It Feels Weird to Ride a Velomobile for the First Time 

This video is a really great idea. When I was riding all types of recumbent bikes I had so much to learn, mainly falling over & learning to kick off on each style. How to cope with a hill. How to stop at a junction. People need the basics & that's what you're teaching here. Well done.

Yeah yeah, riding (driving?) a velo has to be a blast... But there is that main inconvenience when you are NOT: parking, storing, maintanance... Things that you usually do not consider with upright bike but you definitely HAVE TO with a velo. Lucky those who have a garage...

This is excellent. There are some new velomobile riders now in the US as part of the Ambassador program. This video will help future new velonauts know what to expect. Thanking for taking the time to make this.

I ride my velomobile for five years now. It is the green Quattrovelo from the calender. And it is my first recumbent bicycle. Now I have also a trike and high racer. Thank you for the video. I try to explain people this first ride many times.

I've just been test riding a Quest today. The weirdest thing about it for me was not being able to see the wheels or to see what's directly in front of you. And how much sky you see when riding uphill. And of course, even a Mazda Mx5 feels like a truck next to these. Other than that, I was surprised how easy it went, and to hear we rode 20 kms in just about 30 minutes, and could still move afterwards The owner pulled out a second Quest, lead me down a few quiet streets to see how it would go. Appearantly I passed the test, because he than took me on a run through the city center and to the next town I even struggle to cover just 10 kms in 30 minutes on my regular bike. Even took over an hour with a headwind. And than I feel like I can barely stand. And the hill to his shop I had to walk my regular bike up... rode it in the Quest. So for a bike that isn't properly tailored to me, and given that I'm not in good shape, I was inpressed. It was also surprising how quickly I understood the steering, and how light it steered. I even found some of that dreaded instability while just shifting position on the road. I was worried I wouldn't figure out the tiller steering. It kinda feels like flying a ww1 fighter: similar view from the cockpit, similar way of getting in and out, and the tiller steering is somewhat reminiscent of the yoke in a plane. I just sat a bit too deep in it and had to raise myself up a few times to see if I could make turns, or got the right line to pass bollards. Reactions of the people are something else too. 🤩 Specially if you are riding with another velomobile, and they see him first. I heard things like: "There's another one," "that can't be a bike. Or is it?" And than there's the look on peoples faces 😂 Sad that some people forget they're on a public road though, and literally stand in the middle of the street or bike path, staring at you, so you have to slow down and pull all sorts of manouvers to get around them. And than a velomobile doesn't stop as easy as a regular bike. So lucky I was taking it slow around those kids. And of course the dreaded inattentive/ignorant car drivers who block cyclist lanes and than don't realise there's someone coming, or simply don't WANT to clear the way. But just like the club cyclists, that last group annoys everyone. Even had one when I was on my way to the shop in my car. He came backing out of a driveway and just tried to force his way into traffic. Maybe they ARE those club cyclists... 🤔 I can appreciate the Mercedes-Benz that stayed behind us for a while though and gave us plenty of space when he did pass. But than again, he probably heard us talk about the best route for a first-time rider, as we stopped behind him in the parking lot when he was doing something in his trunk.

Velomobils is such unique vehicles and with its price tag only few people will buy it, but its also one of the most efficient self propelent vehicle human can get and in this times when gas price have no sealing...

Riding a velomobile is just fun, I love it, and it is crazy fast. Thanks for the video, hope there will be more soon.

I have been interested in velombiles for a coupe of years. The videos here are my favorite. And this one has been very informative for me.

I've had my QV+ for about 6 weeks now and I can say your observations about the first ride were spot on!

I ride a Quattrovelo, and because of my short stature, 5'4". There's more than enough room for me to move around. The only issue I had was that I had to have a seat pad that provided 4" lift up and 4" back. So that I wouldn't be over extending my legs as I'm pedaling. And the lift so that I can see over the foam cover for the cockpit. Where, the armrests are meant to be. They would be by my shoulders. So, the armrests are ineffective for me. I'm used to getting in and out of the Quattrovelo. But, at the beginning, it was a major hassle. Especially having a partial hip replacement and full knee replacement to determine how to maneuver it so I could get in. Then, the finishing part was how to complete the task without messing up my elbow replacement. Then, it came to doing everything to get out. Once, I figured out what would work best for me. It was as if I'd been able to do it like a pro.....lol.

Big compliment for this uniek video. Verry good information and exelent filmwork. Good advetisment for velomobile riding.

Nice vid! This is the way to go. Tell interested people what it will be like. I have recently come to the conclusion that I don't have any need for a velomobile, but time will tell.

hopefully one day i will get to ride one

Jep, having your behind suspended just 15-20 centimeters above ground gives you quite a different perspective :D

very true indeed, entertaining and informative. Excellent video!

Hello Saukki. Nice video. You can confrim your points. You can make video with your friend's first impression of velomobile, if you are not afraid of giving a ride to somebody else. (I know it is Finland and maybe it is hard to find a friend XD)

Getting in and out of and riding a velomobile is quite comparable to the expierence you have in a cramped cockpit of a - or at least some - WW2 single-seat fighters.

I own my QV since 1 year with 3'500 km on the odometer. Your description is fully accurate with my first rides. I also own a HP velotechnik Scorpion and it is interesting to compare how the QV is far more efficient thanks to the aerodynamic shape. Both QV and HP Velotechnik are equipped with E-assist. Although the QW is heavier, the electric consumption is 40% greater on the HP.

i find alleweder4 a bit drafty reason the big non-closed veet area where the crank is and my shin get caught when punching back so there are some scrapes of the pedals but the seating is good and neck are getting a little stiff no head rest pad

Hey Saukki. Got my quest ordered. If the factory can maintain their delivery date, the dealer will have it 18 july. Gonna wait for a while to see if they can maintain that date, and most likely take a day of Friday the 21st, as saturday the 22nd, I have already booked something that cost me more money than I want to let go to waste. And it's something too nice to let it slide.

yes the velomobile will make some noise but i like the noise it makes

Everything about these vehicles is awesome except that in my pickup, a stock Chevrolet, I probably will never see what I just ran over. If one is beside me, I’d have to stick my head out the window and look down. Passenger side, I would never know a velomobile was over there. Looking in the rear view mirror, if it’s pretty close, the tailgate would hide it. No thanks, although having a composite coffin would be cool.😮

Somtething I forgot to mention from my test ride: First experience with the Quest seat - it felt like if it's set up properly I could sleep in there. Comes in handy when I'm early for work... which almost every day. I can't even do that with my car. Because of it's moped licence compatibility, it can have only two seats. Mine is marketed as a SUV/crossover, with a full height luggage space which is bigger than that of some proper station wagons. So it would be possible. But I have a factory option velvet covered partition and parcel shelf behind the seats to keep prying eyes from peering into the boot/trunk. That limits how far the seat goes back.

he is speaking perfect rally english

I HOPE I'll bve getting my first ride in a month or so. How would you rate the transition from a recumbent trike to a QV?

It's efficient...I'd slap a 2000watt hub motor on that in a heartbeat... (Velomobile riders' heads explode)

Hey Saukki. First impressions after three days of Quest ownership and only my first serious ride (24-26 km round trip to work and back): How does a fairly constant 25-30 km/h (turns, traffic, same speed as my upright, but notably less effort, yet more consistent), with a 40 km/h sprint on the last 2km home stretch sound? It feels weird for a bike to lean OUT through turns (standard suspension). And I do still slow down for gravel, specially given the bollards to keep cars out, placed in an S-turn that for a velomobile is tight.. But the velomobile is more confidence inspiring than my upright bike.

Hey Saukki. It's official now. Made the first payment. My Quest should be going in the order book soon, and I may expect/hope to be riding mid july. Red Quest Carbon XS, 33spd, black mirror caps, mini visor. Seems like my car was upset already before it was official. It initially refused to start when I was leaving work. Well that probably only means it'll be gone all the sooner. If it's a big cost to fix, I won't feel happy about doing it. Id did start after a couple of attempts, but at only 15.000 km, this won't do for me.

I don't know if you already heard, but after the test ride yesterday, the owner said if you still want a Quest, you have to be quick, because apparently they plan on ending production.

I’m really short. Can the distance from the seat to the pedals be adjusted close enough for a guy 5’1” (155 cm) to reach the pedals?

3:34 We all know that feeling...

My 1st comment, I'm very happy

I'd love to fit one of these with a 1kw electric motor 😅

Hello.Tell me please if you have an english button in your site or do we need one?...