Frequently Asked Questions
| Question | Answer |
| What powers the Versatile? |
Human power, input with bicycle cranks and
pedals, through a 14-speed transmission by means of two bicycle chains,
drives the rear wheel. There is a small NiMH 12V battery for powering
the lights, turn signals and the horn.
|
| Did you make it yourself? |
I wish! It's manufactured in The Netherlands
by Flevobike and assembled and sold
by Ligfietsshop
Tempelman in Dronten, The Netherlands.
|
| How much does it cost? |
(2006-12-15) US$8,584.23 ex works
Dronten. Based on a price of € 7800 less 19% BTW. Additional expenses
would include crating, shipping, insurance, customs and customs
brokerage.
|
| How fast does it go? |
I've reached 59 mph going downhill a couple
of times, but saw no particular benefit of letting things proceed
beyond that. I'm not particularly inerested in finding that end of the
performance envelope. More to the point is that I went from Boston >
Denver (2500 miles) in 21 days (including one rest day) in August, 2006.
|
| How much ground does it cover in normal riding? |
My standard commute is over flat ground in
north Orange County, California, USA, a suburban area. My rolling
average speed is 27.8 kmph (17.27 mph, a couple of miles per hour
faster than on my Lightning P-38 SWB recumbent bicycle. When I roll up
to speed I'm usually travelling at 33-40 kmph (20.5-25 mph). With a
very slight downhill on a good road with no stoplights you will run out
of gears at about 40 mph with impressive ease. On flat roads the
aerodynamic advantage is balanced by 85-pound weight of the vehicle.
Climbing is slow and hot at 4-5 mph.
|
| Why did you chose the Versatile? | There are other excellent velomobiles being produced, which other dedicated, savy riders have chosen instead of the Versatile. I made my decision as I started my second decade of human-powered transportation. I'm a rider, not a builder, and I'd rather ride than service my ride, so I was looking for a vehicle with a straight, enclosed chainline, structural inegrity, and engineering genius. The graphic artist part of me begged for style. In honor of my granddaughters I shoppped for safety. To compensate for an over-exuberant youth I needed a suspension that worked well. Since I could not finance a trip to Europe for test rides I trusted the experience of Johan Vrielink at Flevobike. |
| What alterations have you done to Nr. 20? |
First I added a larger LED tail light, an
"experimenter's block" of high-output LEDs. Additionally it serves as a
nice ground-handling point. I also added 3M reflective material at the
front and rear. Next I separated the brakes, which come set up "both
levers work both brakes." The rework included replacing the standard
1.6mm cables with oversized 1.8mm cable. Finally I had my LBS replace
the rear idler set with the TerraCycle Ti idler set. This is the
configuration that I rode to the Left Coast Velomobile Gathering in San
Luis Obispo in April 2006. It worked great.
|
| So why did you sell Nr. 20? |
As soon as I was certain that the Versatile
would meet my needs I put in my order for another one. There is a queue
which means that if something should happen to Nr. 20 it wouldn't be a
go-out-and-get-another-one option. It took about two-and-a-half years
to land Nr. 20! Since I rely upon my velomobile as my transportation,
and because there is lots of interest in the Versatile whereever I
park, I'm pretty sure that Nr. 20 won't be difficult to sell,
especially here in SoCal, the perfect place to ride (drive?) a
velomobile. Plus, helping to insure the long-term success of Flevobike
is certainly in my own interest.
|
| How can I contact you if I have other questions? | |
| Can I see pictures of Nr. 20? |
2008-03-22T1449-0700