Sometimes, could be great option to introduce these in a bike share situation, and have the city centre made car free (replacing the electric smart share option there is now) They do potentially clog up the bike lanes, as the motorversions do. Question: does Conor fit it them?
I was just about to mention that, but decided to read through comments. no need to invent the wheel twice, right?. Perhaps he got narrow sloping shoulders, or alternatively the seatbelts is a rubbish design.. it should be a H-harness or similar. Wearing those flimsy loose nylon straps would not do much if he got hit by a car and pinballing between immovable objects, and honestly a bicycle helmet should still be mandatory in one of these.
He clearly doesn't know he has to tighten the straps manually after buckling up. It is so obvious, though, having those hoops and flappy bits right there...
1) Wet miserable weather is the hallmark of UK weather, especially the west side. If you want to use those bikes in the UK (where GCN is based), that's the weather they have to perform in.
Honestly, I think this is a better idea than most would initially believe. This is good for people who wouldn't otherwise bike because they're concerned about the weather or comfort as he said in the video.
The fact that it's called "drycycle", but it's roof opens up to let the rain into the interior is just genius design. Clearly never tested this in rain and just hoped the peace and love garbage will carry it to success.
@@ww-pw6di what a stupid comment. When you’re inside and it’s raining you stay dry, hence it’s name. Of course if you open it up and it’s raining you’re going to get wet. But that’s just like opening your car door in the rain, the inside gets wet. Hardly something to pick at is it?!
@@20yearsagotoday1 well...if i open my car door everything inside still stays dry. unlike this thing where you basicly open the whole roof. you cant even open the windows in this box. drivin this on a sunny summerday will be very uncomfortable i assume.
Atleast the tech is a bit better. All of the electronics are smaller and lighter, and probably the whole frame too. It's still too expensive for any realistic consumer and too cumbersome.
The did the same thing with vr till it caught on, if not now then next time, I mean we only got like 70 years left till we're all dead from glabal warming anyway
@@zilfondel Organic Transit was acquired by Sun Micromobility. From what I’ve read in the community, OT’s production was a mess, with no actual drawn schematics, and the entire build process was taught in their workshop by word of mouth, so it’s taken Sun Micromobility a long time to reverse engineer the ELF and sort out their own production. A few months they tweeted that they would be beginning production again “soon”, but they’re largely unresponsive to attempts to contact them. I THINK one of Sun’s goals is going to be like a bike-share arrangement, so they might prioritise that rather than consumer rollout, but an ELF, assuming I could get one into Australia, is near the top of my wish list.
Canada fr if you see a person behind you with long hair expect to be either ram off the road, tailgated or suicide passed on a freeway because they're probably a female
I was wondering the same thing. In the front I noticed a small clear wind screen that seems to overlap with the canopy. I don't know if this closes the gap all around or just in the front.
That’s because this channel is 99% “entertainment”. Which is kind of a shame. They could make excellent videos with actual content. They have the talent and equipment and money and connections.
Or top speed, or braking distance or sound while inside, rear view mirror view, night time visibility, spare tire possibility, range, or about a dozen other things you would want to know.
£15,000 or $21,000 That literally cost more than a brand new car. Like, wtf!? I don't hate the idea, in concept, but this product is a total rip off. You'd have to be an idiot to purchase one at that price.
Everything that's new is priced like this. Early adopters basically fund extended field testing. Most things aren't really practical or affordable until about the third iteration or so--or at least, only the ones with potential get that far.
@@joemerino3243 the problem with this finding that niche in the market is that it's already been well and truly filled. There's basically Velomobiel who've cornered this market for decades. And those are about half the price, from a manufacturer with a proven track record. And the reason why Velomobiel have cornered the market is because they basically started out building aero shelled recumbents that could do 60-70kph with no electrical assistance. This thing isn't aero at all. It needs the electric assistance to even sustain 25kph.
@@fermitupoupon1754 Velomobiel looks great as a pedal machine that goes fast, but you'd have to be pretty brave to take it on a street that has inattentive drivers on it. I doubt it would be street legal in many markets for that reason. This thing is taller and has lights, making it (hopefully) more noticeable to drivers and less likely to be run over by a car.
There are some new electric cars in this price range now. I think outside of a handful of people who really really love this concept and have plenty of disposable income and don't mind paying a extortionate price for an ebike in a box, this nextgen C5 will do about as well as the C5. At least Sir Clive got the price of his C5 to a more reasonable level, although this one having a roof is a step forward.
I don't think you know how expensive Pedelecs are. And on top of that there is low number production, meaning no benefits of scales of economy kick in. It's also using some specialists parts and the chassis certainly isn't cheap or easy to manufacture either. I wouldn't buy it for this price, but economically it's completely understandable.
The price of a thing is determined largely by what someone is prepared to pay for it. If you can build it, and make a profit, at that price, you have a viable product.
Ralph and The British Urchin Company: sure, but I'm convinced only a few rich eccentrics will be prepared to pay this sort of money for this sort of thing. And not all of them will end up doing 2,000 miles in it as they'll be laughed at and honked at by irritated car and lorry drivers more than they can bear (especially in a country like the UK, with such poor cycling infrastructure and so many, erm, 'unreconstructed' drivers), so the environmental benefits seem questionable to me too.
I wonder how the GCN crew feels about their objectively most badass presenter being a regular guest who rides an ebike and wears his glasses under his helmet straps.
To be honest, it's amazing and been wanting to have one while watching the video, until I found out about the price, with its price I could buy a decent electric car. I think it's overpriced, and if it's stayed that way, I can't see it kicking off.
I agree, it is ver very interesting concept, but the price have to be optimized - may be at 4.000-6.000 € people would get seriously interested. I think a well priced DIY self-assembly kit would be a great option too.
@@Zwiesel66 the chassis cost 2800 alone to make from alu.. because of the low scale it was just too expensive to make.. they we're only breaking even at 14k
A Drycycle will be in the grupetto of a Human Powered Vehicle race. The Drycycle seems to be build to run in normal city traffic and not for speed. Such a race is really crazy. They have all kind of wired constructions. Its more like a steampunk convention without steam than a biycle race.
I actually burst out laughing when he mentioned "style points" for the challenge. This thing looks like a Walmart replica of a "Smart" car made for children. There is so much wrong with this idea I don't know where to begin. Just as it was with the Smart car.
@Buster Cherry You're not going to be able to justify your selfishness once all vehicles move to renewable green energy. Sure it'll be a another decade or two until this happens, and they'll have to drive a lot further to offset their manufacturing emissions, but your days of being conceited about being more eco friendly are numbered, unlike I suspect, your days of being a selfish git. In truth though, those days are also numbered, as none of us are immortal.
No window opening -> "dying" in hot weather. And what about fogging the windows on cold days? How good is the heater - and how long does it last? And how does it perform uphill?
I’ve often thought some sort of covered recumbent could in some world be a nice option, and now with the electric assist they seem to be able to overcome some of the difficulties with recumbents. Still, as noted it isn’t really a car replacement and so at that price it still seems at best a niche product for people whose lifestyle happens to be a perfect fit or who just have money to throw around. Still, it’s pretty cool
Hmm, so it combines the low speed and exertion of a bicycle, with the higher cost and parking needs of a car. All the while reducing the maneuverability that is the bicyclist's only real defense against dangerous drivers.
Ok but really, the reason for having any vehicle is for the stereo and definitely, they proved you can stick some beer in the back. Get me a cooler and sign me up... I may ride it while playing disc golf!
Actually the shell makes you safer in a collision. But getting a real velomobile like a Mango is way better, you can even put a pedal assist in it if you want.
only way i can see this being remotely useful if you live in the countryside with shitty piblic transport and never try to ride that shit into the city and that's assuming you actually have a problem with riding a normal bike in the rain often
The most I've spent on a car is 3k, 15k for a bike is unreal in the real world of commuting.. taking a 30min drive without the sweat over an 1:15 - 1:30 cycle with the sweat at a work place with no shower or decent place to change..
15k is more than some cheap subcompact cars, though the cost will likely decrease dramatically with increased production. even then i gather people would buying into this only if there are additional tax incentives, or if space is at a premium where they live making cars substantially more cost prohibitive.
Pretty cool actually, I can see this becoming a thing in the future when prices drop. I think for ~5k (some) people would buy it. However, I think adding a second seat would make this way more interesting for most people. If it becomes more popular, probably it's going to be treated like a small car, though.
ofc, the gov can't take the finacial hit from losing the petrol tax money, when a lot of people start driving electric bikes and things like this the gov will require us to register it, pay insurance, yearly check and all the tedious stuff and i can already smell the "lithium" tax
I hope if they do, they make it more like a motorcycle license. I shouldn't have to be able to drive a car to be able to ride a bike that happens to look like a car and have 4 wheels. This wouldn't be an issue if they would just make bike lanes everywhere but at least in my city, people complain about the few lanes we get
Only enough boot space for a 4-pack and flowers. When I go to the grocer’s I need to be able to bring back a 12-pack at the very least. Back to the drawing board with you.
Great idea for running around town in Japan, where I live, except: 1) in western Japan we use A/C 8 or 9 months a year; this would be stifling; 2) a parking lot for these would have to be 2 or 3 times larger than one for the same number of bicycles.
Well, stylistically, I don’t think it could be made uglier if the designers had tried. I imagine that it would make a great Sauna on a summer’s day. There is no way on earth that I would consider purchasing one of those.
It's like they tried to make it look like a cute pixar face, but it ends up looking really ugly and not even aerodynamic. I bet those headlights cause so much drag.
More videos like this GCN please. Both genius and bonkers. Bikes have barely changed in 100+ years, it's good to see attempts to innovate. Also: Simon great presenter as usual!
Me: we need a ultra-small, very cheap, electric car for people to commute to work. Possibly with one spare seat. Also me: you basically failed on every point.
No insurance, no training or qualification, no safety inspection, no identifying marks….. but, full access to general traffic, all requiring the previous….. What could possibly go wrong 🤔
For me that was like a "what idiot did that" moment. You could have designed it any way, with any cool LEDs, but no - smiley face. Might sell well in Japan or Korea.
this is one of those machines that everyone imagines, but very few manufacturers have the common sense to actually build. a bicycle which keeps people dry is a no-brainer and should have been built 100 years ago. it looks like it could also offer a little bit of protection to the cyclist too.
@@faustinpippin9208 you're full of shit. no waterproof clothing keeps anyone or anything completely dry. for example, tents come with waterproof ratings (in other words, they can't withstand any volume of rain) and waterproof sprays should be applied to tents. what magical waterproof clothing do you wear that keeps you completely dry in heavy rain, and why is your magical waterproof clothing not used to manufacture tents?
Exactly, I paid less for a new Ford Fiesta (the cheapest one you could buy in the USA) in late 2017. I think you would be far better off riding your normal bike when weather permits and using your car when it snows.
Was thinking the same thing as you boys. 15k is kinda steep for what it offers. Get a tiny car and a moped, gonna cost about the same, but be faster, safer and more convenient.
@@stajp67 I quite like the look of that and does seem like the sort of vehicle the Sinclair C5 would become if it had succeeded and evolved over the years. I know if I had £5k to spend and I could have a super lightweight carbon fibre road bike with electronic shifting or that I'd definitely go with the grantsinclair vehicle. I like the fact he has used a direct drive hub motor too as they are extremely low maintenance in comparison to the complicated mid-drive motors some similar vehicles have.
I remember being a kid and putting a cardboard box on my BMX bike. I cut windows, and even made doors. It was practically useless, but it felt awesome!
@@tarstarkusz Yikes, is that how much this vehicle costs? Then again, 14k is pennies to the rich and wealthy. That's the type of person I envision driving these e toys.
@@coastaku1954 Exactly. If you’re going to build something like that, an enclosed 3-4 vehicle, it should absolutely not weigh more than 100kg. I’m thinking a three wheel vehicle in delta configuration, with a low rider in the center to solve the problem of low stability in the corners for delta trikes. For coolness over a velomobile, it should have a bubble canopy. Shaped like a bullet, but with the option of a motor, electric or ICE, behind the rider between the two rear wheels.
I love this type of Bike it’s easier to keep from being stolen if it’s larger if it has a housing to keep you out of the rain lockable area for your supplies that you picked up when you come out of the grocery store or hardware you want to find it still there.
Hell contact the company an Rowan Atkinson with details how to contact each other. I did that with two european bands an they came to USA to the club I gave them booking contact info on. The second band came with the first band; the next year if I recall. So it was no accident. Nor would I have thought it ever was
I would hate to see these on dedicated bike paths taking up the entire path as though no one else existed or should be allowed to use a bike path besides themselves.
I would love to see them getting crushed between two trucks. Would give the drivers a bonus if the occupant was still in because only a knob would buy one of these waste of a good space.
I would happily pay 1500 for this, maybe even 2000. I'd reluctantly pay 3000 and still feel like it's a worthwhile investment. At MOST I would pay 5000 for it. But 15000?! That is the price of a real car! Why are they doing this? These companies are cursing us to never be able to transition to motorless streets and also condeming themselves to bankruptcy.
I was thinking... Cyclist: I wish I didn't get wet when I cycle in the rain... World Class Engineer: Got you covered, you are going to love the specs! Designer: *please leave a message after beep* Engineers 4 year old son: I drewed a van!
Designers dont care at all...only they appears if there is any design competition with the most important trademarks around the world. Otherwise, cyclists have solved the big problem of rainy days because there are some videos of creative people put a special umbrella on the bicycle.
@@walterretlaw4051 Yeah I remember those things, it was basically a clear pop up thing that went around the bike and biker. It worked I suppose and rather hilarious but no more so than this thing.
We only hate the cyclists that: change Lane and overtake in intersections, don't indicate, drive the wrong way and ride on the sidewalk. There are at least 5 om my daily commute that manages that. Could be They All are driving instructors?
@@firesurfer I'm just as pissed by motorists not indicating, especially in roundabouts and changing Lanes in intersections ( not least a danger to cyclists). IT is equally bad. However waiting in the right lane to turn right (not from the UK) IT is an extra stress factor, when after making sure the intersection is free, you are overtaken in the inside or a cyclist is suddently in front of you as you do your turn. To Begin with you have 3 directions you need to make sure are free, adding two other is almost impossible to process in traffic. I'd Imagine that most of These cyclists hold a drivers license? In that case I find IT reasonable if more countries had laws like Germany, that if you get caught holding a license, you are penalized as if you were behind the wheel, i.e. a hefty fine and more driving lessons?
My in laws live in a gated community in SC. It is also a huge golf course, so their back yard butts up against a beak of pine trees, that line part of the golf course. Evey house has a 2 car garage and a smaller door on the garage, for a golf cart. Besides using these electric golf carts for golf, they use them for getting around the neighborhood and even doing local shopping. There is a large grocery store and a few restaurants that are also accessible by cart.
Years ago when I was still cycling a bit I dreamed of having something just like this (with electric motor assist) for commuting to work. It’s a brilliant idea.
The idea, yes, is brilliant. The execution however is quite literally the worst that I have ever seen in a market that already has some pretty horrible options if you look for them. I cannot even count the ways in which this monstrosity fails.
And when you get to work ...two hours late after sitting in traffic all the way (Because you cant filter or ride around stationary cars or even fit in a cycle lane), where would you park it? and in the summer, how would you get rid of the smell that you create from days of hot sweaty riding..be like working out in a sauna, that you cant clean. An electric assit bike is an ideal commuter for those who don't want to work up a massive sweat. The tech we need already exists, is proven, is working and is getting better and better every day
just wondering if this company is still active. I cannot find an active website to do any deeper digging. I'm very interested in fully enclosed velomobiles and unfortunately the only other one I've been able to find (the veemo in vancouver bc) has changed tack and is no longer fully enclosed.
Si: "You might be thinking ..." Me, actually thinking: "So someone actually thought the Sinclair C5 was sufficiently far back enough in history that it was worth resurrecting from ignominy and trying again?"
If you could charge it up at home by pedaling in place while watching a show, that would be awesome. Get super in shape, help the environment, save money.
The C5 was an awful device, under battery alone its range was only one mile, it was so low it placed the operator below car wing mirror height, making them difficult to see, it was an open vehicle so you still had to wear waterproof clothing or get wet, it wasn't an innovation but by being so bad it set back electric and electrically assisted vehicles for decades. At the same time the U36 which eventually became the MiniEl was first shown, it was fully electrically powered with a thirty mile range at up to thirty miles an hour, with single seat forward and space for two young children facing backwards at the rear, it was fully enclosed so ordinary cloths could be worn, and if you didn't have the children with you you could pack most of a weeks shopping in the rear, the C5 boasted one cubic foot of storage, a packet of cereals, four pints of milk, a pack of rolls, and not much more !!. The project was the cooperation between two designers, one Scottish and one Danish, the MiniEl as it became was produced in Randers Denmark, for less money than Sinclair spent on advertising the Dane's via public subscription built a new factory and went into production, possibly a little early as the electrics on some were a bit problematical, the vehicle was eventually sold to a German company who manufactured it in Germany for many years, I had lost track of the project by then, I had been involved with the prototype body build here in Scotland and it would be the first of many projects the designer Ray Innes and I would work on, I still have the first fibreglass lower shell at the back of my workshop, this would have been around eighty two/three time, David Calder was the other body shell builder and Steen Jensen was the Danish designer, unfortunately both designers have since passed on. Without the C5 we may have seen EV's as an acceptable alternative somewhat sooner in this country, but such is life.
The C5 was an awful device, under battery alone its range was only one mile, it was so low it placed the operator below car wing mirror height, making them difficult to see, it was an open vehicle so you still had to wear waterproof clothing or get wet, it wasn't an innovation but by being so bad it set back electric and electrically assisted vehicles for decades. At the same time the U36 which eventually became the MiniEl was first shown, it was fully electrically powered with a thirty mile range at up to thirty miles an hour, with single seat forward and space for two young children facing backwards at the rear, it was fully enclosed so ordinary cloths could be worn, and if you didn't have the children with you you could pack most of a weeks shopping in the rear, the C5 boasted one cubic foot of storage, a packet of cereals, four pints of milk, a pack of rolls, and not much more !!. The project was the cooperation between two designers, one Scottish and one Danish, the MiniEl as it became was produced in Randers Denmark, for less money than Sinclair spent on advertising the Dane's via public subscription built a new factory and went into production, possibly a little early as the electrics on some were a bit problematical, the vehicle was eventually sold to a German company who manufactured it in Germany for many years, I had lost track of the project by then, I had been involved with the prototype body build here in Scotland and it would be the first of many projects the designer Ray Innes and I would work on, I still have the first fibreglass lower shell at the back of my workshop, this would have been around eighty two/three time, David Calder was the other body shell builder and Steen Jensen was the Danish designer, unfortunately both designers have since passed on. Without the C5 we may have seen EV's as an acceptable alternative somewhat sooner in this country, but such is life.
The C5 was an awful device, under battery alone its range was only one mile, it was so low it placed the operator below car wing mirror height, making them difficult to see, it was an open vehicle so you still had to wear waterproof clothing or get wet, it wasn't an innovation but by being so bad it set back electric and electrically assisted vehicles for decades. At the same time the U36 which eventually became the MiniEl was first shown, it was fully electrically powered with a thirty mile range at up to thirty miles an hour, with single seat forward and space for two young children facing backwards at the rear, it was fully enclosed so ordinary cloths could be worn, and if you didn't have the children with you you could pack most of a weeks shopping in the rear, the C5 boasted one cubic foot of storage, a packet of cereals, four pints of milk, a pack of rolls, and not much more !!. The project was the cooperation between two designers, one Scottish and one Danish, the MiniEl as it became was produced in Randers Denmark, for less money than Sinclair spent on advertising the Dane's via public subscription built a new factory and went into production, possibly a little early as the electrics on some were a bit problematical, the vehicle was eventually sold to a German company who manufactured it in Germany for many years, I had lost track of the project by then, I had been involved with the prototype body build here in Scotland and it would be the first of many projects the designer Ray Innes and I would work on, I still have the first fibreglass lower shell at the back of my workshop, this would have been around eighty two/three time, David Calder was the other body shell builder and Steen Jensen was the Danish designer, unfortunately both designers have since passed on. Without the C5 we may have seen EV's as an acceptable alternative somewhat sooner in this country, but such is life.
@@CrusaderSports250 It was originally intended to be just a fun machine and for the profits from it to finance 2 and eventually 4 person electric cars. Unfortunately it bombed and that didn't happen.
I believe that this product has big potential in the future. This is perfect for people who need to travel in a city, be severely cost-effective than a car, and possible easy storage. The major issues are glaring however like you can't go on sidewalks, the pedal assist is not fast enough to share the road with other vehicles, and parking & securing this product will be difficult. I want this innovation to take off!
Apparently rentable e-scooters are now a thing, or so I heard, which means, people who used to walk or ride the bike, have now established a way to move their lazy asses even less. Not sure who the target group is for a bike with a roof that for technical reasons you mostly have to drive in the road. With cars.
@maxmeier532 I agree as I'm currently overseas, and I see people using scooters on rocky terrain. I find this useful to me because I live in the north east and it snows a lot. I don't own a car yet.
If it were attempting to replace vespa scooters or motorcycles, I could see it working, but not as a pedal vehicle. It looks too similar to a tiny car to go in bike lanes, bike parking, on the side walk, etc. making it less convenient than a bike. But it's as slow as a pedal vehicle, so cars then get stuck behind it, and looking like a car while not having the capabilities of a car is dangerous, since people will think it is much safer and high powered than it actually is. Stick a motocycle engine in it and make the storage big enough to hold groceries, and I think it would be sellable. It won't be as emission-free, but it'd be less than a car, and they could up charge to have optional pedaling for those who want exercise.
I always thought an enclosed single-seater pedal-assist with room for groceries, limited battery, and built-in solar would be a good combo. Target range: 60mi/96km or 80mi/129km assisted. This is similar to what I imagined. Needs a little more room, a little more power, and some of that solar. Would be good for just about anywhere with modern roads within the range and off the highway.
@Mr Brightside that comparison assumes that the other vehicle would be ~ $15,000 yes? Maybe it could even be made cheaper than this car. (Would be an accomplishment I grant you)
@Mr Brightside there is a lot of assumptions in your position, like what the public will see as a "proper electric car". The one seater size and low-ish battery capacity gets it close in weight to the attempts to make an all solar moving car, adding the ability to peddle would possibly add enough energy to the equation for casual use with no charge. The small size also opens up the possibility of a single press frame. Your suggestion and mine are likely similar costs. While yours is more likely better suited for the highway, I would assert that mine is more suitable as a in-city or town-to-town daily driver for anyone who wants or doesn't mind peddling.
@Mr Brightside yes, you can buy your car now. Yes, that is a big deal. But the teorectical nature of the car was baked into my first comment. as to weather or not such a car (which could run without pedaling only to burn a little more energy) would sell : I still think it's competitive. A: it manages to make a practical vehicle whos energy supply is roughly equal to it's energy consumption when used in a particular way. B: people do want to add exercise back into their lives and see transportation as a means of doing this, look at all the cyclists that already exist both in city and rural areas. C: as a larger and larger share of vehicles are run by taxis, particularly if we get automated cars, there will likely be a need for such a low-cost midrange vehicle. this is the only point these vehicles both have.
Someone has definitely been channeling Clive Sinclair, though with 40 years' technical advances this just might work. Personaly I think it could do with being stretched 3 feet and being used as a parcel delivery thing.
If I bought a Drycycle I'd be wet every day. Not from the rain, but from the tears of sadness I'd be shedding daily because I now have zero friends. 😂😂😂
why a coffin? no one is gonna hit you given how much atention you attract with this vehicle it doesnt even go fast, just 25 km/h. you're defnitely more protected crashing in this than in a bike there are many other criticisms that could be made to this vehicle but you're just creating drama
Would you ride a Drycycle around your city? Let us know in the comments below!
Yes
Definitely, anything that challenges the cult of the car
Would love to in case of sufficient infrastructure, but thats not yet the case here in Budapest. I wouldnt feel safe amongst the cars.
Indeed I would!
Sometimes, could be great option to introduce these in a bike share situation, and have the city centre made car free (replacing the electric smart share option there is now)
They do potentially clog up the bike lanes, as the motorversions do.
Question: does Conor fit it them?
Clearly GCN meetings always begin with the question “how are we going to cause havoc on the streets of Bath this week?”
😂 they love us really...
really now? 🤣🤣🤣
Either that or “what can we get Hank to do next”.
Have you ever taken a bath in Bath?
@@mikes1984 or eaten a sandwich in Sandwich
Si: “You might be thinking… (a boatload of options)”
Me actually thinking: “Why the hell is he wearing that seatbelt so wrong?”
makes nonsense of the demo
Yeah - that bothered me so much watching this.
I was just about to mention that, but decided to read through comments. no need to invent the wheel twice, right?. Perhaps he got narrow sloping shoulders, or alternatively the seatbelts is a rubbish design.. it should be a H-harness or similar. Wearing those flimsy loose nylon straps would not do much if he got hit by a car and pinballing between immovable objects, and honestly a bicycle helmet should still be mandatory in one of these.
Me: Why does it have a smiley face?
He clearly doesn't know he has to tighten the straps manually after buckling up.
It is so obvious, though, having those hoops and flappy bits right there...
GCN Testing Strategy:
1) Must test expensive road bikes in wet, misearble weather
2) Must test vehicles intended for wet weather on dry, sunny days
I wanna see how this thing does in heavy wind
@@boxingspider87 yep that thing looks like a Dutch oven waiting to happen.
@@balemoran3168 lmao I wonder if you can open a window on this thing
@@boxingspider87 Maybe you can take off the whole canopy lid.
1) Wet miserable weather is the hallmark of UK weather, especially the west side. If you want to use those bikes in the UK (where GCN is based), that's the weather they have to perform in.
Honestly, I think this is a better idea than most would initially believe. This is good for people who wouldn't otherwise bike because they're concerned about the weather or comfort as he said in the video.
I had that idea long ago in my head )))
you can buy a brand new E-car for the same price and it's actually fully enclosed unlike this garbage
@@thomaswakefield6889 Not if you can't drive.
All of those drivers behind Si - can pretty much guarantee one of them said, "there's that tw*t Jeremy Clarkson again". 🤣🤣🤣
Exactly what I was thinking. Also when he said “how you doin” it was a nod to Matt Leblanc on the new (and much more terrible) top gear lol
It’s got the front of a Neon, the hard top of a Mustang and ultimately the style of a Little Tykes Cozy Coupe.
😂🤣
I think the Cozy Coupe has about twice as much style
And the build quality of a Walmart lawn chair
Don't forget the aerodynamics of a semi-detached bungalow
A cozy coupe oozes much more style than this
Arriving at work soaked in sweat. No rain touched me!
I like the foot windows to make sure people can see you are pedaling.
They've actually devised away to make people look like even bigger dorks while cycling, remarkable.
That means this $21,000 thing would fit right in in Austin.
He still looks better than the other guy.. Looks like hes trying to race.. Just going across town. lol
😂😂
@@Worldopain true! 😂😂😂
Excuse me! The addition of this thing would not make me look any dorkier than dressed in my standard mamil gear!
The fact that it looked like it wasn’t quite closed the entire time really got under my skin.
@thecouchtripper i love you too
The fact that it's called "drycycle", but it's roof opens up to let the rain into the interior is just genius design. Clearly never tested this in rain and just hoped the peace and love garbage will carry it to success.
@@ww-pw6di what a stupid comment. When you’re inside and it’s raining you stay dry, hence it’s name. Of course if you open it up and it’s raining you’re going to get wet. But that’s just like opening your car door in the rain, the inside gets wet. Hardly something to pick at is it?!
@@20yearsagotoday1 well...if i open my car door everything inside still stays dry. unlike this thing where you basicly open the whole roof. you cant even open the windows in this box. drivin this on a sunny summerday will be very uncomfortable i assume.
The main problem with these enclosed cycles is that, how does the rider keep cool while his body generates heat?
So they just re-invented the electric assist velomobile... Again. Happens about once every 20 years.
Atleast the tech is a bit better. All of the electronics are smaller and lighter, and probably the whole frame too. It's still too expensive for any realistic consumer and too cumbersome.
The did the same thing with vr till it caught on, if not now then next time, I mean we only got like 70 years left till we're all dead from glabal warming anyway
Jup ...
The ELF had this thing beat by about 10 years. Sadly, Organic Transit went bankrupt. But at least their version only cost about $10k USD.
@@zilfondel Organic Transit was acquired by Sun Micromobility. From what I’ve read in the community, OT’s production was a mess, with no actual drawn schematics, and the entire build process was taught in their workshop by word of mouth, so it’s taken Sun Micromobility a long time to reverse engineer the ELF and sort out their own production. A few months they tweeted that they would be beginning production again “soon”, but they’re largely unresponsive to attempts to contact them. I THINK one of Sun’s goals is going to be like a bike-share arrangement, so they might prioritise that rather than consumer rollout, but an ELF, assuming I could get one into Australia, is near the top of my wish list.
I think it will market well in my country: there is always a generous driver behind me willing to give me a push.
...ehem Canada
Greek?
Canada fr if you see a person behind you with long hair expect to be either ram off the road, tailgated or suicide passed on a freeway because they're probably a female
"Protected in a sealed bubble" How does that work when there is a massive gap all across the front between the door and the "bonnet"?!
I was wondering the same thing. In the front I noticed a small clear wind screen that seems to overlap with the canopy. I don't know if this closes the gap all around or just in the front.
It's a pity you never showed the "dashboard" and the steering system. It would have also been nice to see what you see ahead while driving.
🍷Exactly, not to mention how the driving is controlled. As well as the electric assist technology in making the ride easier.
That's true, I've been waiting to look the dashboard and how they actually maneuver this Drycycle.
That’s because this channel is 99% “entertainment”. Which is kind of a shame. They could make excellent videos with actual content. They have the talent and equipment and money and connections.
Or top speed, or braking distance or sound while inside, rear view mirror view, night time visibility, spare tire possibility, range, or about a dozen other things you would want to know.
tere is a glimpse at 0:42 if you pause.
£15,000 or $21,000
That literally cost more than a brand new car. Like, wtf!? I don't hate the idea, in concept, but this product is a total rip off. You'd have to be an idiot to purchase one at that price.
Everything that's new is priced like this. Early adopters basically fund extended field testing. Most things aren't really practical or affordable until about the third iteration or so--or at least, only the ones with potential get that far.
@@joemerino3243 the problem with this finding that niche in the market is that it's already been well and truly filled. There's basically Velomobiel who've cornered this market for decades. And those are about half the price, from a manufacturer with a proven track record.
And the reason why Velomobiel have cornered the market is because they basically started out building aero shelled recumbents that could do 60-70kph with no electrical assistance. This thing isn't aero at all. It needs the electric assistance to even sustain 25kph.
@@fermitupoupon1754 Velomobiel looks great as a pedal machine that goes fast, but you'd have to be pretty brave to take it on a street that has inattentive drivers on it. I doubt it would be street legal in many markets for that reason. This thing is taller and has lights, making it (hopefully) more noticeable to drivers and less likely to be run over by a car.
There are some new electric cars in this price range now. I think outside of a handful of people who really really love this concept and have plenty of disposable income and don't mind paying a extortionate price for an ebike in a box, this nextgen C5 will do about as well as the C5. At least Sir Clive got the price of his C5 to a more reasonable level, although this one having a roof is a step forward.
It costs about the same as *three* Citroen Ami's, which admittedly isn't quite a car, but it does make this thing look like a ridiculous rip-off.
I think £14k is madness, £4K would be pushing it.
I don't think you know how expensive Pedelecs are.
And on top of that there is low number production, meaning no benefits of scales of economy kick in.
It's also using some specialists parts and the chassis certainly isn't cheap or easy to manufacture either.
I wouldn't buy it for this price, but economically it's completely understandable.
The price of a thing is determined largely by what someone is prepared to pay for it. If you can build it, and make a profit, at that price, you have a viable product.
Ralph and The British Urchin Company: sure, but I'm convinced only a few rich eccentrics will be prepared to pay this sort of money for this sort of thing. And not all of them will end up doing 2,000 miles in it as they'll be laughed at and honked at by irritated car and lorry drivers more than they can bear (especially in a country like the UK, with such poor cycling infrastructure and so many, erm, 'unreconstructed' drivers), so the environmental benefits seem questionable to me too.
Around here, $400 would be pushing it.
@@billincolumbia
You'd be lucky to get a functioning bicycle at a local Bikeshop here in Germany for 400$, lol.
5:14 The movement of the cover while it's peddling along, though...😆
This thing smiles like Thomas the train.
That's the thing I was thinking I really didn't like about it.
ROFL ! YES !
This will haunt kids in there dreams LMAO
More like the Stay Puft marshmallow Man
where's the fat controller when u need him
Hank: *pretends to be amazed*
Also Hank: Dad has a fleet of 4 of these in the garage.
I wonder how the GCN crew feels about their objectively most badass presenter being a regular guest who rides an ebike and wears his glasses under his helmet straps.
It looks so happy from the front 🤣
It looks like it has googly eyes.
Indeed, it looks very friendly.
Once I read this comment I now can’t unsee it
I thought so too 😆
It’s happy, because it is not polluting the earth 🌏
To be honest, it's amazing and been wanting to have one while watching the video, until I found out about the price, with its price I could buy a decent electric car. I think it's overpriced, and if it's stayed that way, I can't see it kicking off.
The price is mentioned right at the beginning of the video!
i would ride some too. but i am not suicidal, too many trucks on my way to work and often no bicycle lane
I agree, it is ver very interesting concept, but the price have to be optimized - may be at 4.000-6.000 € people would get seriously interested. I think a well priced DIY self-assembly kit would be a great option too.
@@Zwiesel66 the chassis cost 2800 alone to make from alu.. because of the low scale it was just too expensive to make.. they we're only breaking even at 14k
“Do you feel cool in that?” says the man in lycra and half a helmet. Made my day 🤣🤣🤣
The Mamil puts the bicycle in the basket.
I swear to God, those rims make it looks like an oversized baby stroller with roof
Racing Drycycles is worth a video all on its own.
A Drycycle will be in the grupetto of a Human Powered Vehicle race. The Drycycle seems to be build to run in normal city traffic and not for speed.
Such a race is really crazy. They have all kind of wired constructions. Its more like a steampunk convention without steam than a biycle race.
I actually burst out laughing when he mentioned "style points" for the challenge. This thing looks like a Walmart replica of a "Smart" car made for children. There is so much wrong with this idea I don't know where to begin. Just as it was with the Smart car.
Drycycle: how can we make other road users hate cyclists even more..
Also drycycle : I have an idea
Perhaps another advantage then.
@Buster Cherry You're not going to be able to justify your selfishness once all vehicles move to renewable green energy.
Sure it'll be a another decade or two until this happens, and they'll have to drive a lot further to offset their manufacturing emissions, but your days of being conceited about being more eco friendly are numbered, unlike I suspect, your days of being a selfish git. In truth though, those days are also numbered, as none of us are immortal.
@@anonanon7278 You don't know the first thing about "green" energy.
@@anonanon7278 the non existence charging infrastructure makes that day unimaginable.
@@richardwicks4190 Wow ... that was a really compelling counter argument.
No window opening -> "dying" in hot weather. And what about fogging the windows on cold days? How good is the heater - and how long does it last? And how does it perform uphill?
I saw a gap when he closed it too.. snow city.. rain splash town..
Not to mention pedestrians hating you when you're on walkways and drivers hating you (more) on roadways. It's truly a lose-lose
looks like a saunacycle to me
Pop the roof off on a hot day?
Does it have ANY storage, as for example, groceries?
People here in Sweden are already flipping out about "slow" mopeds and tractors taking up the road, this thing would really be fun.
As ironic as Hell 🚜🚧🛑🚂
they're only slow because the legislation requires them to be.
@@nameberry220 then why to construct such crippled jokes? Better to buy speedy bicycle for 1/10 price 😎
@@vencdee to look cool
I’ve often thought some sort of covered recumbent could in some world be a nice option, and now with the electric assist they seem to be able to overcome some of the difficulties with recumbents.
Still, as noted it isn’t really a car replacement and so at that price it still seems at best a niche product for people whose lifestyle happens to be a perfect fit or who just have money to throw around.
Still, it’s pretty cool
Hmm, so it combines the low speed and exertion of a bicycle, with the higher cost and parking needs of a car. All the while reducing the maneuverability that is the bicyclist's only real defense against dangerous drivers.
More difficult to store and you won't be putting it on a train or like my Brompton, on a bus.
Ok but really, the reason for having any vehicle is for the stereo and definitely, they proved you can stick some beer in the back. Get me a cooler and sign me up... I may ride it while playing disc golf!
Actually the shell makes you safer in a collision. But getting a real velomobile like a Mango is way better, you can even put a pedal assist in it if you want.
@@kishascapeand at nearly half the price.
Mango's are around $6-7k (US) last I looked, plus $1.5k for a good e-bike kit with a very large battery.
only way i can see this being remotely useful if you live in the countryside with shitty piblic transport and never try to ride that shit into the city
and that's assuming you actually have a problem with riding a normal bike in the rain often
Almost feels like watching Top Gear
Honestly, though
Old one you mean
Top Gear would try to find a way to crash it like a Reliant Robin.
its like the more economically friendly version
should call it 'bottom gear'?
£5000 I think would be the best price that can motivate people globally but for £15K majority of people can’t even see it in their dreams 🤣
There will be a lot of R&D and engineering costs to repay initially but I could see this coming down to 5 grand in a couple of years.
Government grants would be good
Yes perfect point
The most I've spent on a car is 3k, 15k for a bike is unreal in the real world of commuting.. taking a 30min drive without the sweat over an 1:15 - 1:30 cycle with the sweat at a work place with no shower or decent place to change..
15k is more than some cheap subcompact cars, though the cost will likely decrease dramatically with increased production. even then i gather people would buying into this only if there are additional tax incentives, or if space is at a premium where they live making cars substantially more cost prohibitive.
Pretty cool actually, I can see this becoming a thing in the future when prices drop. I think for ~5k (some) people would buy it. However, I think adding a second seat would make this way more interesting for most people. If it becomes more popular, probably it's going to be treated like a small car, though.
ofc, the gov can't take the finacial hit from losing the petrol tax money, when a lot of people start driving electric bikes and things like this the gov will require us to register it, pay insurance, yearly check and all the tedious stuff and i can already smell the "lithium" tax
podbike...
Hey! Here we are! :)
I hope if they do, they make it more like a motorcycle license. I shouldn't have to be able to drive a car to be able to ride a bike that happens to look like a car and have 4 wheels. This wouldn't be an issue if they would just make bike lanes everywhere but at least in my city, people complain about the few lanes we get
@@elizabethlittle296If you have a motorbike license, you can drive something like an Aixam motor quadricyle (or the classic British Reliant Robin)
Only enough boot space for a 4-pack and flowers. When I go to the grocer’s I need to be able to bring back a 12-pack at the very least. Back to the drawing board with you.
Indeed
Looks like there's quite a lot more space left...
Great idea for running around town in Japan, where I live, except: 1) in western Japan we use A/C 8 or 9 months a year; this would be stifling; 2) a parking lot for these would have to be 2 or 3 times larger than one for the same number of bicycles.
"I brightened up at least 450 people's days in this bad boy"
I'm in tears.
And by "brightened up" he means "made them point and laugh."
What happens when UA-camrs think that other people lives are a joke.
"It's cool" 😂😂😂
Well, stylistically, I don’t think it could be made uglier if the designers had tried. I imagine that it would make a great Sauna on a summer’s day. There is no way on earth that I would consider purchasing one of those.
It's like they tried to make it look like a cute pixar face, but it ends up looking really ugly and not even aerodynamic. I bet those headlights cause so much drag.
I love the little ‘smile’ it has.
I did too. But I think that cute smile could literally be the ONLY good thing that can be said about this catastrophe of engineering.
More videos like this GCN please. Both genius and bonkers. Bikes have barely changed in 100+ years, it's good to see attempts to innovate.
Also: Simon great presenter as usual!
@Treez 93 that's what innovation means. Breaking the stereotypes!
You mustve missed fairings, recumbents, velomobiles and varoius HPV organization publocations
Me: we need a ultra-small, very cheap, electric car for people to commute to work. Possibly with one spare seat.
Also me: you basically failed on every point.
The Renault Twizzy is for you
@@robokid20001 Twizy is a good solution.. But.. Why are the designers of these things obsessed with making them as fucking brutally ugly as possible?
also my wife: does it have Air conditioning?
@@lesterroberts1628 you don't have a wife.
@@krisamagus1 clairvoyant!
No insurance, no training or qualification, no safety inspection, no identifying marks….. but, full access to general traffic, all requiring the previous…..
What could possibly go wrong 🤔
Mr Bean would love this
What I'm actually thinking, Si, is... Why does it have a smiley face on the front, is it Thomas the tank engine inspired?
For me that was like a "what idiot did that" moment. You could have designed it any way, with any cool LEDs, but no - smiley face. Might sell well in Japan or Korea.
Anti depressant? The control groups are still being assembled...
Dieing 🤣
To make other road users think twice about venting their anger on it🤬😂
I was thinking how much is Simon sweating wearing that jacket, pedalling with no wind to cool him.
definitely not dry!
He’s Superdry 😉
I was sweating watching that. Painful.
Si forgot to turn off the heaters 😅
Not heaters - afterburners!
this is one of those machines that everyone imagines, but very few manufacturers have the common sense to actually build. a bicycle which keeps people dry is a no-brainer and should have been built 100 years ago. it looks like it could also offer a little bit of protection to the cyclist too.
or you could ride a normal bike with waterproof clothing and some heating pads and just take it off when you are at work
@@faustinpippin9208 waterproof clothing won't keep you completely dry.
@@33LB mine do, and that's while riding on a motorcycle in a storm
It doesn't even have to be electric, doesn't even have to have a frame. Just a body, and some trunk space, that's all I need.
@@faustinpippin9208 you're full of shit. no waterproof clothing keeps anyone or anything completely dry. for example, tents come with waterproof ratings (in other words, they can't withstand any volume of rain) and waterproof sprays should be applied to tents. what magical waterproof clothing do you wear that keeps you completely dry in heavy rain, and why is your magical waterproof clothing not used to manufacture tents?
In the meantime, Renault Twizy costs less and has two seats.
Come on, man...
Exactly, I paid less for a new Ford Fiesta (the cheapest one you could buy in the USA) in late 2017. I think you would be far better off riding your normal bike when weather permits and using your car when it snows.
Was thinking the same thing as you boys. 15k is kinda steep for what it offers. Get a tiny car and a moped, gonna cost about the same, but be faster, safer and more convenient.
My old Opel Corsa cost me 50€. lol
You can get an eWAW velomobile, which is much lighter (carbon Kevlar construction), much quicker, atleast as comfortable and about half the price....
Need to hook it up to Zwift so you can do indoor cycling while outdoors but still indoors
Sir Clive Sinclair was way ahead of his time.
His looked better
@@jc5146 A lot cheaper too. This looks like the Sinclair C5 crossed with that joke simpsons electric car.
ua-cam.com/video/CcmZ1dof3Qw/v-deo.html&ab
Charles Mochet and Manfred Curry are the names you should note
Well, his nephew has a better velomobile for much less: www.grantsinclair.com/en/iris-black.html
@@stajp67 I quite like the look of that and does seem like the sort of vehicle the Sinclair C5 would become if it had succeeded and evolved over the years. I know if I had £5k to spend and I could have a super lightweight carbon fibre road bike with electronic shifting or that I'd definitely go with the grantsinclair vehicle. I like the fact he has used a direct drive hub motor too as they are extremely low maintenance in comparison to the complicated mid-drive motors some similar vehicles have.
Sinclair C5 with a lid. Will probably be just as safe and popular...
I remember being a kid and putting a cardboard box on my BMX bike. I cut windows, and even made doors. It was practically useless, but it felt awesome!
Might be worth speaking with a major manufacturer about this creation
You probably weren't trying to sell it for 14 THOUSAND Dollars/Pounds.
@@tarstarkusz Yikes, is that how much this vehicle costs? Then again, 14k is pennies to the rich and wealthy. That's the type of person I envision driving these e toys.
@@jdmbeats The rich/wealthy/powerful would never be seen in such a contraption unless it was for some kind of photo-op.
This thing should be way more aero
looks overly heavy too, and might aswell put solar panels on it if its gonna be that big.
@@ash0787 And at that point you should give it a throttle, not just pedal assist
@@coastaku1954
Exactly. If you’re going to build something like that, an enclosed 3-4 vehicle, it should absolutely not weigh more than 100kg. I’m thinking a three wheel vehicle in delta configuration, with a low rider in the center to solve the problem of low stability in the corners for delta trikes. For coolness over a velomobile, it should have a bubble canopy. Shaped like a bullet, but with the option of a motor, electric or ICE, behind the rider between the two rear wheels.
@@topsecret1837 You’re thinking of a Recumbent
Better to buy a velomobile and add e assist
I would like to see that on a rainy day in full effort and the condensation on the glasses !!
Imagine how hot it would be in the summer. A person would bake alive
I love this type of Bike it’s easier to keep from being stolen if it’s larger if it has a housing to keep you out of the rain lockable area for your supplies that you picked up when you come out of the grocery store or hardware you want to find it still there.
The Host: "You might be thinking about (all these really important options)."
Me: "Hahaha, look at its little smiley face on the front!"
The Drycycle is what you get when a Smart Car and a Sinclair C5 breed
Grant sinclair has developed the iris e-trike. It is for sale at 1/3rd the price of the drycycle and looks so much better.
@@cryptohouse1676 iris does look better
7:47 Local seagull dies laughing at ridiculous "Drycycle"
pigeon target practise.
Savage!
This looks like a fantastic way of making sure you get seriously hurt when hit by a car.
Si is genuinely a world class presenter, he would be at home on any show anywhere. It's such a pity that Tomorrow's World got cancelled.
Wouldn’t make a difference because he’s not black
@@tonywright8294 It is a shame UA-cam doesn't display dislikes for comments like this one.
Can you fill it with water, add a cup full of washing powder, and have a washcycle?
We need a special Mr. Bean episode just for this.
OMG that would be EPIC🤣
Yes 👍 👍 👍
Lol maybe pass it onto him
@Susan Prestney Hewlo Teddy 😆
Hell contact the company an Rowan Atkinson with details how to contact each other.
I did that with two european bands an they came to USA to the club I gave them booking contact info on. The second band came with the first band; the next year if I recall. So it was no accident. Nor would I have thought it ever was
why is a dry cycle a bonkers idea? Its simply a car that can be styled how you like in any shape colour that does not require any fuel costs.
I would love to see more of these on the road. So that people get realy anoyed being stuck in traffic behind it and start building propper bike paths.
I thought the sameeeee thing. Bring the price point down a bit and annoy the crap out of actual motorist.
I would hate to see these on dedicated bike paths taking up the entire path as though no one else existed or should be allowed to use a bike path besides themselves.
I would love to see them getting crushed between two trucks. Would give the drivers a bonus if the occupant was still in because only a knob would buy one of these waste of a good space.
@@cadwellkid1672 Did you just insult all car owners?
@@cadwellkid1672 awful thing to say. As if cyclists don't get enough stick already.
The moment I read the title I assumed this "Drycycle" was going to be a British invention.
😄 we would be speaking Roman if wasn't for British weather. Also, typically British eccentric design. Remember the Sinclair C5?
Was Si wearing glasses for a Clark Kent style disguise so he wouldn't be recognised in the Drycycle
I would happily pay 1500 for this, maybe even 2000. I'd reluctantly pay 3000 and still feel like it's a worthwhile investment. At MOST I would pay 5000 for it. But 15000?! That is the price of a real car! Why are they doing this? These companies are cursing us to never be able to transition to motorless streets and also condeming themselves to bankruptcy.
I was thinking...
Cyclist: I wish I didn't get wet when I cycle in the rain...
World Class Engineer: Got you covered, you are going to love the specs!
Designer: *please leave a message after beep*
Engineers 4 year old son: I drewed a van!
Older People: DIdn't they already do this 20 years ago... A few times?
Designers dont care at all...only they appears if there is any design competition with the most important trademarks around the world. Otherwise, cyclists have solved the big problem of rainy days because there are some videos of creative people put a special umbrella on the bicycle.
@@walterretlaw4051 Yeah I remember those things, it was basically a clear pop up thing that went around the bike and biker. It worked I suppose and rather hilarious but no more so than this thing.
The Flintstones: the future is now!
Motorists despise cyclists as it is. That thing is going to push them over the edge😁
Right... imma just ram anyone I see riding one of these ridiculous wastes of money.
Motorists despise everyone, including other motorists.
We only hate the cyclists that: change Lane and overtake in intersections, don't indicate, drive the wrong way and ride on the sidewalk. There are at least 5 om my daily commute that manages that. Could be They All are driving instructors?
@@Tore_Lund Just change that to motorists. Now how do you feel?
@@firesurfer I'm just as pissed by motorists not indicating, especially in roundabouts and changing Lanes in intersections ( not least a danger to cyclists). IT is equally bad. However waiting in the right lane to turn right (not from the UK) IT is an extra stress factor, when after making sure the intersection is free, you are overtaken in the inside or a cyclist is suddently in front of you as you do your turn. To Begin with you have 3 directions you need to make sure are free, adding two other is almost impossible to process in traffic. I'd Imagine that most of These cyclists hold a drivers license? In that case I find IT reasonable if more countries had laws like Germany, that if you get caught holding a license, you are penalized as if you were behind the wheel, i.e. a hefty fine and more driving lessons?
This is how you become a victim of adult bullying
The Biohybrid, Podbike and Iris e-trike are some much better looking alternatives. They are much cheaper too.
hahahaha
🤣
And road rage!
@@electromech7335 🤣
My in laws live in a gated community in SC. It is also a huge golf course, so their back yard butts up against a beak of pine trees, that line part of the golf course. Evey house has a 2 car garage and a smaller door on the garage, for a golf cart. Besides using these electric golf carts for golf, they use them for getting around the neighborhood and even doing local shopping. There is a large grocery store and a few restaurants that are also accessible by cart.
Years ago when I was still cycling a bit I dreamed of having something just like this (with electric motor assist) for commuting to work.
It’s a brilliant idea.
The idea, yes, is brilliant. The execution however is quite literally the worst that I have ever seen in a market that already has some pretty horrible options if you look for them. I cannot even count the ways in which this monstrosity fails.
And when you get to work ...two hours late after sitting in traffic all the way (Because you cant filter or ride around stationary cars or even fit in a cycle lane), where would you park it?
and in the summer, how would you get rid of the smell that you create from days of hot sweaty riding..be like working out in a sauna, that you cant clean.
An electric assit bike is an ideal commuter for those who don't want to work up a massive sweat. The tech we need already exists, is proven, is working and is getting better and better every day
Reminds me of that car Clarkson made on top gear years ago.
Anyone else bugged by his inability to wear the seatbelt?
I was desperate to pull it up onto his shoulder the whole time I watched this…
I was more annoyed by his failure to properly close the canopy
@@stevetaylor8698 based on what I've seen, that's as well as they do close!
@mug wump the cars around him are probably more of a danger
just wondering if this company is still active. I cannot find an active website to do any deeper digging. I'm very interested in fully enclosed velomobiles and unfortunately the only other one I've been able to find (the veemo in vancouver bc) has changed tack and is no longer fully enclosed.
We're wondering as well...
Si: "You might be thinking ..."
Me, actually thinking: "So someone actually thought the Sinclair C5 was sufficiently far back enough in history that it was worth resurrecting from ignominy and trying again?"
I can't believe I watched this whole video, but that speaks to the superb entertainment value of GCN.
15:00 - just pretend you don't see them waiting for their cue in the background.
If you could charge it up at home by pedaling in place while watching a show, that would be awesome. Get super in shape, help the environment, save money.
When’s The Stig going to do a lap?
The idea isn’t too bad, but the design team need to have a re-think.
This shows how far ahead of everyone else Sir Clive Sinclair was with the C5.
The C5 was an awful device, under battery alone its range was only one mile, it was so low it placed the operator below car wing mirror height, making them difficult to see, it was an open vehicle so you still had to wear waterproof clothing or get wet, it wasn't an innovation but by being so bad it set back electric and electrically assisted vehicles for decades.
At the same time the U36 which eventually became the MiniEl was first shown, it was fully electrically powered with a thirty mile range at up to thirty miles an hour, with single seat forward and space for two young children facing backwards at the rear, it was fully enclosed so ordinary cloths could be worn, and if you didn't have the children with you you could pack most of a weeks shopping in the rear, the C5 boasted one cubic foot of storage, a packet of cereals, four pints of milk, a pack of rolls, and not much more !!. The project was the cooperation between two designers, one Scottish and one Danish, the MiniEl as it became was produced in Randers Denmark, for less money than Sinclair spent on advertising the Dane's via public subscription built a new factory and went into production, possibly a little early as the electrics on some were a bit problematical, the vehicle was eventually sold to a German company who manufactured it in Germany for many years, I had lost track of the project by then, I had been involved with the prototype body build here in Scotland and it would be the first of many projects the designer Ray Innes and I would work on, I still have the first fibreglass lower shell at the back of my workshop, this would have been around eighty two/three time, David Calder was the other body shell builder and Steen Jensen was the Danish designer, unfortunately both designers have since passed on. Without the C5 we may have seen EV's as an acceptable alternative somewhat sooner in this country, but such is life.
The C5 was an awful device, under battery alone its range was only one mile, it was so low it placed the operator below car wing mirror height, making them difficult to see, it was an open vehicle so you still had to wear waterproof clothing or get wet, it wasn't an innovation but by being so bad it set back electric and electrically assisted vehicles for decades.
At the same time the U36 which eventually became the MiniEl was first shown, it was fully electrically powered with a thirty mile range at up to thirty miles an hour, with single seat forward and space for two young children facing backwards at the rear, it was fully enclosed so ordinary cloths could be worn, and if you didn't have the children with you you could pack most of a weeks shopping in the rear, the C5 boasted one cubic foot of storage, a packet of cereals, four pints of milk, a pack of rolls, and not much more !!. The project was the cooperation between two designers, one Scottish and one Danish, the MiniEl as it became was produced in Randers Denmark, for less money than Sinclair spent on advertising the Dane's via public subscription built a new factory and went into production, possibly a little early as the electrics on some were a bit problematical, the vehicle was eventually sold to a German company who manufactured it in Germany for many years, I had lost track of the project by then, I had been involved with the prototype body build here in Scotland and it would be the first of many projects the designer Ray Innes and I would work on, I still have the first fibreglass lower shell at the back of my workshop, this would have been around eighty two/three time, David Calder was the other body shell builder and Steen Jensen was the Danish designer, unfortunately both designers have since passed on. Without the C5 we may have seen EV's as an acceptable alternative somewhat sooner in this country, but such is life.
The C5 was an awful device, under battery alone its range was only one mile, it was so low it placed the operator below car wing mirror height, making them difficult to see, it was an open vehicle so you still had to wear waterproof clothing or get wet, it wasn't an innovation but by being so bad it set back electric and electrically assisted vehicles for decades.
At the same time the U36 which eventually became the MiniEl was first shown, it was fully electrically powered with a thirty mile range at up to thirty miles an hour, with single seat forward and space for two young children facing backwards at the rear, it was fully enclosed so ordinary cloths could be worn, and if you didn't have the children with you you could pack most of a weeks shopping in the rear, the C5 boasted one cubic foot of storage, a packet of cereals, four pints of milk, a pack of rolls, and not much more !!. The project was the cooperation between two designers, one Scottish and one Danish, the MiniEl as it became was produced in Randers Denmark, for less money than Sinclair spent on advertising the Dane's via public subscription built a new factory and went into production, possibly a little early as the electrics on some were a bit problematical, the vehicle was eventually sold to a German company who manufactured it in Germany for many years, I had lost track of the project by then, I had been involved with the prototype body build here in Scotland and it would be the first of many projects the designer Ray Innes and I would work on, I still have the first fibreglass lower shell at the back of my workshop, this would have been around eighty two/three time, David Calder was the other body shell builder and Steen Jensen was the Danish designer, unfortunately both designers have since passed on. Without the C5 we may have seen EV's as an acceptable alternative somewhat sooner in this country, but such is life.
@@CrusaderSports250 It was originally intended to be just a fun machine and for the profits from it to finance 2 and eventually 4 person electric cars. Unfortunately it bombed and that didn't happen.
@mug wump OK, The idea was ahead of its time, but perhaps the implementation was 'not quite perfect'. : D
He looks exactly like the kind of person I'd expect to see inside one of these things.
It's a mobile lunch money dispenser.
You sound like a simpleton.
I believe that this product has big potential in the future. This is perfect for people who need to travel in a city, be severely cost-effective than a car, and possible easy storage. The major issues are glaring however like you can't go on sidewalks, the pedal assist is not fast enough to share the road with other vehicles, and parking & securing this product will be difficult. I want this innovation to take off!
Apparently rentable e-scooters are now a thing, or so I heard, which means, people who used to walk or ride the bike, have now established a way to move their lazy asses even less. Not sure who the target group is for a bike with a roof that for technical reasons you mostly have to drive in the road. With cars.
@maxmeier532 I agree as I'm currently overseas, and I see people using scooters on rocky terrain. I find this useful to me because I live in the north east and it snows a lot. I don't own a car yet.
If it were attempting to replace vespa scooters or motorcycles, I could see it working, but not as a pedal vehicle. It looks too similar to a tiny car to go in bike lanes, bike parking, on the side walk, etc. making it less convenient than a bike. But it's as slow as a pedal vehicle, so cars then get stuck behind it, and looking like a car while not having the capabilities of a car is dangerous, since people will think it is much safer and high powered than it actually is. Stick a motocycle engine in it and make the storage big enough to hold groceries, and I think it would be sellable. It won't be as emission-free, but it'd be less than a car, and they could up charge to have optional pedaling for those who want exercise.
Congratulations, you've just invented the Peel P50.
@Ken Fullman You can legally pedal this thing as fast as you like. The speed restriction relates to motorised assistance only.
But it can legally go into bike lanes. People might get angry, but that's their issue. It's legal in bike lanes and it's narrow enough for them.
He failed to mention the most important feature: a happy face complete with googly eyes.
I always thought an enclosed single-seater pedal-assist with room for groceries, limited battery, and built-in solar would be a good combo. Target range: 60mi/96km or 80mi/129km assisted. This is similar to what I imagined. Needs a little more room, a little more power, and some of that solar. Would be good for just about anywhere with modern roads within the range and off the highway.
@Mr Brightside that is a good deal, but I was thinking about something that can use solar + human energy to significantly reduce the need to charge
@Mr Brightside that comparison assumes that the other vehicle would be ~ $15,000 yes? Maybe it could even be made cheaper than this car. (Would be an accomplishment I grant you)
@Mr Brightside ... you know my comment was really about a theoretical different product that was similar, right?
@Mr Brightside there is a lot of assumptions in your position, like what the public will see as a "proper electric car". The one seater size and low-ish battery capacity gets it close in weight to the attempts to make an all solar moving car, adding the ability to peddle would possibly add enough energy to the equation for casual use with no charge. The small size also opens up the possibility of a single press frame. Your suggestion and mine are likely similar costs. While yours is more likely better suited for the highway, I would assert that mine is more suitable as a in-city or town-to-town daily driver for anyone who wants or doesn't mind peddling.
@Mr Brightside yes, you can buy your car now. Yes, that is a big deal. But the teorectical nature of the car was baked into my first comment. as to weather or not such a car (which could run without pedaling only to burn a little more energy) would sell : I still think it's competitive.
A: it manages to make a practical vehicle whos energy supply is roughly equal to it's energy consumption when used in a particular way.
B: people do want to add exercise back into their lives and see transportation as a means of doing this, look at all the cyclists that already exist both in city and rural areas.
C: as a larger and larger share of vehicles are run by taxis, particularly if we get automated cars, there will likely be a need for such a low-cost midrange vehicle. this is the only point these vehicles both have.
I like the idea. But it looks hideous!
Check out the Podbike instead. Much cheaper and looks much better.
Could someone tighten Si’s seatbelt in the childs seat? ;)
How that got past the idea stage is beyond me.
Check out the Biohybrid, Podbike and iris e-trike. Much better looking alternatives with much better prices. Better in every way.
SI, I think Mannon might be able to show you how to fit that racing harness mate 🤣
Aside from the price tag and running into potential parking difficulties, this bike is extremely appealing - I want to have it now!
Someone has definitely been channeling Clive Sinclair, though with 40 years' technical advances this just might work. Personaly I think it could do with being stretched 3 feet and being used as a parcel delivery thing.
Alternative title: British Andy Samberg rides a Bathtub to the Grocery
If I bought a Drycycle I'd be wet every day. Not from the rain, but from the tears of sadness I'd be shedding daily because I now have zero friends. 😂😂😂
You might be surprised, people may find you more interesting :P
@@smefour you may have a very valid point 🥰
We'll be your new friends. Me might ask you to share it with us though 😉
Also, money problems for few years. Probably.
I'd be crying from the loan I'd have to take out... for a bicycle!
You guys seem to have the best jobs in the world! You have so much fun and get to test the coolest gear.
I expect to see this parked next to the Sinclair c5 in a small museum sometime in the near future. Well presented though.
...expensive coffin until dedicated separate roadways are implemented.
why a coffin? no one is gonna hit you given how much atention you attract with this vehicle
it doesnt even go fast, just 25 km/h. you're defnitely more protected crashing in this than in a bike
there are many other criticisms that could be made to this vehicle but you're just creating drama
I think elevated paths in some areas should be built to get the bikes off the street.
That seatbelt is hilarious. Safety theater at its finest.
6:22 "I gotta say, it IS very agile actually."
He says as he rides around at a blistering 5kph
Fab, an extremely expensive flimsy deathtrap that looks like a portaloo combined with a wheelie bin
I can certainly not fit this monstrocity in either my hallway or my basement
This is going to change the face of city commuting, just like the Sinclair C5 did in the 80's!
It always rains in the UK.... The one day when rain would benefit a review: bone dry :)