Fairing for a Trice?

[Pedaldog.]

People say that a fairing is of no advantage at speeds of less than 8mph or so. What about riding at 5mph into a 5mph wind? Anybody use a fairing on a recumbent trike that could give me thoughts?

[keepontriking]

People say that a fairing is of no advantage at speeds of less than 8mph or so.

tosh - at whatever speed it looks the business 

...and keeps the rain off.

[byegad]

I use a Streamer on both my Kettwiesel and Trice QNT, two mountings and one Fairing, it goes on in about a minute and comes off in thirty seconds. In winter it's a rare ride without the Fairing. In this summer the same applies! Normal summers (anyone remember them?) see it used around 30% of the time.

Advantages:-
1) It stops rain landing on my legs and while moving on my lap too.
2) It is definetely warmer in cold weather and not too hot in hot weather. (I have a good memory re the hot weather)
3) It is faster into the wind. I've measured this fairly roughly and I tend to ride at my 'still air' unfaired speed into a 10 to 15mph wind. I'm a slow rider, a 12mph moving average is a good day for me.  If you are faster the advantages will be enhanced for you.
4) Downhill speeds are higher with the fairing on. Coming down a local hill is about 4 mph faster with the fairing on, 48mph vs 44mph on the Trice.
5) Cool, score several thousand cool points from the local yoofs!

Disadvantages:-
1) Cost!
2) Weight around 2kg for the whole thing must effect my uphill speeds. However I haven't measured
this.
3) Obstacles, you need a bit more room to negotiate bollards and such.
4) Mounting the trike is a bit more difficult.

Hope that helps.

[Sigurd Mudtracker]

My interest in a Streamer fairing is increased by your comments, byegad.

My Kett is probably already heavy enough for an extra 2kg not to be too significant.  On the flat, in still air, what advantage do you reckon the fairing gives you?

I'd also be interested in fitting one to my Tour Easy clone, though I'm not sure the currently unbraced and bendy Electra Outlaw Ape Hanger handlebars (I love the name) could cope with it...

[Cunobelin]

I have extensive experience with Trikes and fairings....

My first was on a Peter Ross Trice with a ZZipper fairing,



However I found that the fairing quickly suffered stress cracks around the fittings.

I then fitted a Streamer, shared between my Sreet Machine and  the Trice.

A better design, and one that allowed a little movement that increased ease of access.

When I then changed to the Catrike, I bought a Windwrap XT and this has been the best so far.



HOwever whilst this works well fo warmth and comfort it is not as protective as the Streamer, so I have invested in a Windwrap RX for winter use as it has more coverage.


In summary....

Fairings are good at looking cool, raising temperature (much warmer) and weather protection. They also make a difference in performance.

However they can restrict access and egress from a trike, and if too high can limit visibility.

Light mounting can also be an issue as you need to mount outside the fairing as otherwise the light illuminates the fairing and this has a two fold effect. Firstly it means that you have a large bright object in front of you that reduces night vision, secondly it filters the beam, attenuating the brightness.

This can be an advantage though as it does increase visibility.

You need to make your choice and decide what you want.



 

[Jon P]

On both my KC and Speed Ross my daily commute would average 17.5 unfaired and 18.5 faired, in calmish weather.  In fact I was writing on BHPC forum that my faired SR is faster than my Toxy ZR, and this is not due to weight as I first thought as I found I go up a long 8mph hill on the commute at the same speed on both.  On a flatter route the difference would be more marked - it's supposed to be 15% increase.

So I just have to work out how to fit the Streamer to the ZR (and still see over it ...)

[byegad]

My interest in a Streamer fairing is increased by your comments, byegad.

My Kett is probably already heavy enough for an extra 2kg not to be too significant.  On the flat, in still air, what advantage do you reckon the fairing gives you?

I'd also be interested in fitting one to my Tour Easy clone, though I'm not sure the currently unbraced and bendy Electra Outlaw Ape Hanger handlebars (I love the name) could cope with it...

On my Kettwiesel the top gear is around 89", this equates to about 22mph for me at my normal 'cruising' cadence.  I don't get that fast on the flat but only need a gentle down slope (or tailwind) to be near it.  I know that with the fairing on I'm in the top couple of gears more often than when I'm unfaired. The difference is not that big but I am slow. if I get a moving average at or near 12mph on a 20 mile run I'm doing well.  On the QNT with a 105" top gear I notice a real difference on downhills with a significant top speed advantage to the faired option.

What I'm trying to say is that the faster you are already the more you'll benefit from a fairing. If I rode at 20mph on the flat in still air then a fairing would be a big advantage, I don't and the advantage to me is more in the comfort and the extra speed I get is a bonus.  That said I'd much rather ride into a 20mph headwind with the fairing than without and on that day the fairing is adding several miles per hour, to my speed! 

[Sigurd Mudtracker]

Well, I do pedal a bit quicker but not much - usually 13-14 mph average on the Kett, compared to about 16 mph on the uprights.  Seems that a fairing might bring them more on a level.  Where can such things be obtained in the UK?

[byegad]

I think you may well be right.

Bikefix and Kinetics can supply, I seem to remember I got the fairing from one and te extra mount some months later from the other.

[Cunobelin]

I got the Windwrap firings from Ian at Wheel N.V.. (formerly Trikes and Stuff)

[Pedaldog.]

Do the Streamer fairings come supplied with fittings as you require them or do you need to check elsewhere for that?
I suppose I should just ring I.C.E. and ask what they recommend. Definitely interested though and thanks for all the replies and info so far.

[byegad]

You get the standard fittings with a Streamer. I bought a second, newer (locking rear stay for height adjustment) set some months later on their own for my second trike.
The standard fittings are an under boom front mount (unless it's on a Kettwiesel where the same thing goes above the frame behind the front wheel) with QR and angle adjustment and a rear support for the rear strut attached to the lower half of the rear strut. Both clamp with plastic sleeved jubilee clips (you get large and a medium Jubilees to suit different sized frames.

I've had mine on an AZUB-4 and my QNT and Kettwiesel. The clamps hdd not marked the AZUB frame when I removed them after 18 months use.

[Pedaldog.]

Sounds good. I will persue further thanks.

[Cunobelin]

The Streamer fitting is described in a PDF file

The HPVelotechnik machines have a  braze on bolt that helps stabilise the fairing and decrease rotation, acting in addition to the jubilee clip.

A single jubilee clip will hold it in place but beware of rotation

I know that prior to the present stable. there were adaptations by ICE to the boom that fitted a Streamer without the Jubilee clips, but I suspect this modified boom is a thing of the past

I prefer the simpler fittings of Windwrap personally, especially on the XT - two jubilee clips on the derailleur post as shown here

The "one point" fit for the pending RX is more complicated, but still only has one fitting point with two jubilee clips on the boom.

.

[Jon P]

If I were you I'd add a second jubilee clip as I've had one snap in mid-run.  You might also like to add a small jubilee clip to the short end sticking through the hole to make sure it can't get wiggled out again.  Also I found the QR bolts pretty useless and would advise to replace them both immediately with a normal 6mm bolts that you can maintain on the road, and use big washers.  It requires a lot of pressure to keep the front bracket together and the current version isn't robust enough IMO.