enjoyable, and environmentally responsible means of personal transportation, there are still relatively few being used in North America. Many people are aware that the supply of fossil fuels is finite and that their overuse is having extreme negative environmental consequences. Using a velomobile is a response to these challenges that is fun, healthy and can make economic sense. This website is intended as a resource for those who are just curious, the prospective velomobile homebuilder as well as the individual considering purchasing a commercially produced, road ready machine.
People often don't quite know how to categorize the velomobile. Frederik Van De Walle, creator of the WAW velomobile, wrote his masters thesis on the adoption of the velomobile as practical transportation. In it, Van De Walle offers a different way of thinking about how velomobiles fit into the transporation mix.. Click Here to read this document .