snailracer
Über Member
Ha, I almost "ran out of ability" yesterday when I cornered over a wet drain cover.
How to go faster?
- Thread starter leemo
- Start date
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Jimbo?
As you're riding along, get the petals spinning like a turbine. Then when you stop, it should have enough spin to give you assistance like a propeller when you ride away.
Have you never seen a 'cyclist's bow tie'?
That big yellow flower is a ploy to divert eyes away from a large battery sat in the basket under a red and white chequered tablecloth. The battery is powering a motor which is driving a rubber roller sitting on the top of the front tyre.
We're not fooled.
Trumpettom001
Well-Known Member
I'll start you off jimbo - The drag coefficient of a sphere falling through a fluid is:
------------
Force = 6*pi*n*r*v.
(n is coefficient of viscosity) (pi is 3.14 - duhhh) (r radius) (v velocity)
Now you just have to differentiate that equation according to Dforce/DVelocity, and multipply the resultant force by 5 again, (the extra multiple of 5 ensures that we have taken into account the fact that the flower is not a perfect sphere)
------------
Force = 6*pi*n*r*v.
(n is coefficient of viscosity) (pi is 3.14 - duhhh) (r radius) (v velocity)
Now you just have to differentiate that equation according to Dforce/DVelocity, and multipply the resultant force by 5 again, (the extra multiple of 5 ensures that we have taken into account the fact that the flower is not a perfect sphere)
Excellent, I now have the perfect image of Taxing in my head, a sweet and innocent jolly-hockey-sticks exterior hiding a mischievous grin as she sweeps majestically past the roadies up the hills around Hull. 
It's a cleverly diguised Solex. We've rumbled her...
VeloSolex is back!VeloSolex have re-launched their nifty, thrifty 5Occrunabout And the powered bicycle, that's sold morethan 8 million since its launch in 1946, is coming to theUK. Are you ready for it, MCD wonders?velosolex
The VeloSolex is back is productionand officially available in the UK for the first time, 52 year's after itwas launched as a low-cost form ofpowered transport.But the famous French powered-bicycle -which is virtually identical to the originalmodel apart from updates to meet newlegislation - is now manufactured underlicense in Hungary. Huge potential fora cheap, reliable form of transport, evenmore versatile than the current range ofmopeds and scooters.velosolex
It's extremely light at 28 kilos,manoeuvrable, costs under £700 and isonly £62 to insure a year for two namedriders of any age. It will also turn in 214mpg... and if it does run dry, you can pedal.Mr Petersen, a successful entrepreneurand businessman, who sold his timbercompany in Denmark 10 years ago to moveto Britain with wife Lisbet and twodaughters, has already tested the reactionof the non-biking public and says he hasbeen inundated with requests. "It's aunique machine in the fact that it appealsto a very broad section of people. We've hadinterest from old ladies who rememberthem from their youth and also youngpeople who see it as a retro-styled, trendymeans of transport," he says.J.U. hit on the idea to import the bikeafter reading an article in a Danish paper12 months ago. "Denmark used tomanufacture up to 250,000 machines a yearuntil the factory wound-up in the early80's. When I saw that they were nowavailable again, I contacted the factory andwe agreed terms."Hamlet, who own the distribution rightsvelosolex
to the UK( Ireland, expect the firstshipment on 500 machines on August 5.The company is also currently setting adistribution network using motorcycledealerships and some bicycle outlets. J.U.says: "We are looking at 500 town centreoutlets including motorcycleshops. We see it as a newmarket for the motorcycleshops and a product linethat will not affect theircurrent interests, but expandtheir business."The factory are capable ofproducing 350,000 machines ayear - although production iscomparatively small at themoment - but we do envisage10,000 UK sales within thenext two years."The estimate is conservativeas the market, as yet, is untapped. Dealers can expect aquick build-up time from 'box-to-showroom' in a matter of a few minutes,plus the added sales incentive of offering athree-year warranty. "There are stilloriginal '40's machines running today.They are basically bullet-proof and thefactory feel confident that they can offertheir customers this form of guarantee,"saysJ.U. The 'Velo is powered by a simple 49ccsingle-cylinder two-stroke engine whichUtilises an automatic centrifugal clutch.Traction to the tyre is via a small frictionwheel. To engage the engine, you simplypull the lever and it pivots into position.Noise levels are kept to anenvironmentally-friendly 72 decibels witha small cylindrical muffler which sits downnext to the front mud flap.Although the machine has lost not of it'sauthenticity and appeal, the frame waschanged to a square-section unit in theearly 60's and for the UK market, the rear'bicycle4ype' grab brake has had to bereplaced by a tiny drum. Also UKlegislation demanded different levers anda new lighting system which is powered bya tiny magneto.But, apart from that, it's very much howit appeared off the production line in 1946.VeloSolex went out of production whenthe founder owner died, leaving it to histhree sons. One son inherited the bike side,one went into carburettors and the otherinto instruments. The Solex carburettorbusiness was sold to Fiat and VeloSolexwas bought by MBK, who closed it downbecause they felt the market was too smalland production costs too high.After several years dormant, the rightsand original tooling equipment werebought by Impex, a Hungarian company,who now manufacture the machine undervelosolex
license at their new 10,000 square metrefactory in the east of the country. Impexmanufacture every part of the machine,apart from a few cast-alloy items, whichthey buy in a very 'rough' stage ofproduction and finish themselves. To date, more than eight millionVeloSolex machines have been soldworld-wide! And, for anyone who has anpreconceptions on Hungarian build-quality, it's worth remembering that mostof the new Audi and Volkswagen's are nowmade there, says Mr Petersen. MCD couldn't resist the chance to try thislittle machine out. It's simple, quiet and alot of fun. It even pulled our 16.5 stoneeditor up the road at a decent 23 mph. Andwhen it started flagging on the upwardjourney, a simple assistance of pedals got itto the top. It's difficult to place where thisfits in; it's not a motorcycle nor a moped orscooter. What is certain, it makes you smile.A must have!
Less than £700 eh. CTW scheme....
