Snoek Velomobile: Descent Stability Revisited

My Snoek has been made significantly more stable on descents. Sidewinds and traffic passing in the other direction are the main problems, most seriously when there are unpredictable sidewind gusts. A long time ago, I posted a video of the Snoek tail wagging in the sidewind. I'm confident those days are over.

[@jeffrey5961]

Definitely not the behavior your wife wants to see and think about when she is not driving your chase car. Glad to see you solved it.

[@Veloreamer-ENG]

Wow! Looks scary! Especially if the tire bursts at that speed. But I know that feeling when you take a risk.

[@shenzhenpingpong]

Yeah, we can plan and practice, but when something scary happens, we need to be logical and clam, and that's not always easy.

[@DonaldDuck666]

a car is larger so easier to hit. velo is tiny can slip trough like a fish. most people die bleeding out or burned alive due to gasoline fuel or choking to the fume.
velomobile does not have all that. latex tubes react the best when punctured, they loose air slowly. i had butyl, tubeless and latex punctures, latex is best.

[@shenzhenpingpong]

@@DonaldDuck666 slowest leak in my experience is with sealant. Sometimes I can finish the ride and fix it at home.

[@DonaldDuck666]

@@shenzhenpingpong depends on how bit the hole is. latex wraps around ot

[@DonaldDuck666]

you gotta switch to deep carbon rims. is got 38mm in front and 45mm in rear now it is stable as a train without pants.
now switched back to 19mm aluminum in front and feel the difference. once wind hit is wobbly. snok is fastest up to 31 mp/h
pick up fly swatter and swing it really fast trough the air and then a kitchen knife feel the difference thats same with carbon rims vs aluminum

[@k10e3r5]

I have to repare my Snoek, So I was thinking of adding some surface at the rear. What do you think of a wider rear rim for the 32-622 tires? Perhaps also front tires with less grip...

[@shenzhenpingpong]

Wider rim is good as the tire becomes even wider. But it's hard to get a very wide tire into the rear opening. I think 32mm is ok. But wider than that with a wide rim may be difficult to install and may rub easily against the wall of the rear wheel housing.

[@k10e3r5]

@@shenzhenpingpong Yes it's sad that it's not wider but then it would also ofset the chain. On my recumbent I managed to put 44-406 Michelin tires and it roals realy well, and also absorbs small bumps much better than the 28mm I had before.

[@shenzhenpingpong]

@@k10e3r5 even 40mm is impossible in the rear I think.

[@k10e3r5]

@@shenzhenpingpong We also have litle info on tire compound (shore). That could help on chosing the right tire with more grip for the rear.

[@shenzhenpingpong]

@@k10e3r5 bicyclerollingresistance.com gives grip figures for well-known fast tires.

[@neeksor]

you may want to consider a different helmet if you're traveling on the roadway at those speeds.. it looks like you're wearing a bicycle helmet, those are usually not tested/rated for speeds greater than ~14mph

[@shenzhenpingpong]

What kind of helmet would work? I think if I wobble and roll it at 90-100 km, it's not going to be pleasant even with my Shoei motorcycle helmet, which is impractical for riding.

[@shodancat1000]

@@shenzhenpingpong that's a very logical thought process. "i don't think a motorcycle helmet would be effective, so might as well wear something even less effective"

[@shenzhenpingpong]

@@shodancat1000 , if you're pedaling 100 miles plus, you can't wear a motorcycle helmet or motorcycle leathers. Same reason why Tour de France racers end up with horrible road rash if they crash, as it's not practical to wear padding, kevlar etc.

[@neeksor]

@@shenzhenpingpong that's a good question.. I wrote my comment before knowing more about the velomobile and the size restrictions due to the design..

[@DonaldDuck666]

@@shodancat1000 helmets are not ment to cushion the impact, rather avoiding scratching/cuting or bleeding out. infact a helmet can accelarte the impact cuz itss makes your head havier=velocity+weight=more damage to the brain. you can compare american football players and rugby players, americans have much more brain damage related injuries and retardness then rugby players cuz americans wear helmet and go much harder and that helmet adds extra weight increasing the impact. same as boxer vs bareknuckle fighters. trust me iam scientist