Rain fairing

[Tim Hall]

We have a Pino tandem. The front (stoker's) half is recumbent.  This means Mrs. Hall gets wet when it rains in the way that recumbent riders know and love. Rain in the lap is Not Fun according to her.

I have upstairs a torn nylon flysheet. I was musing about making it into some kind fairing to provide rain protection.  Good idea? Bad idea? What to use for the frame?  Something light, durable and inexpensive (which is going to be one of those "choose any two" lists I expect).

Thoughts please.

[Quint]

In extreme weather (on my ICE Sprint 26) I use an old fashioned cycle cape from Argos, wrap it under the nether regions like a nappy sit on it to secure and tis quite waterproof (also use leggings of decent quality of course)
                                                                                       

[Cunobelin]

There is a design on the WISIL website designed for a nose cone, but may give you ideas.

The other one to look at is the Hase Klimax that uses a "tent type frame" to tension the fairing and sockets to accept the rods and fixings.

A combination of the mounts and tent pole tensioned tarpaulin may be possible.

Another alternative to base a design on is the Veltop Which although designed for uprights does have a recumbent version. There is a review on BROL which has detaile photos and again may give a few ideas

[orienteer]

Moulton used to offer a fairing for the AM spaceframe bikes, but it was very vulnerable to side winds blowing the bike off course.

[arallsopp]

Whatever you stick up front (including Mrs. Hall) is going to catch a fair amount of wind, and my own makeshift fairings have normally come apart right at the moment when you don't want them to.*

I think I'd be looking at a Streamer Fairing (HPVelotechnik) to see whether I could make it fit. Of course, you're considerably handier than I, and probably a touch wiser*.


* A 40mph+ descent of Titsey Hill in a rainstorm qualifies both statements.

[Quint]

Whatever you stick up front (including Mrs. Hall) is going to catch a fair amount of wind, and my own makeshift fairings have normally come apart right at the moment when you don't want them to.*

I think I'd be looking at a Streamer Fairing (HPVelotechnik) to see whether I could make it fit. Of course, you're considerably handier than I, and probably a touch wiser*.


* A 40mph+ descent of Titsey Hill in a rainstorm qualifies both statements.

Must have been quite a sight
                                                                                       

[arallsopp]

Must have been quite a sight

Not from where I was sitting. In fact, sight (along with control, hope, and reason to expect anything other than a disastrous ending) was one of the things I definitely didn't have

Very much a case of

• brake lightly
• steer slightly to the left
• try to remember where the edge of the road is
• try to judge the speed so that you don't find out whilst you're still doing 30+
• don't think about the S bend
• don't worry that both feet seemed to be wrapped tightly against the boom.

Laugh I did not. Infact, I'm a little tight chested recalling it, and that was some 2 years back now.

[Quint]

Must have been quite a sight

Not from where I was sitting. In fact, sight (along with control, hope, and reason to expect anything other than a disastrous ending) was one of the things I definitely didn't have

Very much a case of

• brake lightly
• steer slightly to the left
• try to remember where the edge of the road is
• try to judge the speed so that you don't find out whilst you're still doing 30+
• don't think about the S bend
• don't worry that both feet seemed to be wrapped tightly against the boom.

Laugh I did not. Infact, I'm a little tight chested recalling it, and that was some 2 years back now.

                 Went down a small mountain in Catalonia, sweeping dusty hairpins, speed up, drifting through the bends, drifting slightly toward the edge, felt like Monkey in the advert where he screams "EAGLE".
                 Discretion can often be preferable to valour methinks.
                                                                                   

[arallsopp]

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/T4GKC38psBg&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/T4GKC38psBg&rel=1</a>

[Quint]

Yes, that was me 

  Btw, is there any way of saving these you tube videos so they can be played without going onto the internet