Commuting - Velomobile?

Hi; A fellow commuter here in Maine (US) just pointed me to a web site he is maintaining, which has to do with Velomobiles.

http://home.gwi.net/velomobile/

Have any of you from Europe had any experience with these? How are they for commuting? You could certainly stay out of the elements, but I imagine it would be a lot of weight to move around.

Thanks.

A faired recumbent is not a bad idea.

;)

Fully-faired recumbents are efficient for long rides on the open road, where they can go quite fast, but for stop-start riding in the urban jungle, they they are pretty usefless. Too much weight, too little acceleration, to difficult to park and store compared to a regular bike, or even an unfaired 'bent.

That was my guess (weight/storage). I also thought they would be slow to react in cases of emergency, eg. when you have to stop or swerve to miss that driver who cuts you off.

Could have a point, there.

I would like someone to give me a few thousand dollars so I can buy one, though--just to try it out, of course. ;)

fully faired bent can be very fast, I think its Sam Wightingham (bike.http://www.speed101.com/now/fastest_0725_1.htm and http://legslarry.crosswinds.net/tech/MLS.htm) that holds the new 200 meter flying start record of 81 mph. The fairings do not have to be heavy, a body sock works almost as well as a hard fairing. I have riden a few faired bents, and have a wind screen that fits my long wheel base. For touring farings are hot and nosiey, but work well in the winter to keep the cold wind away:)

but for an all around daily ride, I would go with a trike. Something like a Leitra (http://www.leitra.dk/)

This looks like and ideal case for an electric assist motor.

i think i've seen about 3 or 4 different similar looking small electric vehicles in Munich here - i think one also had pedals. i've breifly looked into the cockpit of 2 or 3 when i saw them parked, but the owners weren't around to ask and i was usually with someone who wasn't as interested as me, so i didn't get to examine too long.

so i guess i don't have any real info... but they look interesting.

I should have delivery of an aerorider by the end of the week...

some pics at: http://www.aerorider.myphotoalbum.com/

I know that this will be the second aerorider in the US, the first was just sold on consignment somewhere in the greater Seattle WA area. If anyone know who purchased it...I'd love to know.