How to choose and buy a velomobile in the US
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- Опубліковано 16 жов 2024
- This is only a very general overview. Were I to go into detail on choosing a model, this video would be well over an hour, and I doubt anyone would want to watch that long a video! It is already pretty long as it is. For more info contact:
www.velomobileworld.com (Jan is super helpful and can help you order Alpha 7, Alpha 9, M 9, Milan, and of course the super awesome new Bulk)
www.velomobiel.nl (Quatrevelo, Quest, and Strada)
www.katanga.eu/waw (WAW - Stephan makes a great product as well)
www.intercitybike.nl (DF and Tuna)
cmoder.gitlab.... (excellent in-depth source of info about Velomobiles)
There are other smaller companies, but these are the major models and the most likely to be supported long into the future. All are built to a high level of quality and all these companies are great about answering questions and helping you pick the right velomobile for you. If you prefer to go through a dealer rather than factory direct, Velomobile-Nord and Velomobile Center Finland are two dealers I know have experience shipping to N America. There are likely others as well that would be happy to help coordinate your order. There is a listing of dealers on the Velomobile World website.
If you are looking for a test drive, I would encourage you to post on the Bentrideronline website Velomobile forum and on the Facebook Velomobile forum asking if anyone has the model you are interested in and is in your area.
The shop of Doug Davis in Dallas Texas, bike evolution, was a great help for me.
Plus that he has a lot of different Velomobiles in stock so one can check the dimensions and the pro’s and con’s of the different models in one place.
Bicycle evolution is now only a dealer for the WAW. The velomobile world ambassador program is the best option at this time for ordering Velomobiles in the US and Canada. Delivery through the ambassador program is quite a bit quicker than it has been through bicycle evolution, and with 20 ambassadors in the US alone, it is much easier now to find someone near you that can accommodate a test ride. Some ambassadors may even have a couple models on hand for testing.
@@mnveloguy. Ok did Not know that! 👍
@@caspervanosch8654 this was a more recent change, within the last couple months.
Doug does a great job of providing service, sales and support for velomobiles and that's saying a lot. While Amazon has promoted the direct to consumer model it doesn't really work that well for something as personalized as a velomobile.
I've found that Ambassador programs start off great, you save a little money by doing a little of the work yourself, sort of like buying furniture from IKEA but unlike a huge company like IKEA that provides a lot of support, Ambassador programs have your back until things go wrong in a serious way, then you find yourself on your own trying to deal with someone in Europe that may or may not be able to help you.
Dealers like Doug shoulder a lot the work that goes with promoting velomobiles and there's not a big profit margin in it for dealers, contrary to popular belief, something you find out on the back end when warranty claims enter the picture or you velomobile gets hit by a car and you need parts or repair services. Having a North American based dealer network for velomobiles is the key to growing this important sport and alternative means of transportation, Ambassador programs are great for what they do to promote velomobiles but a year down the road it may not seem like such a great deal, so support your velomobile dealers, they aren't in it for the money because there just isn't much money to be had with a velomobile.
@@susanmaclachlan9861 I have to ardently disagree with this. Velomobile World has successfully delivered more than 10x the number of velomobiles Doug Davis ever sold. We have navigated all sorts of issues from fitment to service issues. Velomobile World has been fantastic with their communication, parts shipping is always within a few days, often faster than the part would arrive from an american source. We have a growing support network of velomobile enthusiasts here in the US and Canada to help troubleshoot any issues that may arise. Jan is committed to a successful program and has done amazing things to create a system that works. Let's support him in his endeavor!
Cool breakdown
Y’know Ben, even though you’re in love with your Bulk, your homebuilt cedar strip velo is still a classy looking velo. Granted it’s heavy and slow it is one of a kind.
And it is unofficially for sale too. I need to work on fixing the steering issue and then officially list it. I need to make room in the garage for a large shipment of Velomobiles. The car needs to go up for sale soon too.
Check out Saukki for the skinny on owning a velomobile. A quick tip might be; if you can’t get into/out of a Miata, then a velomobile might not be for you. Good to see someone nearby (I’m in Des Moines) rather than Utah, California or Texas talking about velomobiles.
I’m very familiar with Saukki’s channel. I got a lot of good info there prior to buying a velomobile a few years ago. I now own a Bülk and a W9 which are featured in quite a few of my other videos. I’m also now an Ambassador dealer for Velomobile World.
Don’t forget the VT1, made by Velomtek, from your neighbors up here in Canada.
@@guidos.6043 I’m associated now with Velomobile World and exclusively promote the models they produce.
Very informative video. I've watched all the different velomobile UA-cam channels. I live in Eagle River, Wisconsin, I'm 6'6" , 240 #'s, 47 years old. Just looking for year round riding local. What one do you suggest and total price 🤔 thanks.
That's pretty tall. Maybe the Alpha 9? That's a pretty large velomobile. You would be right at the limit for a DFXL and around the limit for a Milan GT. The DFXL and Milan GT would likely require shorter cranks to keep your toes from striking when pedaling. It's also possible you might fit in a Katanga WAW with a long nose. I know there is a guy in the Eau Claire area that has a waw. I think someone there also has a DF. Not sure if it's the standard one or the DFXL.
I'd contact Jan at velomobile world and ask him what he thinks you would fit in. When you're close to the upper size limit, it's tough to say without actually sitting in one. You could also join the North American Velomobiles facebook group to ask if anyone local has one you could sit in.
Shoulder width is an issue as well for some riders along with shoe size.
Very informative 👏 thanks!
11:22 I always thought the fastest Velomobiles were the Milan GT, Snoek, and the Alpha 7.
So is the Bulk M1 just as fast? I'm thinking the M1 is the one I'm considering.
I live in San Diego California, I want something really fast, but I don't want to pay the Milan price. I'm 5'11, 165 lbs. I want the bang for my buck for max speed, and made from my Carbon fiber
Also, can I get the velo straight from you?
.... You're thoughts
@@chrisloya6988 alpha 7 was never among the fastest. Currently it’s Snoek, Milan SL (now out of production), W9/Bülk. Then everything else. The new W9s fits in there around the Snoek. Which is ultimately the fastest depends on where you are riding. Snoek isn’t great in corners or wind according to reports. Milan SL does really well in those conditions.
They all come out about the same price. I do have Bülk #56 up for sale. $8500 with both combi and race hood. Around 5800 miles on it. It’s fast and nicely tuned. That was my first Bülk.
Hi!!! I live Valencia Spain, I own an Hp scorpion trike FS since 2016 and a recumbent low racer ( performer xlow).
Im about to order a velomobile next month but Im in between the Quest Xs and the Snoek.
If it wasnt for the 6cm ground clearance of the snoek I would definetly go for it bit seems to be pretty low, on the other hand would you know whats the gront ground clearance of the quedt xs? It looks like the Quest XS is the best option for commuting but still a 20 years old desing and as expensive as the snoek. What would you recommend?
I'd actually recommend considering the Buelk. It has 9cm ground clearance with the comfort suspension, much better handling at high speed and in wind, and a lot of little features that make the ride very comfortable. Check my other videos on the channel about the Buelk. I liked my Quest XS, but I love my Buelk. It is also faster, accelerates better, and climbs better than the Quest XS did. The Snoek is fast, but it is very small, minimal cargo space, and was not designed for going fast down hills or in high wind. It was really meant just for racing, though it can be used for commuting.
Hey Ben! Thanks for taking the time to make these videos. Do you know of anyone in the PNW who I could talk to about seeing/test riding a velomobile?
Send me an email at sales.usa@velomobileworld.com. I can try and get you connected with someone.
How fast do you think a velomobile could go if in addition to the pedals it had a standard 750 watt e bike motor assist?
That depends on the laws where you live. In Europe the limit is 25km/h which is well below the cruising speed of most commercially built Velomobiles. In Canada the limit is 20mph. In the US it varies by state. Some states limit to 20mph, others allow class 3 up to 28mph.
The Velomobiles built by Velomobile World are not built to withstand more than 250W assist and really wouldn’t benefit from more wattage than that anyway. Assist in a very aerodynamically efficient velomobile really is only useful for climbing and accelerating. The cruising speed is already at or above the legal cutoff limit. And remember, it’s a bike, not a car. If you want to go really fast with little to no effort, you might as well get either a light electric vehicle or a car.
Which Velomobile would you recommend most if your commute included gravel roads with decent condition as the construction of bike paths there is not yet finished?
Which has the most ground clearance? Which is the most rugged?
These are excellent questions. No velomobile is really intended for rough surfaces. However, all can survive it as long as you don’t mind going a bit slower. I rode a Bülk and a W9 on some really awful chunky gravel in Germany and Austria two weeks ago. Both bikes survived, but we needed to go slow. Smoother gravel is not so much an issue. For that just make sure you have durable tires, perhaps with a bit of tread like the Schwalbe G-One. I would say all are equally rugged. The Quest might have the most ground clearance. Perhaps the DF or Alpha 7 would be next in line for clearance. The new A9/M9/W9 suspension can be raised a bit, but those models do tend to be pretty low. The Bülk with comfort suspension is around 9cm ground clearance. A Quatrevelo with its 4 wheels should handle gravel well. I’m not familiar with the ground clearance of that model though. For me I tend to default to the Bülk simply because it can be configured so many different ways. The one model I would definitely avoid is the Milan. That’s really a bike for going fast on good pavement. You could also look at much older models like Alleweder, Strada, Versitile, Orca, etc that are no longer in production but would have a good amount of clearance.
What prevents one from adding electric assist to a "Bulk"? Is it the cassette and space, or the space in the carbon fibre wrapping around the rear wheel compartment?
It is the space in the nose for the cranks and pedals. E-assist has an increased Q-factor and would mean your feet would rub on the sides. In the rear a hub motor would not work due to the proprietary hub setup. There was one type of e-assist that was mentioned as working, but I don't recall what it was.
Hey,
Are you selling your velomobile? If a new Bulk arrives for you?
@davidgomesbourdier see my other videos. My quest was destroyed when a car blew a stop sign and hit me at 30mph a couple weeks after I got my Bülk. I no longer have the quest. I could help you order a nice shiny new Bülk though 😁
If I had the cash, I'd buy the Milan.
SL or GT? The SL is sort of being phased out. The Bülk has largely replaced it. The used market can sometimes bring your dream velomobile at a price that’s within budget.
@@mnveloguyI like the GT.
@@BlackWarriorLures that one still is in the lineup. They do come available used from time to time.
@@mnveloguySweet!
I've NEVER seen one in the USA. I live in Wisconsin, next to Minnesota. I drove by a shop that had the word "Velo" in the name. I thought "great". So I went in and the guy didn't even KNOW what a Velomobile was. I had to show him a picture.
Velo is french for bike. They probably just thought they were picking a fancy name. Silly them for doing that in Wisconsin. There are actually a handful of velomobiles in Wisconsin. The largest number are around Eau Claire.
I'm building an enclosed body similar to a velomobile but a recumbent trike inside of it. I'm also in Wisconsin North Woods.
@@Brian3680 just curious why your UA-cam channel picture is a picture of Dan Kildea's Milan and WAW velomobiles.
@@mnveloguy because I really like velomobiles.
Wow really? Did not mention any of the ones made in North America (less now days but still) a mention would have been nice for a video about buying them for here...
Bluevelo went out a business several years ago. Steve, who was producing the Milan, I don’t believe is doing so anymore. The only other one I know of is Velocity Velos and I think they have also gone out of business. I think there might be a couple small Canadian producers, but I think those are e-assisted. I’m only mentioning here purely human powered Velomobiles.
My video is not meant to encompass every single model of velomobile out there. I hav e mentioned only the largest producers, ones that are likely to be in business for a long time and have a proven track record. When a N American company proves they can produce as high quality a product with a sustainable business model, I’ll be happy to mention them next time I make a video.
@@mnveloguy Velomtek, out of Quebec, does sell non-e-assist models. They are a bit heavier, but perhaps worth investigating.-
@@hilgo_velomobile I’m aware of Velomtek. I’m not comfortable recommending something that is still in the pre-order stage. When they have a finished product at the performance level of the European models, I would be open to reconsidering that.
Lots of people have big plans to produce Velomobiles, but only a few of them actually put out a finished product. As I say in my description, I only addressed the most common models. Had I introduced every model out there, the video would have lasted well over an hour. I’m just offering a starting point here.
i want to make one rather
Thats fine….but it wont be as fast as commercially made ones.
@@johnyang1420 Not true, depends on the build :)
See my cedar strip waw build series. Lots of videos about the one I have built. It can be done, but it is quite a bit of work to build one anywhere near the quality and performance of the commercial ones from Europe.
@@castlusion True…95% of the time. Name a homemade one that is faster than Milan SL
I can't stand the hand at my face. Who are those "psychologists" suggesting this crappy physical manipulation!!! I'm off at 3:30
I’m not real sure what you’re talking about. This is a video about Velomobiles, not psychological manipulation.
@@mikefranz1056 I’m sorry videos don’t work for you. There are plenty of online resources with this information written down. I have also included multiple links with details about various models of Velomobiles in the description and also in the video.
While video may not be your preferred format, there are people like myself who would rather watch a video l than read. For those people, I have produced this video. You are not obligated to watch by any means.
Have a nice day.