11-19-2006 - Will Bimen's Velomobile

Sunday morning I had the pleasure to meet Will Bimen and his Velomobile. The Velomobile is pedal powered and designed much like a recumbent bike with a aerodynamic skin made of carbon fiber and Kevlar. Will said that he had started his trip in Colorado then progressed up to Illinois, then down to Memphis Tennessee, and is now headed back to Colorado. The Velomobile is equipped with headlights, turn signals and a brake light that is powered from a 12 volt battery pack. The battery pack is recharged via a solar panel that he places on top of the Velomobile. He said that on flat ground he can travel at a sustained 22 miles per hour and that a comparable bike, without the aerodynamic shell, he would only be able to maintain 17 miles an hour. If you would like more information about Will and his adventures or human-powered vehicles, then you should check out his web site at www.9th-hennepin.com