Classic & Vintage - Velocipede: Vintage Name??? Rediculous Price!!! Crazy Claims!!!

I suppose this is not really C&V material, but the historical name of this "bike" caught my eye, and the ridiculous $14,000 price made me gasp. :eek:

http://www.squidoo.com/velocipede
http://static.squidoo.com/resize/squidoo_images/250/draft_lens2368814module13369836photo_1231438453Velociped2.jpg
I'll let you read through the link and draw your own conclusions. I would like to comment on one claim made:


At first glance, the $14,000.00 price tag seems like a lot, but when you think of the savings.....no car payments, no car insurance, no taxes, no tags, no fuel cost.....this thing will pay for itself in less than an year!
My Car Insurance in NH for one newer car= $500
My Fuel per year at one tank per week @ $2.50 per gallon = $1300
My Car payments per year= $0, but let's say $200 per month =$2400
My Tags & Taxes per year = $250
MY TOTAL PER YEAR = $2050 (IF I HAD A CAR PAYMENT $4450) :notamused:

How stupid does this person think we are?

It looks kind of like a thumb that is losing it's nail.

Bob,
I think you ought to remind them (as a pastor of course) that "thall shalt not tell lies"

Might add up if you have a few accidents on your record and you drive a 2009 Escalade on 26's. And you commute 50 miles to work. And you add in pothole wheel repair and tire costs.

and looking like a cocooned dork, priceless
http://static.squidoo.com/resize/squidoo_images/250/draft_lens2368814module13369836photo_1231438453Velociped2.jpg

Might add up if you have a few accidents on your record and you drive a 2009 Escalade on 26's. And you commute 50 miles to work. And you add in pothole wheel repair and tire costs.

For $14,000 you could downsize to a used compact which achieves 30+ mpg. :thumb:

At a 100 mile commute each day, the Velocipede driver/rider, at 15 mph average speed, would invest almost 7 hours per day commuting. Even at 20 mph average speed, 5 hours would be spent. Let's call it 6 hours per day or 30 hours per week. Now let's assume the Velecipede driver/rider can bill $50 per hour, then that time is worth $72,000 over a 48 week work year. Even if their billable time is half that amount, or $25, the cost to the driver/rider is $36,000 per year. :eek:

It still does not add up at $14,000. :twitchy:

Now if this contraption were about $2000-4000 and the commute were about 10-30 miles round trip, then yes, it makes a great deal of sense!!!!

I saw a prototype version of this in this month's Popular Science. These things can hit 30 mph with no problem. I don't think the target market is someone with that distance for a commute, but it has some pretty slick design features. For instance, the shape allows it to use the wind (tail or cross) like a sailboat sail, which adds to it's ability to buzz along quickly. They said that if fitted with a 100 watt engine (which is what you need to hit 30 mph on avg), it would get 3,000 mpg.

What I wanna know is what kinda mph would that thing would pull with a proper 1000w motor?!

Ok ok Bob, you talked me in to it. I'll go trade in the Escalade on a Honda.. wonder if my 26's will swap over.

What I wanna know is what kinda mph would that thing would pull with a proper 1000w motor?!

Ok ok Bob, you talked me in to it. I'll go trade in the Escalade on a Honda.. wonder if my 26's will swap over.

:roflmao2: :thumb: There you go. Now you're doing the math!


...but it has some pretty slick... features.

At $14,000 it should come with an Blackberry, GPS navigation, Dolby surround sound, and the best ThinkPad Lenovo offers! :innocent: (as PB waits for the Apple eaters to bite back :twitchy:)

Wow. Looks kinda fun to ride and I wouldn't mind being able to pedal up to 30 mph with ease, but at $14000, my wife's brand new Yaris is less expensive. I could see $2000-3000.

Id sooner just buy a recumbent trike and build a full coroplast fairing for it.

admittedly it probably wouldnt look like this though:

http://www.greenspeed.com.au/gs_glyde_sm.png

... At $14,000 it should come with an Blackberry, GPS navigation, Dolby surround sound, and the best ThinkPad Lenovo offers! :innocent: (as PB waits for the Apple eaters to bite back :twitchy:)


I never said it was meant for people with more sense than money. :lol:

If it were $3,000 or less, I could see there being a substantial market for them.

Well if I had 14k burning a hole in my pocket I'd be tempted. 60 lbs does seem very light for this type of enclosed HPV. Too bad the cost is going to kill it though.

How's the ventilation in there?

How's the ventilation in there?

For another $6000 ;), it comes with optional climate control Air Conditioning. :roflmao2: Although in Maine, AC is generally not needed!

Oh, man. I wuz all set to pull the trigger...then a little voice in the back of my head said...





"You don't have $14,000..."


Whew. That was close.

Oh, man. I wuz all set to pull the trigger...then a little voice in the back of my head said...





"You don't have $14,000..."


Whew. That was close.

But you do have an Avant Courier. :thumb: How's that coming?

I suppose this is not really C&V material, but the historical name of this "bike" caught my eye, and the ridiculous $14,000 price made me gasp. :eek:

http://www.squidoo.com/velocipede
http://static.squidoo.com/resize/squidoo_images/250/draft_lens2368814module13369836photo_1231438453Velociped2.jpg
I'll let you read through the link and draw your own conclusions. I would like to comment on one claim made:


My Car Insurance in NH for one newer car= $500
My Fuel per year at one tank per week @ $2.50 per gallon = $1300
My Car payments per year= $0, but let's say $200 per month =$2400
My Tags & Taxes per year = $250
MY TOTAL PER YEAR = $2050 (IF I HAD A CAR PAYMENT $4450) :notamused:

How stupid does this person think we are?

It's not bad. I'd like a velomobile for wet weather fun. But for that price I would want a much more detailed specification and luggage space. It is an impressive claimed weight for a fully enclosed velo though.

On second thoughts I'd prefer a Greenspeed Glyde, a Quest or a Tri-Sled velomobile.

For instance, the shape allows it to use the wind (tail or cross) like a sailboat sail, which adds to it's ability to buzz along quickly.

Tailwind, sure. But crosswind? :lol: The marketing department must have been working overtime on that one. I'm guessing the person who edited that article at Popular Science isn't a sailor.

I'm certain the marketing department pulled their add together after an all night drinking binge! When they submitted the copy they believed it was their "Best work ever!"

Thanks for posting this PB!
This thread is fun and I'm re-inspired!
For years I have been wanting to build something like this shell over an old BikeE 'bent but have never figured out how to get going on an inexpensive shell for it....

If somebody offered an affordable kit, and if I could just find a rig w/ under-seat steering I would be all over that crazy "Formula One" technology!! I'm thinking more along the $900-1400 for a total budget though :o

Id sooner just buy a recumbent trike and build a full coroplast fairing for it.

admittedly it probably wouldnt look like this though:

http://www.greenspeed.com.au/gs_glyde_sm.png


Talk about your penis envy. :D

I always wanted something like this. I think a good version would certainly cost the kind of money they are asking. I like the fact they used a name that has historic precedent.

OTOH, unless it's made from a batch of cut up vintage Cinellis, this should have been posted in commuting or living car free or foo or somewhere. I'm thinking the economic analysis in the OP is definitely understating even the marginal cost of automobile use. For one thing, a parking space costs $20000. We have structured society to pick up that cost, which is very nice of society. But is it really economic?

I always wanted something like this. I think a good version would certainly cost the kind of money they are asking. I like the fact they used a name that has historic precedent.

OTOH, ...this should have been posted in commuting or living car free or foo or somewhere.... But is it really economic?

BUT I don't have any following in those places! :(

Talk about your penis envy. :D

think so?

I'm not the one who see's penises everywhere :roflmao2:

That thing is ridiculous. Totally. Completely. Get a regular bicycle.

How long do you think it would take to get killed or seriously injured? What is the savings (if any) after the cost of medical bills.

It's absurd to consider commuting 100 miles a day on a bicycle. It's not even worth talking about.

That thing is ridiculous. Totally. Completely. Get a regular bicycle.

How long do you think it would take to get killed or seriously injured? What is the savings (if any) after the cost of medical bills.

It's absurd to consider commuting 100 miles a day on a bicycle. It's not even worth talking about.

If I were driving and I saw that thing rolling down the side of the road, you can guarantee it would get my attention. More so than if I saw someone riding a "regular bicycle". I don't think there would be more of a chance of the person riding that getting in an accident than anyone else not in a car.

I do agree it's absurd to consider commuting 100 miles a day, unless it was while averaging 30 mph and it was 100 total for the day both ways.

Honestly, I was concerned that you might not see it at all in urban traffic or that you might see it too late because it is so low to the ground. That's what I was thinking.

One nice thing about a regular bike it its small foot print. You can wheel inside your office and park it (for security). You can lean it against any vacant wall and it takes up little floor space (doesn't clog ingress/egress routes = safety). Whereas, you would need a parking spot for that thing. Then, you have to deal with security. If riding 50 miles home is slow, imagine how long it takes to walk because someone stole your machine (I can't call it a bike).

$14k = lolololololol (the money must be in the composite shell).

As with vintage bicycles, there is a whole universe of technology, history, and products that has developed around the velomobile concept.

Velomobiles cost so much because of their limited production. Mostly, they don't come cheaper.

Check out http://www.bluevelo.com/ and the velomobile forum at bentrideronline:

http://www.bentrideronline.com/messageboard/forumdisplay.php?f=15

Scoffers will also do well to remember that the fastest self-accelerated person in human history is Sam Whittingham (of Naked Bicycles)--and he did it in a velomobile.

Scoffers will also do well to remember that the fastest self-accelerated person in human history is Sam Whittingham (of Naked Bicycles)--and he did it in a velomobile.

What, exactly, does being the fastest self-accelerated person in human history have to do with commuting safely to work?