Living with a velomobile

[recumbenteer]

Living with a Velomobile.....

and nearly getting creamed in one....

[skyblot]

!!! I bet that boosted the heartrate! Well dodged....

[LateStarter]

Glad you are ok, But what about the poor driver!

Scene: Local watering hole shortly after

Drivers Mate: Geez mate, what’s up, ewes look white as a Cronulla shela at the end of winter and you been knocking back a few of those double shots.

Driver: Ah mate!, ewes could be talking to a dead man, on the way here I nearly got taken out by some supersonic green torpedo, I reckon it was one of them drone things those yanks use to take out those ali bin barber types in the middle east, you know, on the tellie, they are always going after white 4WDs like mine, then karrrrboom !!!! I saw it hurtling at me on the left about 6 inches off the ground but I reckoned I could out run it then it was suddenly on my right, I could feel its cross hairs centred on my skull, took all my advanced driving skills to evade it and it went screaming up the road doing about 1000 .

Drivers Mate: Did you call the cops.

Driver: No mate, you know I was hitting the sauce bottle last night and a few of those little red tablets, I thought it better to avoid the cops, I am still on my last suspension too.

Drivers Mate: Ya mate, green torpedo eh, maybe better go easy on those little red tablets for a few days.

Driver: But it could have killed me.

[recumbenteer]

Glad you are ok, But what about the poor driver!

Scene: Local watering hole shortly after

Drivers Mate: Geez mate, what’s up, ewes look white as a Cronulla shela at the end of winter and you been knocking back a few of those double shots.

Driver: Ah mate!, ewes could be talking to a dead man, on the way here I nearly got taken out by some supersonic green torpedo, I reckon it was one of them drone things those yanks use to take out those ali bin barber types in the middle east, you know, on the tellie, they are always going after white 4WDs like mine, then karrrrboom !!!! I saw it hurtling at me on the left about 6 inches off the ground but I reckoned I could out run it then it was suddenly on my right, I could feel its cross hairs centred on my skull, took all my advanced driving skills to evade it and it went screaming up the road doing about 1000 .

Drivers Mate: Did you call the cops.

Driver: No mate, you know I was hitting the sauce bottle last night and a few of those little red tablets, I thought it better to avoid the cops, I am still on my last suspension too.

Drivers Mate: Ya mate, green torpedo eh, maybe better go easy on those little red tablets for a few days.

Driver: But it could have killed me.

Love it!!

there's probably been quite a few "scenarios" like that, over the last few years....

[Baalzamon]

Well this thread is kinda dead. Time for a revival

Quattrovelo anyone?

[John Lewis]

Hi Baalzamon,
I believe there are already a couple in Aus already.
I'd be interested but the wait time is too long at my age.
How long will you have to wait?
Saw elsewhere you have ordered so hope it won't be too long.
Be great to see the other owners come up here and tell us about their experiences.

[MikeAvery]

Had my first police stop in the WAW last Thursday. Flashing lights and then a siren as I was looking for a safe space to stop on the Bellarine Highway. Apparently the good citizens of Geelong had been phoning the police about me, although the very nice coppers didn’t expand on why. Anyway, they checked the velo over in the drizzle, declared it legal and asked if I was concerned someone would drive off the road and take me out. Which says a lot about the expectations of Victorian drivers I guess.

The weird thing is that I rode the velo to work three times a week most of last year, only changing to my Fujin over summer. I had a police car pull up beside me at traffic lights one day and ask all about the velo, but otherwise not that much response at all. Get the occasional angry gesture or screaming out of a window, and a lot more photo shoots and “thumbs up”.

Cheers,

Mike

[skyblot]

Three velos in Brisbane...

[recumbenteer]

great weather for riding in Sydney this weekend, BOM says East Coast Low....... strong winds & heavy rain.... MEH!!


https://youtu.be/DwVLUQ0UvYE

[find_bruce]

great weather for riding in Sydney this weekend, BOM says East Coast Low....... strong winds & heavy rain.... MEH!!


https://youtu.be/DwVLUQ0UvYE

I notice you film, up high on a bridge, not down low at flooding level

[zebee]

great weather for riding in Sydney this weekend, BOM says East Coast Low....... strong winds & heavy rain.... MEH!!


https://youtu.be/DwVLUQ0UvYE

I notice you film, up high on a bridge, not down low at flooding level

Yeah. Do that on the Shrimpton Ck Path! I have decided against an exploratory (wetsuit clad) ride down the Cook's River path to see how wet that is, I bet its snorkel required around Ewen Park and the Marrickville Golf Club.

[Stevemagill]

WTB Velomobile

Hello all, I am looking for a velomobile. A mango, or similar. Anybody know of any for sale, anywhere in Australia?

[Stevemagill]

Hi, I found just the thing, a Mango Sport

https://www.facebook.com/RecumbentTrike ... 65/?type=3

[John Lewis]

Time Flies:
Well its hard to believe but it's nine years today that a box turned up in my driveway and I finally had my Mango Sport after a long wait.
Now that nine years has gone so fast I don't now where it has gone.

The Mango is still in great condition except for some spider cracks in gel coat and a nasty little break at the back where my brother in law walked his mower into it not looking where he was going. I taped it but due to difficulty for me in removing the top it has not yet been repaired. Not noticeable really unless I show you.

It has been lots of fun to ride but I've never been very fast and in recent times the rides have become shorter and slower.
I was about three months shy of my seventy first birthday when I got the Mango and of curse will be eighty in a few months so have been riding it longer than I thought I would.

So I wonder how the rest of you who got mangos at about the same time are getting on?
I know some moved on to other machines but it would be great to hear from you all.
I.m just out of hospital so will write up a bit more shortly when I catch up.

John

[skyblot]

Good to hear you are still riding it, John.

There are still 2 Mangos on Brisbane, not sure if their owners are active on this forum though. The velos are still in regular use though not doing the big km's as jobs and commutes change.

The third BN Mango ended up in Finland when the owner moved across there some years ago. A forth went to Canberra, and has since moved again I believe.

[find_bruce]

That’s great news John, fabulous to still be riding at 80, best ad for a mango I’ve ever heard

hope I can do the same

[John Lewis]

Good to hear you are still riding it, John.

There are still 2 Mangos on Brisbane, not sure if their owners are active on this forum though. The velos are still in regular use though not doing the big km's as jobs and commutes change.

The third BN Mango ended up in Finland when the owner moved across there some years ago. A forth went to Canberra, and has since moved again I believe.

Thanks skyblot,
Good to see some left from back then.
I recall the owners back then were Paul (Nitramluap on forum and a second Paul R who may not have been in Brissy. Then there was Ben who I think upgraded to a DF And Terry (Burnt on forum) who I think still has his.
Over here was myself and Jan who is about 400 km from me so have never met.

Wonder if Paul M still rides? He was the one who started us all off.

We had an email group SMUG. Sinner Mango Users Group but that petered out around 2017 or so. Think the Brissy mob called themselves BSMUG.

I had a funny click noise in velo. Still there but finally Drymer have found the cause. The rear sprocket only had 3 freewheel pawls and they would not all grip causing the click. They now have a replacement sprocket available so must get one. We spent a lot of time discussing cause and never twigged.

The other things I'm interested in is if anybody did Harrrys steering upgrade. That is now available as a kit too.

I'm trying to find a source of the wheel cover clips. They are not listed on Drymer site. I've been using homemade ones but would like to get the originals.
Wonder if I know the person who moved to finland? or was he a later purchaser.

John

[John Lewis]

That’s great news John, fabulous to still be riding at 80, best ad for a mango I’ve ever heard

hope I can do the same

Thanks find_bruce. Sure hope you are out there riding too.

I recall my Dr telling me of an old farmer, one of his patients, Who was 99 and still riding 10 to 15 km per day around the farm.
Can't see me quite doing that.

John

[skyblot]

I recall my Dr telling me of an old farmer, one of his patients, Who was 99 and still riding 10 to 15 km per day around the farm.
Can't see me quite doing that.

John

My father is still riding 20km ish every other day at 89. Sadly his memory is not what it was, and I think that will curtail his riding soon.

Back to the velo's - Paul is still riding, saw him a couple of weeks ago. The one that went to Finland was originally Ben's, it changed hands several times fairly quickly before it's exporting owner had it for several years. Counting Terry's, these three were all the same colour scheme (red/white).

The 4th was blue/yellow, and I think went to Canberra first, then to Tasmania.

I'm not aware of anyone doing the steering upgrade (but could be wrong).

[Rhubarb]

Good to hear from you again John

I recall you had some high speed stability issues with the steering on your mango in the early stages. I definitely recommend doing the steering upgrades. Essentially all the velo manufacturers have done this now to improve stability. The steering becomes 'heavier' at low speed but removes the twitchiness at high speed. Do it.

[John Lewis]

G'day Rhubarb,

Likewise good to see you again here. I take it you still have the Mango.

As I recall I was first to order but Sinner stuffed up and I ended up getting mine last. I suspect they were already in trouble then so guess we were lucky to get them at all.

I still have that steering issue as well as the annoying click in the rear sprocket.
I'm organizing an order to Drymer but need to contact re postage/freight as no indication on cost to Aus. I'll order the steering upgrade and the new rear sprocket.

Also need to track down a replacement idler. The ones I've had don't seem to last that long. Should get one from Terracycle perhaps. The Sinner ones had no teeth and were really return idlers.

One annoyance is the tyres. I wear out the sidewalls well before the tread due to the rubbing on lots of tight corners. I'm still using the Kojaks on the front. The rear is an original E bike ready Marathon that Harry sent me. I reckon its bullet proof but I'm sure it cost me in power losses. Wonder what you use these days?

Do you have the Risse Shock and if so have you needed to have it serviced?
Mine has lost some oil but still holds air pressure but I don't think it is functioning as well as it might.

Final thought. Have you seen the YT vid of Harry's drive train mods ? I've been thinking of trying them.

Hope to get to go visit my sister in Charters Towers and if I manage it I'll just have to drop by Bris and look you lot up.

That's enough from me for now.

John

[Stevemagill]

Hi All,

Yes, the blue/yellow one is in Tasmania- currently fitting lights, indicators, horn, mid Rohloff etc. It’s pretty late model, so I assume it has the new steering - must check. Has anyone changed the front strut springs to elastomers?

Steve

[John Lewis]

Hi All,

Yes, the blue/yellow one is in Tasmania- currently fitting lights, indicators, horn, mid Rohloff etc. It’s pretty late model, so I assume it has the new steering - must check. Has anyone changed the front strut springs to elastomers?

Steve

Hi Steve,

Is that a Mango Sport or a Mango tour?
I know ours were Red Editions and had a red top and white sides.

I think it was Jan's though that had white top and red sides.

What area in Tas will you be riding ? My wife and I have been touring in Tas on two occasions now. We rode Logo trikes. The first ride we went through the Midlands from Devonport to Hobart. Next time we did the East Coast. Sadly its too late now to ride the West Coast. Age and all that.
My memory is that there were some long uphills but the down hills were great. Elephant Pass comes to mind.

I've been wondering about the elastomers too. I've seen some reports over on BROL and they seem to be quite enthusiastic.

There may be something on the German Forum. I know there is a Mango thread. Translate doesn't do too bad a job if you can't read German.

I'll be interested in how you go with the Rohloff. As I recall the frame had to be specially set up for it so I guess you will be in for some mods there.
A Mountain Drive might be handy too.

John

[Stevemagill]

Hi John,

Sorry for the long delay in replying.
It's a Mango Sport, number 485, 2017 I think, from the frame number.

I live in Devonport, Tasmania. We brought it home in the back of the Camper from Canberra, on a holiday to the Mainland which finished just as Covid hit- got back to Tassie on the last Ferry, and into isolation.
It went into the back of the shed as I ordered things for it, and now needs an expedition to get to it. ( A dozen new 'projects' between then and now)
Apparently the ICE trike elastomers will fit, and I intend to fit an adjustable damping coil shock to the rear, same as I fitted to our HP Scorpion FX trikes, and which work excellently.
Another item in the list of additions is a Tongsheng TSDZ2 350 watt crank drive with two chainrings. Fit and rigidity under the seat for the Rohloff remains to be seen, but I think 350 watts plus my spindly pensioner legs would still be way less power than a young athlete.

Once I start, I won't stop- just need to start......



Steve

[burnt]

Hi all,

Have been absent for quite a while from this forum, but good to see regular contributions still being made to the velomobile thread.

I still have my Mango, it is going well with total km about 23,000. I have had a few issues, mainly cracking in the frame near the mid drive and the seat mounting has had 2 episodes of cracking. On both occasions friends with much greater skill than I have helped out with repairs. I also had the shearing flange issue on the rear hub on the freewheel side, a common problem, it required a new rear wheel with a beefed up flange being sent out from the Netherlands. Other that these problems, it has been remarkably trouble free- it still attracts attention whenever I'm out and about in it!

I haven't done the steering plates, but have beefed up the suspension with stronger springs, but elastomers may still be in my future. Remarkably my Risse rear suspension unit is still working well.

I still enjoy riding the Mango, despite its age and reduced performance against the new offerings, its still goes fast enough for me and I still reckon they look pretty schmick! In the last few years I have also discovered the joys of 2 wheeled bents, I have a Bacchetta Giro and a HPV Grasshopper.... oh and a Greenspeed Aero appeared in there as well 18 months ago!

So I have to share the love around a few bikes!

Recently had a ride on a M5 CHR, mmmm.........maybe my garage could fit one more!!