What is it?
It is a velomobile, a human-powered vehicle, a WAW, a recumbent tricycle with an aerodynamic fiberglass fairing. If you want to know more about them, you can start with the wiki.
Where did it come from?
There are two answers here. The short one is a shop in Toronto called BlueVelo.
The longer answer is my father, who loved bicycles, who traded a Versatile for the WAW with the BlueVelo owner. The WAW is faster, the Versatile is, well, more versatile, so a better fit for a shop owner who wants a sleek, adjustable model to wow his customers. No surprise to me that my father would choose speed over looks. (Though the WAW is still pretty cool looking, no?)
I'm sure as I post more here, you'll learn more about my father and why the velomobile's now in my hands.
Does it have a motor?
No. When my father built his own velomobile from a kit, an Allaweder, he did include a wheel-based motor, but this one's totally human-powered, baby!
How much does it weigh?
This model of WAW weighs in somewhere around 50 pounds. I've never actually gotten it on a scale, so I have to go by other people's reports. Riding up hills makes the weight obvious, but it sure makes going down hills fun.
How fast does it go?
The top speed I've achieved is 55 mph, but this was going downhill. On flat ground, you can probably maintain speeds between 15 and 20 mph pretty easily.
Why would anyone want one?
You get lots of attention, that's for sure. But really, exploring alternative energy sources is an important activity that all Americans should be considering. The fairing makes the bike faster and safer, as well as protecting me from the fine weather fits of Binghamton. It also provides lots of convenient storage for grocery shopping or hauling books to and from campus. Plus, I'm burning fuel (calories) that I'm happy to get rid of!
Other questions? Post some questions in the comments, and I'll do my best to answer them.
