In Arizona winter is like summer in most other places in the 🌎, so I feel like a real wimp when I see the conditions you have to ride in. I salute you sir!
It depends on the area in Arizona. Flagstaff gets snow every year. It's certainly not Finland, but it's a far cry from Phoenix, and Yuma is even warmer than Phoenix.
Indiana- hot stagnant humid summers, sudden great wind, short yet potentially arctic winters bracketed by ice storms and cold rain , and about twenty days a year that make all that other stuff almost worth it. I like AZ. That desert chill at sunset is no joke.
Even if it's slower, I'd rather be in your quattrovelo should the front wheel lose grip for half a second. Momentary understeer vs sliding down the road on your face preference. Also 15C warmer, dry and no wind chill is a bonus
How to close the QV with alienhood and manhole cover? Method 1: While sitting in, place the cover in front of you between the mirrors. Close the hood with visor open, fix the velcros, then pull in the cover and fix those velcros too. Method 2: While sitting in, place the cover in its place, but fix the front velcro only. You can reach the hood, so you can close it with one hand, then fix all the velcros. Method 1 was the best for me, but does not work in windy weather.
Great video - perhaps your best yet. Thanks! I agree 100% with all your points, as I also have a QV and have experienced similar conditions here in Sweden.
As a British viewer you couldn't be more correct! Our winter is so mild here in the east of England that many years lately we have had no real snow at all, and it is ten degrees C here today. People still act like the outdoors are off limits all season (all the better for me and my cyclist friends) We must have the least wintry winter in this latitude of the world.
I live in Florida, where there is no such thing as a real winter. Well, here in Miami, temps can get as low as 30s degrees Fahrenheit. But very rarely so.
Great video! You should install race hood hooks behind of your head on the hood, then it will be easier to close when you have the foam cover. 😉 I have no problem with the foam cover. You have not taken in consideration the circumstances when the road is + - 0 and wet. In those circumstances it is very ugly to ride an open bike.
Yes, you are right. But unfortunately (or luckily) we have had real winter with no wet weather. Not like last winter when temperature was constantly bouncing around zero.
8:40 Maybe attach some strings/webbing to hard top... so that when flexible cover is on... you just pull the strings / webbing to bring the hard top down? (as the strings / webbing would already be through the hole of soft top).
That's a good-looking velomobile you have, Saukki. The orange really stands out against the snowy landscape. I was thinking that applying something slippery to the wheel wells might help to reduce the snow and ice build-up there; silicone spray, or something with similar properties, perhaps. You wouldn't want to get that stuff on the tires, though. Those drone shots look great, btw and your map of Europe is among the best that I have seen! "Pretty long video" < = > long Finlandia Winter. Florida videos about winter are pretty short.
Your observations match my own experience with the QV. Riding in snow can be great fun and traction is superior to other models, but speeds will be low. Not good for commuting but fine otherwise.
Depends on what are your alternatives. Public transport in the Netherlands is unreliable when it snows, and in the winter it has a different schedule. So my commute became 1:30 hours, so what... That's better than waiting for a train that doesn't come in the wind tunnels they call stations in the Netherlands. 2 wheels are not done in the Netherlands outside the city, especially in a snow storm. For me the quest is a clear winner on stormy or snowy days compared to public transport. Snowy days are better, since wet weathers means more flat tires. Dry or frozen weather is less of a problem.
Good video Saukki! It reminded me just how cold it can get in Finland. I used to fly into Tampere quite often and the temperatures can be challenging for airliners as well! Your comments about eassist on the qv are very relevant and assist compensates well for the drag of 4 wheels. Like you I've never found an easy way to attach the foam cover when using the full hood. Fortunately here in the UK it's not often needed. I've experienced the problem with wet snow clogging the wheel wells (on my Questxs) when riding from Hoek to Nijmegen in midwinter, it almost prevented me from arriving. The Dutch riders all carried suitable sticks and would stop frequently to free their wheels. Perhaps Dronten should develop a special QV for cold climates with open front wheels like on the Strada? I'll look forward to your warm weather report!
A few thoughts Saukki. I think your Azub max is superior to an upright bicycle for winter commuting because, goodnees forbid, should your front wheel slip on the ice, you don't have nearly as far to fall, and you don't fall off head first, plus you can put your hands and feet down to break your fall quiet easily. I think there is an potental alternative in the Hase Kettwiesel Cross Steps. It has a differential, full suspension for the bumpy icy paths. It has a low center of gravity, and the rider sits almost between the two rear wheels, making it very stable. There are only three wheels to drag through the snow, as opposed to the Quattrovelo's four wheels, and the Kettwiesel's front wheel doesn't have a lot of weight on it, the majority of the weight is on the two rear drive wheels, which means the front wheel rolls over hard snow, instead of plowing a trough through it. The Kettwiesel is lighter than the Quattrovelo, cheaper as well. It has luggage space behind the rider, the chain drive will remain clean like the Quattrovelo, so long as the front wheel has a good fender on it. The only down side is there is no fairing, although there is a umbrella like stucture that can be bought separately. I have seen an excellent idea by this german guy, he sells fibre glass nose fairings and rain ponchos which attach to the nose fairing, completely enveloping the rider, protecting them from the elements, but avoiding a lot of the sauna effect that happens when wearing waterproofs. This is his web page here... www.fahrradverkleidung.de/ With that combination i think a rider would have excellent protection from the very cold days, be faster than the Quattrovelo, and have great stability. Thankyou for enlightening us about the practicalities of riding a velomobile in winter, you have taught me a lot. Edit: When i think about it, a zzipper fairing with a rain poncho would do a good job of protecting a rider from the elements as well, it's a lighter alternative to using a heavy velomobile in winter, but still giving the rider that crucial protection from the elements. www.zzipper.com/
Awesome episode as always! We love the long episodes...hint hint *SUBSCRIBE* Sticking vs non-sticking snow could be because of different moisture content. Dry snow won't stick as much as wetter snow will stick. You could try some silicone or lubricant spray in the wheel wells, but that is not good for the environment. Maybe bee's wax? Or heat tape, or somehow install a brush to brush off snow from tire as you ride. The only thing for the moisture inside, is to have moving air through there, but then it will be cold. I would keep an old rag or cloth in Voyager, to wipe down the moisture after a ride. If it freezes it can cause damage and cracks if it goes into little spaces like in-between mountings, hinges, brackets etc.
Before the video was over and as I was listening to your evaluation, I thought the same thing as you completed your review with, in winter, an e-assist would be worth an extra star! I understand, it's another level of expense, and a different decision one would get to than you did for your velo purchase, but in different weather, and for a certain distance traveled, it appears that would be a velo owner's next mental shift to face. Thanks for the completely honest real world review.
A tip I got from a rally driver for tires. Put a piece of plastic just sucking your tire and it will expell excess snow and debris from your tire. It should help with snow build up.
Great video! The weather where you live is totally different from here in Brazil, but I like to see and to learn how is to live in other parts of the world! Last Saturday it was 47ºC when I was riding my bike and I had a flat tire in a place without trees or other things to protect me from the sun. This was annoying! I saw a video from your channel showing how to chance a flat tire in the summer, but I think it will be interesting a video showing how you change a flat tire in this winter conditions. Thanks for the videos!
You can close the hood first with the manholecover on the nose. When inside you can pick up the manholecover and place it on the right place. That works for me the best. Only when it is windy is it sometimes difficult.
Yes I've tried that, but at least in my case it seems to be difficult to get the manhole cover to it's place. It hits to the edge of the hood and also the mirrors and I have to bend the cover a little bit to get it on the place without moving the mirrors. It's inconvienient.
I am thinking about mounting a slider for it, but here is how I use it now: Step 1: Stick it between the mirrors. Step 2: Hold a hand on it while entering/exiting normally so it does not blow away. Step 3: Fasten its front and then one side. Step 4: Fasten the top. Step 5: Fasten the other side. Happy biking!
Just a suggestion, in regards to how you would do your review on the QV. Maybe if you did a seasonal review. After all four seasons have go by, creating a video that shows each ride on the same portion of road. So that you can show the change of the QV's ride response and feel each time of the year.
Regarding sticky snow , from the naked scientists article 'what-makes-snow-stick' it says that pressure lowers the melting point of ice. This implies that when ice hits the wheel wells it briefly turns to liquid then freezes and thus the surface builds up. This says to me that at really low temperatures well below zero the chances of turning into liquid and snow sticking go down. Its an area of active research and it sounds like it's not been solved easily yet. Think of snow buildup on aircraft wings , wind turbines , power cables and solar panels. I read this from the science article ... Surface Design Strategies for Mitigating Ice and Snow Accretion
Your winter is a real winter !!! In Italy low temperatures and fog are the main characteristics of the winter season. The snow, especially in the plains, does not last long.
The more you make videos the more brilliant they become! 😊👍🏻 I kept thinking for all the video long what you mentioned at the very end: pedal assist would change things a lot in those conditions. A quickly removable set may be interesting for quattrovelonauts...
Very informative. Thank you so much! At least, I know I can go back home in this velomobile even if the snow is here. Thanks. I am looking forward for a review of the hard hood on your Quest VS this hood. Keep it up!
Thanks for a great video! My tip is to place the manhole-cover on the hood while you close the top. Then open the top just a little bit and slide the manhole-cover in it's place. That works great for me :)
Excellent video. Well done and thorough, with a subtle sense of humor. And the back ground music shreds. I hope there are some of those tee-shirts with the bicycle evolving into velomobile left.
I am not sure about this but i would love to see you try: electric assist in the quattro (at best some sort of bottom bracket motor as you can use the gears to increase torque), studded tires in the back or at least a rope or zip ties around them to increase traction, brushes in the wheel wells to brush off snow before it gets inside (maybe add a brush for the shoes aswell?), finally and what i am most curious about: some form of ski attached to the front wheels so you would slide instead of role and maybe also slide over barriers? It would be like an improvised human powered snowmobile. A first as far as i know.
Actually I have something similar in my mind. I’m going to test at least one of your ideas in a future video. Just wait and see 😉 (I was actually going to do that already last winter, but we didn’t have enough snow so I didn’t)
Yeah. Make video about the grease inside of the bearings which freezes in winter. People in the comments: Air density! Tyre rolling resistance! Me: 🤦♂️🤷♂️
You have also count in that you might fall on your azub, 2 wheels is slipery even with a great balance as a finish bear 😀 You can also get the cold and become sick aswell. Adding E-Assist in winter is clearly the QV better winterbike then AZUB.
For me this works best: 1. Foam cover on the front 2. Close the hood, fasten its velcro straps 3. Put the foam cover over the hole, fasten the straps A rather fiddly process... I wonder if there could be another solution to lock the hood to make things a bit easier?
I imagine it would also become near impossible with such low clearance when it comes to deeper snow. I have a fat bike, and I carry snow shoes with me, because as good as it is in the snow there are still certain conditions where it is still unrideable, and I have to push out to where roads have already been plowed. fatter tires would definitely help you in the winter, you'd get used to the weight difference. 45Nrth makes faster-rolling winter tires including a commuter bike size, but unfortunately only in 700 × 30 size... not 20in, although they do have 26×2" if you have the clearance to switch rims. you can also get them with or without studs, but honestly the studs don't help in snow anyway, there's just not enough weight the way you have on a car so they really only help on ice. the last couple of winters I haven't used the studded tires, because most of the time they aren't necessary, so they're just slowing me down. maybe if you live some place a bit warmer where you get a lot of ice storms, or fog that freezes on the pavement, studded tires might make more sense. on my fat bike I find that virgin snow rides the best, after plows or snow blowers have been through and the snow is all churned up it becomes terrible, even impossible. similarly if snowmobiles have been through, you get a hard-packed washboard on top that slips on a soft layer underneath, after a couple of day and night cycles it hardens up and then it's just a washboard which is terrible to ride
Thank you for this very informative video. Conditions like you have to deal with happen on my commute route usually for just a few days a year. Freezing in the morning and above zero afternoon is what most of our winter looks like. I am still hoping to build my own 4-wheeled velomobile one day and make it somewhat usable in winter too. Because of that I plan the same track width front and rear and reinforced bottom to handle "beaching" it on the snow banks from snow plows without damage (just ram through at speed). However I have not considered the accumulation of snow in the wheel arches. That will need some solution incorporated into the design. So thank you for that info.
@@TheVelomobileChannel I have considered that. But if I ever build it it will be very heavy because I am not willing to optimize it for weight by sacrificing a lot of money and some practical properties. I live in a the flattest part of our country and my commute is flat too. So weight only matters for acceleration and on my commute I have like 3-4 places I have to stop and give way to traffic, the rest is just cruising. I want to get slightly higher cruising speed by having the wheels covered. What could be doable would be having the outside wheel covers removable and leave them at home for riding in snow. It would simplify servicing the vehicle too. For two or free weeks in January I would just unscrew some screws, store the covers and ride with open wheels. The rest of the year I get a more cool loking and faster velo.
Love your laptop...! Beautiful winter scenes too. For bike riding in those conditions you must need some very warm gloves. Even in the UK's damp winters, when the mercury drops to 3 or 4 degrees I have about 50 or so mins before my hands are gone, no matter the glove combination (and that is inside neoprene bar muffs!). Perhaps I am getting old! Glove recommendations gratefully received.
Interesting. Have you considered retrofitting a small ebike assist motor just for the winter? If the podbike works as advertised and with enough batteries, you should be able to do 25km/h on that road. You could even use thicker tire profile for more grip and compensate with more battery power.
In the north of England we get snow, not like yours, but it's impressive for the UK. It's a shame you can't fit fatter tyres or have fatter wheels for winter conditions. We learn so much more due to your videos here, most Brit's probably think you shove a rocket up Rudolf's arse as he pulls a sleigh - most Brits don't get to the Northern countries, they head for the sun and cheap booze in Spain etc.
Hi - When snowblowers clog up, they use Ceramic Coating (for cars) on the inside to reduce the build up. I DO NOT know if the Ceramic Coating will do anything bad to the carbon fiber resin. Perhaps the Quattrovelo manufacture could perform a test, for you. Might work...
Please adjust your haircut to Leningrad cowboy style and the shoes need adjusment ( LOL) . Attachement of a snow plow will help the velomobil ! Nice video ! Accent marvelous !
i think the best winter bike is a full suspension mountain bike w 2.6 inch tyres.. wide enough for traction and the suspension soaks up the ice ruts and post holes
Close off the shelves in the wheel wells with duct tape, that should keep the snow and dirt out and maybe stop the snow sticking so much, (although as you know, some snow is just sticky).....
I loved your map! as for riding in winter have you seen the fabulous video called Velomobile Drifting by Fantom's Nephew? (forgive me for mentioning Swedish videos on your channel)
Nice winter. Foot/cycle paths are never ploughed here so I don't carry Pepsi and mintoes on those rides. Would a hose/snorkel for exhaling/venting the moisture (inhale through your nose, exhale through your mouth) help? Sounds uncomfortable. How much rain gets to the rider?
Hmmm... don't know if it would work. But luckily the snow sticks to the wheel wells only in certain conditions. It seems to only happen when the snow is fresh and the temperature close to zero.
I'd be wary of such a procedure... most teflon sprays need primers for adhesion. Furthermore, at low temperatures like 0 celcius, the adhesion between the primer and surfaces such as carbon fibre (which is already treated with inert top layer to prevent bending of the material) will likely not last. The teflon layer will slosh off in chipped-paint like flakes (likely more pliable than actual chipped paint though). I'd suggest some salt-preventative material but again, this will be either too strong (so it attacks the carbon fibre) or too weak (sloshes off). Whatever the case, I wouldn't mess with the carbon fibre. Hard as it seems, it's very chemically active and holes in wheel well can really ruin the experience of a closed velomobile body. That being said, I'm no expert...
Hi Saukki, I am making my own velomobile, 4 wheeler like QV. I was thinking about making it 4x4 having in mind taking it into the snow or out of the pavement, on some gravel roads, or forest paths, where it might get mudy from time to time. As I don't have much experience riding a recumbent ( can't afford one, that's why I'm making it myself :p) I'm not sure it will be a good idea. Could you give me some hints, given your years of experience with velos? Is there any situation where 4x4 would be better in your QV? Would it help on the snow, or in mud? Have you ever got stuck in snow or mud in your QV (I know velomobile differential make it hard to happen, but it might). Will 4x4 make any sense, or it would be unnecessary additional weight? Just to give you a reference point - it will be an open wheel 4-wheels velo with 28 inch wheels (ye, the big ones used in touring bicycles). Full independent suspension. Probably with e-assist, if I manage to get one for cheap.
How about making it 2 wheel drive, so that the rear wheels are driven. Maybe similar drivetrain than Quattrovelo has. Then add e-assist to one or both front wheels using a hub motor.
@@TheVelomobileChannel yes I was thinking about either making it rear wheel drive, like Quatrovelo, or 4 wheel drive, like so recumbent quad-bicycles Having front wheels driven with e-assist is actually not a bad idea, thanks for that. It'll work like AWD in car, front wheels will only be driven in low speeds up to 25km/h (which is when 4x4 is really needed) The only problem that may happen is that front and rear wheels will not be synchronised. Front wheels may try to spin faster than rear wheels. Anyway, I still need to know if 4 wheel drive would really be needed in a velo. Did you ever happen to get stuck in a mud or snow, where 4 wheel drive would help?
As always, wonderful review! But I do not completely agree with you about the winter type on your map... I'm inviting you here in Switzerand, we had also 60cm of snow last days, but the huge difference are the constently up and down with grade of 10-12% with snow on the road (don't speak about bicycle roads, they don't exist here...). Yesterday, I made a 55km trip with my velomobile with about 750m up :-( Otherwise, thanks for the review!
I have more and steeper hills, here in the Cascade Mountains but it tends to be rain on the Western slopes, where I like to stay in the Winter. By the way, which camera are you using these days?
Do any velomobiles use disc brakes on the front wheels? I'm wondering if disc brakes would have any advantage or disadvantage compared to the drum brakes? I always thought the drum brakes are more prone to locking the wheel and therefore causing a skid/slip. What do you think? Do you think drum brakes work better in a climate like what you have in Finland because the mechanism is fully enclosed and have you ever had any concerns regarding emergency braking, because your wheels may lock up? And would a disc brake have a lesser chance of completely locking the wheel? I know disc brakes are not equal ABS, but just wondering if they would perform better, specially in terms of emergency braking. Thanks!
I have a feeling that with disk brake it’s even more easier to lock the wheel because they are more powerful. But I’m not 100% sure about this. There’s I think two main reason why almost all velomobiles have drum brakes. 1. Drum brakes are almost maintenance free. I had my Quest for 5 years and I never had to replace brake pads. On my other bikes with disk brakes, especially the rear brake pads wear out super quickly, if riding a lot in wet conditions. 2. Easy to remove wheel. Velomobile wheels are hold in place basically with one bolt. Undo the bolt and the wheel can be easily taken off. It’s basicaly the drum brake which allows this. If you want to manufacture as convienient system with disk brakes, you have to manufacture special parts for that. All off-the-shelf bike parts are made so that the brake disk is attached to the wheel hub. That’s ok if you are mounting the wheel to a fork. But velomobiles have usualy one side mount for wheels.
Yes, little bit. When the temperature is close to zero, then there might be salt slush on the highways. Salt can corrode the metal parts of the velomobile. I guess I just try to avoid higways when there’s lot of salt.
Hello Saukki, would these tyres help you out for a better Traction. www.bike-components.de/en/Schwalbe/Marathon-Winter-Plus-20-Wired-Spike-Tyre-p64143/ kind regards from the Netherlands Akko
Only on ice. But I rather don’t use those tyres. Once I had set of these on my old recumbent. After few hundred kilometers the studds started to eat their way through the rubber and poking holes on the inner tube. And that’s why I don’t recommend those.
Thanks a lot for the information Saukki to show the winter conditions between the Azub bike/QV. We have about the same conditions in Norway as in Finland. Do have installed an e. assist and maybe a Schlumpf drive inside the QV? Regards Martinius/Norway
@@TheVelomobileChannel I have some information. Real carbon fiber does not noticeably change its mechanical properties at low temperatures (Such temperatures that a person can meet in the real world. Not -196 Celsius, like liquid nitrogen). In addition, composite materials based on carbon fiber, the less affected by low temperatures, the more in their composition the relative amount of carbon fiber (It should be noted here that the carbon fiber itself can also differ. For example, the size of the fibers. But at least, as long as it's not Chinese bullshit, it's okay.) I don't know what kind of composite the quatrovello uses, but judging by the cosmic price, something high quality.
Hee Saukki, You made a Mistake! 0:38 The First first isn't the First. You should delete the First first, Bescause the Second first should be the First first. But you can also refirst it.
For this amount of money velomobile don't wort it, I can buy electric vehicle that is quadricycle, that is transportation for daily commute, but these velomobiles is just expensive toy. The idea of velomobile is nice, but without electric assistant, ventilation and heater system, it will not be practical for daily commute.
WESTERN SIBERIA!!!!
You had me laughing at that one.
Then again, you might have a point.
Finnish humour - best served chilled!
In Arizona winter is like summer in most other places in the 🌎, so I feel like a real wimp when I see the conditions you have to ride in. I salute you sir!
It depends on the area in Arizona. Flagstaff gets snow every year. It's certainly not Finland, but it's a far cry from Phoenix, and Yuma is even warmer than Phoenix.
Indiana- hot stagnant humid summers, sudden great wind, short yet potentially arctic winters bracketed by ice storms and cold rain , and about twenty days a year that make all that other stuff almost worth it. I like AZ. That desert chill at sunset is no joke.
Even if it's slower, I'd rather be in your quattrovelo should the front wheel lose grip for half a second. Momentary understeer vs sliding down the road on your face preference. Also 15C warmer, dry and no wind chill is a bonus
this is the best velomobile channel on youtube
The snow and ice really brought out your humor. Great video, I enjoyed the laughs.
How to close the QV with alienhood and manhole cover?
Method 1: While sitting in, place the cover in front of you between the mirrors. Close the hood with visor open, fix the velcros, then pull in the cover and fix those velcros too.
Method 2: While sitting in, place the cover in its place, but fix the front velcro only. You can reach the hood, so you can close it with one hand, then fix all the velcros.
Method 1 was the best for me, but does not work in windy weather.
Method 3: Take your child for the trip. Get in, and say "*child's name*, close the hood!"
Method I is exactly my prefered way
Great video - perhaps your best yet. Thanks! I agree 100% with all your points, as I also have a QV and have experienced similar conditions here in Sweden.
As a British viewer you couldn't be more correct! Our winter is so mild here in the east of England that many years lately we have had no real snow at all, and it is ten degrees C here today. People still act like the outdoors are off limits all season (all the better for me and my cyclist friends) We must have the least wintry winter in this latitude of the world.
Love all the videos ... At 76yrs I think the opportunity to use one has passed, I'd hire one if they were available. Stay safe Saukki.
I live in Florida, where there is no such thing as a real winter. Well, here in Miami, temps can get as low as 30s degrees Fahrenheit. But very rarely so.
Great video ! Really liked the funny parts all along ;) keep it up !
Cool bike, you have no problemes too find it in the snow😉👍
😂
Great video!
You should install race hood hooks behind of your head on the hood, then it will be easier to close when you have the foam cover. 😉
I have no problem with the foam cover.
You have not taken in consideration the circumstances when the road is + - 0 and wet. In those circumstances it is very ugly to ride an open bike.
Yes, you are right. But unfortunately (or luckily) we have had real winter with no wet weather. Not like last winter when temperature was constantly bouncing around zero.
8:40 Maybe attach some strings/webbing to hard top... so that when flexible cover is on... you just pull the strings / webbing to bring the hard top down? (as the strings / webbing would already be through the hole of soft top).
That's a good-looking velomobile you have, Saukki. The orange really stands out against the snowy landscape. I was thinking that applying something slippery to the wheel wells might help to reduce the snow and ice build-up there; silicone spray, or something with similar properties, perhaps. You wouldn't want to get that stuff on the tires, though. Those drone shots look great, btw and your map of Europe is among the best that I have seen! "Pretty long video" < = > long Finlandia Winter. Florida videos about winter are pretty short.
Thank you for so elaborate and accurate report by an experienced recumbent rider.
Your observations match my own experience with the QV. Riding in snow can be great fun and traction is superior to other models, but speeds will be low. Not good for commuting but fine otherwise.
Depends on what are your alternatives. Public transport in the Netherlands is unreliable when it snows, and in the winter it has a different schedule. So my commute became 1:30 hours, so what... That's better than waiting for a train that doesn't come in the wind tunnels they call stations in the Netherlands.
2 wheels are not done in the Netherlands outside the city, especially in a snow storm.
For me the quest is a clear winner on stormy or snowy days compared to public transport.
Snowy days are better, since wet weathers means more flat tires. Dry or frozen weather is less of a problem.
YAY! Saukki producing content.
Good video Saukki! It reminded me just how cold it can get in Finland. I used to fly into Tampere quite often and the temperatures can be challenging for airliners as well! Your comments about eassist on the qv are very relevant and assist compensates well for the drag of 4 wheels. Like you I've never found an easy way to attach the foam cover when using the full hood. Fortunately here in the UK it's not often needed. I've experienced the problem with wet snow clogging the wheel wells (on my Questxs) when riding from Hoek to Nijmegen in midwinter, it almost prevented me from arriving. The Dutch riders all carried suitable sticks and would stop frequently to free their wheels. Perhaps Dronten should develop a special QV for cold climates with open front wheels like on the Strada? I'll look forward to your warm weather report!
A few thoughts Saukki.
I think your Azub max is superior to an upright bicycle for winter commuting because, goodnees forbid, should your front wheel slip on the ice, you don't have nearly as far to fall, and you don't fall off head first, plus you can put your hands and feet down to break your fall quiet easily.
I think there is an potental alternative in the Hase Kettwiesel Cross Steps. It has a differential, full suspension for the bumpy icy paths. It has a low center of gravity, and the rider sits almost between the two rear wheels, making it very stable. There are only three wheels to drag through the snow, as opposed to the Quattrovelo's four wheels, and the Kettwiesel's front wheel doesn't have a lot of weight on it, the majority of the weight is on the two rear drive wheels, which means the front wheel rolls over hard snow, instead of plowing a trough through it.
The Kettwiesel is lighter than the Quattrovelo, cheaper as well. It has luggage space behind the rider, the chain drive will remain clean like the Quattrovelo, so long as the front wheel has a good fender on it.
The only down side is there is no fairing, although there is a umbrella like stucture that can be bought separately.
I have seen an excellent idea by this german guy, he sells fibre glass nose fairings and rain ponchos which attach to the nose fairing, completely enveloping the rider, protecting them from the elements, but avoiding a lot of the sauna effect that happens when wearing waterproofs. This is his web page here...
www.fahrradverkleidung.de/
With that combination i think a rider would have excellent protection from the very cold days, be faster than the Quattrovelo, and have great stability.
Thankyou for enlightening us about the practicalities of riding a velomobile in winter, you have taught me a lot.
Edit: When i think about it, a zzipper fairing with a rain poncho would do a good job of protecting a rider from the elements as well, it's a lighter alternative to using a heavy velomobile in winter, but still giving the rider that crucial protection from the elements.
www.zzipper.com/
I think we need to do a fund-raiser for Saukki, to get him an electric motor kit for the QV :)
Awesome episode as always! We love the long episodes...hint hint *SUBSCRIBE* Sticking vs non-sticking snow could be because of different moisture content. Dry snow won't stick as much as wetter snow will stick. You could try some silicone or lubricant spray in the wheel wells, but that is not good for the environment. Maybe bee's wax? Or heat tape, or somehow install a brush to brush off snow from tire as you ride. The only thing for the moisture inside, is to have moving air through there, but then it will be cold. I would keep an old rag or cloth in Voyager, to wipe down the moisture after a ride. If it freezes it can cause damage and cracks if it goes into little spaces like in-between mountings, hinges, brackets etc.
Before the video was over and as I was listening to your evaluation, I thought the same thing as you completed your review with, in winter, an e-assist would be worth an extra star! I understand, it's another level of expense, and a different decision one would get to than you did for your velo purchase, but in different weather, and for a certain distance traveled, it appears that would be a velo owner's next mental shift to face. Thanks for the completely honest real world review.
A tip I got from a rally driver for tires. Put a piece of plastic just sucking your tire and it will expell excess snow and debris from your tire. It should help with snow build up.
Great video! The weather where you live is totally different from here in Brazil, but I like to see and to learn how is to live in other parts of the world!
Last Saturday it was 47ºC when I was riding my bike and I had a flat tire in a place without trees or other things to protect me from the sun. This was annoying!
I saw a video from your channel showing how to chance a flat tire in the summer, but I think it will be interesting a video showing how you change a flat tire in this winter conditions.
Thanks for the videos!
Great video as always. Love the humour :-)
You can close the hood first with the manholecover on the nose. When inside you can pick up the manholecover and place it on the right place. That works for me the best.
Only when it is windy is it sometimes difficult.
Yes I've tried that, but at least in my case it seems to be difficult to get the manhole cover to it's place. It hits to the edge of the hood and also the mirrors and I have to bend the cover a little bit to get it on the place without moving the mirrors. It's inconvienient.
I am thinking about mounting a slider for it, but here is how I use it now:
Step 1: Stick it between the mirrors. Step 2: Hold a hand on it while entering/exiting normally so it does not blow away.
Step 3: Fasten its front and then one side.
Step 4: Fasten the top.
Step 5: Fasten the other side.
Happy biking!
I also do it that way. In the first days with my QV I also didn't know how to do it the best way and called it the "velcro hell".
Thanks for this video Saukki! Love your approach en personal tests with your velomobiles! 😁
You are a hero!
Just a suggestion, in regards to how you would do your review on the QV. Maybe if you did a seasonal review.
After all four seasons have go by, creating a video that shows each ride on the same portion of road. So that you can show the change of the QV's ride response and feel each time of the year.
Regarding sticky snow , from the naked scientists article 'what-makes-snow-stick' it says that pressure lowers the melting point of ice. This implies that when ice hits the wheel wells it briefly turns to liquid then freezes and thus the surface builds up. This says to me that at really low temperatures well below zero the chances of turning into liquid and snow sticking go down.
Its an area of active research and it sounds like it's not been solved easily yet. Think of snow buildup on aircraft wings , wind turbines , power cables and solar panels.
I read this from the science article ...
Surface Design Strategies for Mitigating Ice and Snow Accretion
Great video! The work you are putting in is schowing!
Your winter is a real winter !!! In Italy low temperatures and fog are the main characteristics of the winter season. The snow, especially in the plains, does not last long.
The more you make videos the more brilliant they become! 😊👍🏻
I kept thinking for all the video long what you mentioned at the very end: pedal assist would change things a lot in those conditions. A quickly removable set may be interesting for quattrovelonauts...
Very informative. Thank you so much! At least, I know I can go back home in this velomobile even if the snow is here. Thanks. I am looking forward for a review of the hard hood on your Quest VS this hood. Keep it up!
Thanks for a great video! My tip is to place the manhole-cover on the hood while you close the top. Then open the top just a little bit and slide the manhole-cover in it's place. That works great for me :)
I would suggest spray butter in a can like Pam or vegetable oil to keep the snow from sticking
Excellent video. Well done and thorough, with a subtle sense of humor. And the back ground music shreds.
I hope there are some of those tee-shirts with the bicycle evolving into velomobile left.
Yes, those shirts are available here: shop.spreadshirt.net/saukki/Bicycle+evolution
@@TheVelomobileChannelawesome
I am not sure about this but i would love to see you try:
electric assist in the quattro (at best some sort of bottom bracket motor as you can use the gears to increase torque),
studded tires in the back or at least a rope or zip ties around them to increase traction,
brushes in the wheel wells to brush off snow before it gets inside (maybe add a brush for the shoes aswell?),
finally and what i am most curious about: some form of ski attached to the front wheels so you would slide instead of role and maybe also slide over barriers?
It would be like an improvised human powered snowmobile. A first as far as i know.
Actually I have something similar in my mind. I’m going to test at least one of your ideas in a future video. Just wait and see 😉 (I was actually going to do that already last winter, but we didn’t have enough snow so I didn’t)
@@TheVelomobileChannel now I am really curious what you are going to Dom I can't wait to see that. I guess let's hope for lots of snow then?
I've commented your video regarding resistance of the bearings ;) feeling like a smart ass now -.- you've covered every thin here prety good.
Yeah. Make video about the grease inside of the bearings which freezes in winter.
People in the comments: Air density! Tyre rolling resistance!
Me: 🤦♂️🤷♂️
@@TheVelomobileChannel XD
You have also count in that you might fall on your azub, 2 wheels is slipery even with a great balance as a finish bear 😀 You can also get the cold and become sick aswell. Adding E-Assist in winter is clearly the QV better winterbike then AZUB.
For me this works best:
1. Foam cover on the front
2. Close the hood, fasten its velcro straps
3. Put the foam cover over the hole, fasten the straps
A rather fiddly process... I wonder if there could be another solution to lock the hood to make things a bit easier?
I imagine it would also become near impossible with such low clearance when it comes to deeper snow. I have a fat bike, and I carry snow shoes with me, because as good as it is in the snow there are still certain conditions where it is still unrideable, and I have to push out to where roads have already been plowed. fatter tires would definitely help you in the winter, you'd get used to the weight difference. 45Nrth makes faster-rolling winter tires including a commuter bike size, but unfortunately only in 700 × 30 size... not 20in, although they do have 26×2" if you have the clearance to switch rims. you can also get them with or without studs, but honestly the studs don't help in snow anyway, there's just not enough weight the way you have on a car so they really only help on ice. the last couple of winters I haven't used the studded tires, because most of the time they aren't necessary, so they're just slowing me down. maybe if you live some place a bit warmer where you get a lot of ice storms, or fog that freezes on the pavement, studded tires might make more sense.
on my fat bike I find that virgin snow rides the best, after plows or snow blowers have been through and the snow is all churned up it becomes terrible, even impossible. similarly if snowmobiles have been through, you get a hard-packed washboard on top that slips on a soft layer underneath, after a couple of day and night cycles it hardens up and then it's just a washboard which is terrible to ride
Thank you for this very informative video. Conditions like you have to deal with happen on my commute route usually for just a few days a year. Freezing in the morning and above zero afternoon is what most of our winter looks like. I am still hoping to build my own 4-wheeled velomobile one day and make it somewhat usable in winter too. Because of that I plan the same track width front and rear and reinforced bottom to handle "beaching" it on the snow banks from snow plows without damage (just ram through at speed). However I have not considered the accumulation of snow in the wheel arches. That will need some solution incorporated into the design. So thank you for that info.
Just leave the wheel arches open (like Strada, Mango, DF) so you can easily remove the snow if needed.
@@TheVelomobileChannel I have considered that. But if I ever build it it will be very heavy because I am not willing to optimize it for weight by sacrificing a lot of money and some practical properties. I live in a the flattest part of our country and my commute is flat too. So weight only matters for acceleration and on my commute I have like 3-4 places I have to stop and give way to traffic, the rest is just cruising. I want to get slightly higher cruising speed by having the wheels covered.
What could be doable would be having the outside wheel covers removable and leave them at home for riding in snow. It would simplify servicing the vehicle too. For two or free weeks in January I would just unscrew some screws, store the covers and ride with open wheels. The rest of the year I get a more cool loking and faster velo.
I heard "we in Finland in winter we have snow and shit" , i laughed so hard. Made my day.
Or here in South Australia where it gets cold enough that we don't get sunburnt for 4 months straight.
Love your laptop...! Beautiful winter scenes too. For bike riding in those conditions you must need some very warm gloves. Even in the UK's damp winters, when the mercury drops to 3 or 4 degrees I have about 50 or so mins before my hands are gone, no matter the glove combination (and that is inside neoprene bar muffs!). Perhaps I am getting old! Glove recommendations gratefully received.
When the outside temperature is just below zero, you can easily ride without gloves in a velomobile. There’s 15 degrees warmer inside 😅
Maybe some leather covered large mittens with thick insulation layers from lamb wool etc?
Have you tried silicon spray in your wheel arches to stop snow sticking? Would at least make it easier to clean mud out.
A great video again! Thx!
The side of the visor freezes because your breath/body heat are exiting that way.
Interesting. Have you considered retrofitting a small ebike assist motor just for the winter?
If the podbike works as advertised and with enough batteries, you should be able to do 25km/h on that road.
You could even use thicker tire profile for more grip and compensate with more battery power.
Yes, I have considered it and might even do it some day. But not yet.
Saukki, you are too funny😂😂😂
In the north of England we get snow, not like yours, but it's impressive for the UK. It's a shame you can't fit fatter tyres or have fatter wheels for winter conditions. We learn so much more due to your videos here, most Brit's probably think you shove a rocket up Rudolf's arse as he pulls a sleigh - most Brits don't get to the Northern countries, they head for the sun and cheap booze in Spain etc.
He had me at “this is going to be long”
Hi - When snowblowers clog up, they use Ceramic Coating (for cars) on the inside to reduce the build up. I DO NOT know if the Ceramic Coating will do anything bad to the carbon fiber resin. Perhaps the Quattrovelo manufacture could perform a test, for you. Might work...
Please adjust your haircut to Leningrad cowboy style and the shoes need adjusment ( LOL) . Attachement of a snow plow will help the velomobil ! Nice video ! Accent marvelous !
any chance spraying down the wheel wells with non stick spray for cooking might stop the snow from sticking?
i think the best winter bike is a full suspension mountain bike w 2.6 inch tyres.. wide enough for traction and the suspension soaks up the ice ruts and post holes
You are probably right. Fat bike would be better in certain situations, but I guess MTB would be more versatile and efficient.
I have an HP Gekko and that's a fun winter bike :) Of course, for me winter means a light powder of snow in the mornings ...
I agree as far as the ride comfort is concerned but will sacrifice that for the warmth and weather protection in the QV!
Close off the shelves in the wheel wells with duct tape, that should keep the snow and dirt out and maybe stop the snow sticking so much, (although as you know, some snow is just sticky).....
Apparently the guy showing us the map is a drummer. 🤔
Did you ride when it was -25°C to check if the snow would stick to the wheel wells?! 🥶
Yes I did. It didn’t stick 😅
I loved your map! as for riding in winter have you seen the fabulous video called Velomobile Drifting by Fantom's Nephew? (forgive me for mentioning Swedish videos on your channel)
Yes, I've seen that :)
Nice winter.
Foot/cycle paths are never ploughed here so I don't carry Pepsi and mintoes on those rides.
Would a hose/snorkel for exhaling/venting the moisture (inhale through your nose, exhale through your mouth) help? Sounds uncomfortable.
How much rain gets to the rider?
Don’t know about the rain yet. We have only snow 😄
Wow your accent gives me ASMR
Could you spray the wheel wells with a Teflon type coating to keep the snow from sticking?
Hmmm... don't know if it would work. But luckily the snow sticks to the wheel wells only in certain conditions. It seems to only happen when the snow is fresh and the temperature close to zero.
I'd be wary of such a procedure... most teflon sprays need primers for adhesion. Furthermore, at low temperatures like 0 celcius, the adhesion between the primer and surfaces such as carbon fibre (which is already treated with inert top layer to prevent bending of the material) will likely not last. The teflon layer will slosh off in chipped-paint like flakes (likely more pliable than actual chipped paint though). I'd suggest some salt-preventative material but again, this will be either too strong (so it attacks the carbon fibre) or too weak (sloshes off). Whatever the case, I wouldn't mess with the carbon fibre. Hard as it seems, it's very chemically active and holes in wheel well can really ruin the experience of a closed velomobile body. That being said, I'm no expert...
Hi Saukki, I am making my own velomobile, 4 wheeler like QV. I was thinking about making it 4x4 having in mind taking it into the snow or out of the pavement, on some gravel roads, or forest paths, where it might get mudy from time to time. As I don't have much experience riding a recumbent ( can't afford one, that's why I'm making it myself :p) I'm not sure it will be a good idea.
Could you give me some hints, given your years of experience with velos? Is there any situation where 4x4 would be better in your QV? Would it help on the snow, or in mud? Have you ever got stuck in snow or mud in your QV (I know velomobile differential make it hard to happen, but it might).
Will 4x4 make any sense, or it would be unnecessary additional weight?
Just to give you a reference point - it will be an open wheel 4-wheels velo with 28 inch wheels (ye, the big ones used in touring bicycles). Full independent suspension. Probably with e-assist, if I manage to get one for cheap.
How about making it 2 wheel drive, so that the rear wheels are driven. Maybe similar drivetrain than Quattrovelo has. Then add e-assist to one or both front wheels using a hub motor.
@@TheVelomobileChannel yes I was thinking about either making it rear wheel drive, like Quatrovelo, or 4 wheel drive, like so recumbent quad-bicycles
Having front wheels driven with e-assist is actually not a bad idea, thanks for that. It'll work like AWD in car, front wheels will only be driven in low speeds up to 25km/h (which is when 4x4 is really needed)
The only problem that may happen is that front and rear wheels will not be synchronised. Front wheels may try to spin faster than rear wheels.
Anyway, I still need to know if 4 wheel drive would really be needed in a velo. Did you ever happen to get stuck in a mud or snow, where 4 wheel drive would help?
As always, wonderful review! But I do not completely agree with you about the winter type on your map... I'm inviting you here in Switzerand, we had also 60cm of snow last days, but the huge difference are the constently up and down with grade of 10-12% with snow on the road (don't speak about bicycle roads, they don't exist here...). Yesterday, I made a 55km trip with my velomobile with about 750m up :-(
Otherwise, thanks for the review!
Iloisia kilometrejä ja erityisen turvallisia talviajoja! Lunta riittää. Se tekeekin pyöräilystä kaikin tavoin hauskaa ja hiihtämäänkin pääsee :)
Pääsishän sitä hiihtämäänkin, mutta kun ei malta :D
6:28 I go to crazy from your child table.😁😁😁
I have more and steeper hills, here in the Cascade Mountains but it tends to be rain on the Western slopes, where I like to stay in the Winter. By the way, which camera are you using these days?
DJI Osmo Action
@@TheVelomobileChannel Thank you!
Fantastic, so informative video. All I need to know I got it here. 5 🍌 out of 5.
/Sweden
Do any velomobiles use disc brakes on the front wheels? I'm wondering if disc brakes would have any advantage or disadvantage compared to the drum brakes? I always thought the drum brakes are more prone to locking the wheel and therefore causing a skid/slip. What do you think? Do you think drum brakes work better in a climate like what you have in Finland because the mechanism is fully enclosed and have you ever had any concerns regarding emergency braking, because your wheels may lock up? And would a disc brake have a lesser chance of completely locking the wheel? I know disc brakes are not equal ABS, but just wondering if they would perform better, specially in terms of emergency braking. Thanks!
I have a feeling that with disk brake it’s even more easier to lock the wheel because they are more powerful. But I’m not 100% sure about this.
There’s I think two main reason why almost all velomobiles have drum brakes.
1. Drum brakes are almost maintenance free. I had my Quest for 5 years and I never had to replace brake pads. On my other bikes with disk brakes, especially the rear brake pads wear out super quickly, if riding a lot in wet conditions.
2. Easy to remove wheel. Velomobile wheels are hold in place basically with one bolt. Undo the bolt and the wheel can be easily taken off. It’s basicaly the drum brake which allows this. If you want to manufacture as convienient system with disk brakes, you have to manufacture special parts for that. All off-the-shelf bike parts are made so that the brake disk is attached to the wheel hub. That’s ok if you are mounting the wheel to a fork. But velomobiles have usualy one side mount for wheels.
@@TheVelomobileChannel Perfect, it all makes sense! Thanks a lot for the detailed reply!
Commuting? What is that? Last time I did it was in Marche 2020...
A serious question: do they put salt onto the roads in Finland?
Yes they put salt on highways.
Aren't you afraid it could damage your velo (or your bike)?
Yes, little bit. When the temperature is close to zero, then there might be salt slush on the highways. Salt can corrode the metal parts of the velomobile. I guess I just try to avoid higways when there’s lot of salt.
Is your new camera an Insta360 One R?
DJI Osmo Action.
why no Spiketire?
Ok, did not see the title first... So thought this was the mid summer video
How long did you have to watch until you realized?
@@TheVelomobileChannel being a native Finnish... Like a second 😄
😄
Hello Saukki, would these tyres help you out for a better Traction. www.bike-components.de/en/Schwalbe/Marathon-Winter-Plus-20-Wired-Spike-Tyre-p64143/ kind regards from the Netherlands Akko
Only on ice. But I rather don’t use those tyres. Once I had set of these on my old recumbent. After few hundred kilometers the studds started to eat their way through the rubber and poking holes on the inner tube. And that’s why I don’t recommend those.
Is there a velomobile fatbike?
Not that I've heard about. But I guess you could maybe use fat tyres on Leitra. At least on the front wheels. I don't know if that would work :D
now snow in the uk eh........?
Lol at 06:40! 🤣
Thanks a lot for the information Saukki to show the winter conditions between the Azub bike/QV. We have about the same conditions in Norway as in Finland. Do have installed an e. assist and maybe a Schlumpf drive inside the QV?
Regards Martinius/Norway
I have the Mountain Drive which is very usefull in winter.
@@TheVelomobileChannel What about the e.assist inside. Have you installed it then too?
No I haven’t. It would make sense to have e-assist in winter.
Interesting, how carbon fiber will be affected by -45C here in Vilyuysk, Russia
That’s a good question. Here it doesn’t get that cold, so I can’t test 🤔
@@TheVelomobileChannel here is the time to start to North Pole. You have tool for it already 😁
@@TheVelomobileChannel I have some information.
Real carbon fiber does not noticeably change its mechanical properties at low temperatures (Such temperatures that a person can meet in the real world. Not -196 Celsius, like liquid nitrogen).
In addition, composite materials based on carbon fiber, the less affected by low temperatures, the more in their composition the relative amount of carbon fiber (It should be noted here that the carbon fiber itself can also differ. For example, the size of the fibers. But at least, as long as it's not Chinese bullshit, it's okay.)
I don't know what kind of composite the quatrovello uses, but judging by the cosmic price, something high quality.
@Maciej Jan Długosz Then resin will crack but carbon fiber intact. Structural strength will be loosed.
42 km/h is my guess.
Hee Saukki, You made a Mistake! 0:38 The First first isn't the First. You should delete the First first, Bescause the Second first should be the First first. But you can also refirst it.
Congratulations! You are the first one to notice. Take this banana as a reward: 🍌
You are welcome.
@@TheVelomobileChannel Thank you for the 🍌
For this amount of money velomobile don't wort it, I can buy electric vehicle that is quadricycle, that is transportation for daily commute, but these velomobiles is just expensive toy. The idea of velomobile is nice, but without electric assistant, ventilation and heater system, it will not be practical for daily commute.