Daily Archives: October 26, 2012

Dryve – A New Velomobile in Development

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Following on from the Softshell Velomobile Recumbent Gallery also mentioned that AZUB were developing a velomobile.  They then referred the reader to AZUB’s 2012 catalogue which is available online through ISSUU.

The catalogue dedicates two pages, 52 and 53, to the Dryve velomobile.  The work has been done in conjunction with a German industrial designer, Johannes Rave.  For those who take issue with ISSUU, and I find it painfully slow on older PCs, the english text is quoted below:

Dryve – AZUB project of fabric fairing for recumbent trikes
AZUB Dryve is a project of mixed alu/fabric fairing designed for all three models of AZUB trikes. There are a few goals we wanted to reach:

 

    • Quite light construction of a fully faired trike which can be used in different types of weather with the rider still comfortable inside.
    • Using a fabric which can be stretched a bit in the way to use its properties (covered wheels, unusual entrance etc.)
    • Affordable price which cannot be obviously reached by construction from Composite.
    • Good looking – a bit car-like-style design with focus on function and practical daily use allowing to transport larger luggage and/or hauling a trailer. The aerodynamic shape is not our primary goal as the construction from fabric cannot really be very aerodynamic.
    • Possibility of easy assembly of electric motor.
    • Possibiiity of riding the trike without fairing in the hot months of the year.
    • Small size for transport from AZUB to customer so the shipping price is not sky high like when delivering a composite body which is huge and has to be protected a lot.

We were dreaming about such a machine for couple of years and then we were contacted by a German student of industrial design from The University in Pforzhelm, Johannes Rave who wanted to design such a fairing for his diploma work. His timing was really perfect and he had at least s.ome experience with this project from some of his seminar work so we started to work together and after some months the project took shape and the very first prototype was made.

 

We just started to test it (spring 2012) and we already know there are tons of problems which have to be solved from absolutely new ideas lhat have never been tested before. We are very optimistic and are looking forward to new developments. The final product should be introduced during 2013.

I must say I admire wordplay in the name and logo they have chosen.  AZUB go on to briefly profile Johannes and point the reader to his website.

Johannes Rave, born 1985, is a German industrial designer who worked together with AZUB on the DRYVE as his final project in summer 2011. He is living in Pforzheim. Germany, where he works on projects for a sustainable future.

Johannes Rave,

www.johannesrave.eu

At the time of writing his website is pending a relaunch.  Meanwhile his front page presents the following nice rendering.

A Velomobile Concept with a Fabric Skin

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On interesting detail from the description of the Zampano, mentioned yesterday, was the use of fabric in the weather-proof body.  Fabrics have been used before and various “socks” can be made or obtained, to extend the covering provided by a partial fairing which you might see mounted on a recumbent.  Modern materials developed for out-door clothing find a ready application here, and the functionality is no doubt much appreciated by the recumbent rider, as they make their way through the end of year weather.  One negative  that immediately impresses when you look at such coverings, is the lack of style, due in a large part to the rather limited aerodynamic form which has been achieved.

This criticism however, need not be.  Recumbent Gallery recently profiled a velomobile concept which as appeared on a number of design blogs by a Czech designer Martin Miklica.  I have been unable to locate a website for Martin or his work but he evidently has other interests beside human powered transport.  His concept for a four wheel, two seat, socialble basicly involves a light-weight rigid frame covered by a Softshell “stretchy” fabric.  For all the criticisms one thing this vehicle does not lack is form and style.

Like so many concepts, once you look past the slick photo-real renderings, the engineer sees numerous technical  shortcomings.  Recumbent Gallery (RG) rightly observe that there appears to be no space in this design for the usual envelope needed to mount and use a normal crank drive.  RG suggests this could be overcome by fitting some kind of linear drive.  But once you have grasped the idea of using fixed structural elements to define the edge of the fabric form what is to stop you from adding some similar constraint to further define the shape in the middle, as this design already does toward the rear?

The possibilities from this approach have a lot of potential both to help reduce weight and cost, and also thereby to help reduce the cost of delivery of the product to the end user.  It seems to be an ideal way to take Carl-Georg Rassmusen’s concept in the Leitra further, by surrounding the rider(s) in a protective cadge, sealed with an even lighter covering.  My only misgiving would be concern over material durability in the real world, where the fabric cover would have to face up, not only to scuffs and rubs, but to sharps and cuts from both the natural and man made environments.

The constrained fabric cover, is already available in a primitive form, with Hase’s Klimax trike, a review of which is expected in the next issue of Velovision Magazine.  But there are other prospects in the offing.  RG also hints on a new fabric covered velomobile in development, from Czech recumbent makers AZUB, which will be the subject of the next post.