Jacques.

Jacques- Foto: Kris Boschman

My neighbour Jacques can fly with the Versatile.
NASA does not have to look further to replace the shuttle...

Test Cabbike, WAW and Versatile.

Test Cabbike, WAW and Versatile.

The three velomobiles before the test. Christophe, in the white t-shirt behind the WAW, wants to buy a velomobile for his commute from Hamme to Brasschaat. He eliminated the Quest because it is too unstable and there’s a waiting list of almost two years. The WAW is more stable and faster (winner of a race at Cycle Vision). He’s been test-riding it for a week.
Now he’d also like to take a ride in a Versatile (at the moment the only one in Belgium) and a Cabbike.

Christophe and Wouter

Christophe crawls into the Cabbike, with its sticker for the Hamme Youth Night (an event for which the owner is an organizer) on it. Wouter gives him instructions...don’t activate the ejector-seat button...

WAW and Versatile

In 5 minutes (very easily!) I was able to un-mount the front and rear sections of the WAW and to put them in Christophe’s car. With the rear seat of the car folded down, the WAW fits right in. To close the backdoor, we did have to let the air out of the rear tire.

Cabbike and WAW.

There’s still no roof on the WAW. Dries Callebaut (manufacturer) didn’t have it ready yet. Wouter sits completely dry now in his Cabbike, which he has lined on the inner surface with insulation material.

Bruno in the WAW

The WAW was somewhat too small for me, and I had to be satisfied with a very short ride. My knees came up against the fairing, and riding was out of the question. For Christophe the fit was perfect. The WAW is more stable in the curves than the Versatile. You sit lower in the WAW, so you’re not as visible to others. It weighs 10 kg (22 pounds) less than the Versatile and is also a somewhat rougher (fragile) construction. For Christophe, who will be commuting 50 km each way, the weight is imprortant.

Neighbourly interest.

The neighbours examine the interior of the Versatile. One of them tried a little ride. The more-complete finish details of the Versatile also increase the weight in comparison with the WAW. In the background is the little red car in which the WAW was transported.

Versatile on 'Cycle Vision 2005'.

Finally we have a chance to see a prototype of the new rain-cap. The side is open, and in front there is also a little windshield between the mirrors (not on the photo). It sure looks like a race-monster. The rain-cap will be available in juli 2005.

The prototype of the cap, which is still in the experimental phase. Here for the moment fastened with tape. At the back there will be push-botton fasteners. It will roll up so that it can be taken along in your velomobile.

A few changes in comparison with my Versatile.
The battery is now located on the left side, a different computer, and the paint is now applied to the outer side. Unfortunately this Versatile crashed in the lorry that transported it.

Winter in the Versatile. (4157 km)

The roll-bar behind me...

Winter grips the Versatile tight.
21st of December and winter makes its entrance. The temperature this morning was around -6 degrees C. I started out under a splendid starry sky. Orion, the Pleiades, ... and a whole multitude of twinkling stars among them. In Sombeke we have very little light pollution.
The flag in its holder, lights on, and I roll onto the dike. The bushes are white. Water vapor from the Durme and the Schelde lies heavy on the landscape.
The first meters feel fresh. Just warm, pedaling. In places where I might have slipped with the recumbent, I feel myself more secure on three wheels. The roll-bar behind my head acquires a wintery design as the moisture from my breath freezes on it. Despite the low temperature, everything functions as it should. I don't set the parking brake in this weather.

frozen inside

After a half hour of riding, the water vapor is frozen to the inner side. But it doesn't feel cold in the Versatile. You always stay warm from the riding. I zip the 'skirt' nearly closed, so that less cold air passes over my body. Glasses with clear lenses protect my eyes.

winternose

I have to keep my head properly warm. It's always outside the Versatile and has to face the icy wind. A fleece head-warmer over the chest/neck piece (black) and on top the helmet. In a Cab-Bike or Leitra, that isn't supposed to be necessary, but the windows sometimes freeze up. After a quarter-hour riding, it's nice and warm. A long-sleeved shirt and a thin, long pair of pants are sufficient.

Computer. Tyre pressure. Mist.

After a day of rain, when between 20 and 40 liters of water per square meter poured downn, the “panorama” computer failed. I stopped in at a bike shop in Dendermonde and had a new battery installed, but to no avail. I e-mailed Johan Vrielink of Flevobike. It seems that the thing can be sensitive to moisture. After drying out for a few days inside, the screen still refused to light up. Johan had told me that I should then send it back, so I did that on Friday. Curious whether a new one will arrive soon by mail. In the meantime, I count up the kilometers on paper. Right now, I’ve ridden 3670 km.

I’ve pumped up the tyres a bit.
The ride had gotten noticeably slower. You gear down lower than usual for your route. The tyres had gotten down to a pressure of 4 bar (58 psi). Pumping them up to 6 bar (87 PSI) yields a 3-4 km/hour increase in speed. It feels like a lot. It is almost the difference with the Quest... Although the Versatile has three-wheel suspension, you definitely notice a difference. At 4 bar, it rides very soft, but somewhat slower; at 6 bar, you feel the unevenness of the pavement, but it goes better with the Vredestein slicks.

mondag, december 06, 2004


Mist
In the mornings there is often a thick mist over the fields. Visibility falls off sharply, as does the speed. The light from the Versatile rests on a white mist and reflects back. Careful riding is the order of the day. Especially since now and then an unlit rider comes toward you and passes. I’ve already twice ridden a bit off the path in the curve, despite knowing the way well, but it completely disappears ....in the thick mist.

In the velomobile, it is now comfortably warm. Passersby also seem to realize that. An older lady on a bike says to her companion, “we really ought to have something like that.”

The post.
Around 11 o’clock, the mailman brought a package from Flevobike. The replacement for the computer that gave up the ghost. Some time with the manual, putting in the settings, and then testing it in the velomobile. It works. I can see again how fast I ride. I velomobile, therefore I am...

To the KBC branch bank in Elversele to make a funds transfer. “Oh no, sir, for foreign funds transfers you must go to Waasmunster.” The technology is lacking... The transaction must be postponed to tomorrow.

Today, my arrival at the school (12 o’clock) at the time the pupils are coming out. That results in some extra chatter, but in a friendly way. That’s nice. It’s not yet an everyday experience, such a “bike.” Usually, I take care to arrive or leave outside the “rush hour.”

This afternoon, I go with the teachers to play mini-football against other schools. One contest won, another lost. Other teachers complain somewhat of fatigue after the game. By commuting every day with the Versatile, you can stay in great shape, and you don’t put as much stress on your joints as with walking. Crossing a bridge now and then provides some interval training.

At the end of the week, it will be more than 4000 km. At 5000 km it needs to go back to Flevobike in Dronten for its first major tune-up.

Nearly winter.

Brisk autumn...
The first snow hasn't fallen yet. Between 0 and 5 degrees C, I ride now in a sweater with long sleeves. After the getting out, I immediately put on a fleece jacket to keep my sweaty body from cooling down too fast. I cover my neckwith a scarf or a neck gaiter such as they wear on motorcycles. While riding, the cold wind slips under your chin into the space under the protective cover (which zips up to close the hatch). Also the eyes need to be shielded with glasses during the winter. (photograph on dutch version: www.brunovdbl.bogspot.com).

During my ride home, I caught sight of a woman pushing a pram on the right side of the bicycle path. In such circumstances, I think: should I honk my horn or come alongside quietly? She looked as if she would stay to the right, so I came past, not too fast (25 km per hour). And as soon as I passed her, there followed a frightful scream. A phenomenon that I had already experienced earlier. Is this due to the appearance of the velomobile or to the conscience of the one you are passing?

One year without car... 3000 Euros saved.

It was a year ago that I gave away my car. What has that accomplished for me? Insurance (650), license/taxes(200), annual inspection(50), repairs would have been necessary (500 Euros, but possibly double to remove the rust) and gas for approximately 8000 km(550). A total of somewhere around 2000 Euros without even figuring in the parking costs. Further a bicycle compensation for the daily commuting distance (16 km x 2) of 1000 Euros. Already there's a 3000 Euro profit. Is a 6000 Euro Versatile really expensive? I don't think so. At this rate, it pays for itself in two years.

This October 650 km by velomobile. (And 200 km with the twister-recumbent.) Maintenance expense: 0.

Fall and 3333 km ridden.

Tints of red, yellow and green adorn the Schelde dikes. Autumn is to be admired now in all its beauty. The amber tree is clothed in scarlet. You smell the beginning of the decomposition of the leaves. A mushroom-smell enters your nose as you quietly cycle along the meadows. Under the wheels, the leaves crackle, dried out and not yet washed away by the rain. After a short cold spell, it remains warm for this time of the year: today 17 degrees and lovely sunshine. Last week I had a bit of a cold, but I cycled to work nonetheless. Though it had been slow. After a stormy night (a week ago) some branches were lying on the path. On a concrete section in Hamme a broken branch blocked the whole width of the road. Noticed too late. This required me to squeeze me the brakes all the way for an emergency stop. The Versatile managed to just brush the leaves as it passed through. Fortunately the branch was not too thick and couldn't tip the velomobile. By dusk even on a totally familiar route I will certainly make sure to have the lights on in the future. The batteries last with turning on and off in the mornings just 14 days with. I estimate that they can burn continuously for three hours. Now that it's really dark in the mornings, I ride the whole route with the front light on. The rear light (LED) remains on wheneven you turn the key. Charging the batteries after a week ensures that I won't be without light. Also in the evenings, we can run late, with the rehearsals for the musical (' Doctor De Vuyst'). One of these days I will install some extra LEDs on my the flag. We'll have to see how they can be best fastened. A photo follows..

Flevobike has improved its website. New photographs --among others -- of my aquamarine little car. Delivery date for current orders is now July 2005. (See: www.flevobike.nl) Kees van Hage has ordered a silver-metallic Versatile number 23!