VelomobileWorld-Konversation

[tdt]

In most velomobiles the manufacturer builds in a usb socket, why not one with double function?

I could be mistaken, but I've only seen USB ports as standard equipment in velomobiel.nl products, not in the others. But this is not a bad idea!
Do you have a link to this product? I suppose it's no problem to measure the power on a separate line, and maintain 5V output for the USB ports?

 

[DerDicke]

In most velomobiles the manufacturer builds in a usb socket, why not one with double function?
Anhang anzeigen 312389

Genau den hab ich bei mir nachgerüstet, der leuchtet im Dunkeln recht hell und zeigt sehr gut die Spannung an

 

[berbr]

Do you have a link to this product?

Unfortunately, the variant I used is no longer available.

Das QV hat zwar eine Füllstandanzeige für den Akku, aber das hier finde ich noch besser.

Whether I can recommend the version found here exactly so I do not know. My version needs in any case despite display less idle current, than the socket without display, which was originally installed in the QV.

it's no problem to measure the power on a separate line, and maintain 5V output for the USB ports?

That is exactly what this product does.

 

[UliB]

Brilliant. What do you say?

 

[eddywhy]

Now I can see the voltage with a glance between my legs.

Nobody say this as nice as you….

 

[Velomobileworld]

Anhang anzeigen 312984

Brilliant. What do you say?

I sended you already a email 3 days ago to discus these points. If you zoom in with your camera you can find always thinks what can be done better. Which we will do next time. But this is not a quality issue. As you can see on the picture is that the frame is 1mm lower glued in as intended. Did this create a problem that your shoe's touched the bottom side?

 

[tdt]

I sended you already a email 3 days ago to discus these points. If you zoom in with your camera you can find always thinks what can be done better. Which we will do next time. But this is not a quality issue. As you can see on the picture is that the frame is 1mm lower glued in as intended. Did this create a problem that your shoe's touched the bottom side?

@UliB: To be fair to the production here: This is a product made by people, by hand. If you look at car production, you'll find cars produced by super accurate machines that have larger panel gap than this. Of course, this can also be done perfect by hand (f.e. AMG engines), but I wouldn't want to pay the price premium for the "AMG version" of my Bülk.

 

[Fritz]

.

 

[UliB]

Many apologizes for your outlay to borrow a follower from a friend for three times for nothing.
Thank you for buying a VM built by us. If you have trouble, we´ll find a way to fix it. Also many apologizes for the delay caused by us.

Ah no, just dreaming. Back now to real life!

Did this create a problem that your shoe's touched the bottom side?

If it´s not creating a problem than it´s ok?
With the cranks delivered: yes, my shoe is touching the cables on the wall.
And it´s still ugly.

This is a product made by people

Yes. And because there are real eyes on every step of production, you can work on any mistake immediately. That´s real manufactoring done by people.

 

[tdt]

Yes. And because there are real eyes on every step of production, you can work on any mistake immediately. That´s real manufactoring done by people.

You can expect a good product, and if there's a gap somewhere that is annoying. The fact that the sticker on the left side of my Bülk is not fixed accurately has annoyed me too, but it's a handmade product and if it continues to annoy me I'll nag at ICB for a free new sticker.
Also, yes, I do think QC could be a bit better at Velomobile World.

But to expect sub-millimeter perfection from a factory that is pushed to keep the price acceptable on a complex product... no, I don't agree there. Like I said, my brand spankin' (pun intended) new Mercedes-Benz C350e had a nasty panel gap difference on the front fenders L+R. The dealer and importer simply said it's "within spec". That was a €60.000 car

If your foot is touching now, it probably would have been too if the tube was exactly in the right spot. Looks like you need a spacer more than a fix here (I used a spacer, but that's also due to my shoesize 50).

Also, as stated before: I think this topic is wrong in principle, especially if Jan manages to grow the factory even larger. We should be talking to our dealers, not directly to Velomobile World.

 

[UliB]

if the tube was exactly in the right spot

It´s a state of fact: the manufacturer is right.
So please let it be. I don´t want do discuss any futher. I´m afraid that wouldn´t lead to improvements in the near future.

 

[Neo]

We should be talking to our dealers, not directly to Velomobile World.

The day Velomobile World looses the contact to the customers, the gig is up for us (the customers) and the quality will get into a free fall.
Never ever will complains get so close to them, as directly from the VM drivers.

 

[benparke]

The day Velomobile World looses the contact to the customers, the gig is up for us (the customers) and the quality will get into a free fall.
Never ever will complains get so close to them, as directly from the VM drivers.

Consider when you buy a car. If there is a problem do you contact the factory? Of course not. You contact your dealership who works to fix the problem in their repair shop. As the VW factory continues to expand and build more and more Velomobiles, the idea of working with the dealer to fix problems and handle complaints makes a lot of sense. There is only so many things Jan can do. I think already he has more things to do than he has time to do them.

 

[Mike C]

Please don't compare (current) Velomobile manufacturing with car manufacturers that produce like this:


but with car manufacturers that produce like this (and do not target millionaires):


Please compare to car companies that output less than a thousand cars a year, then you will find a lot of similarities (in flexibility, lifecycles, quality, customer care and strategic planning). Whether that is frightening or reassuring is up to you.

...Mike

 

[Gear7Lover]

Car dealers get ample margin for selling and again comfortable rates for repairing and frequent preventive maintenance. Every fault at the vehicle is reported to the factory, if not by the vehicle itself, then by the repair shop. The manufacturers know more about the health of their producs then my health insurance about me.

And now compare this to our VM dealers.... Plonk

 

[Sunny Werner]

then my health insurance about me.

Ja das denkst du nur..

 

[tdt]

Car dealers get ample margin for selling and again comfortable rates for repairing and frequent preventive maintenance. Every fault at the vehicle is reported to the factory, if not by the vehicle itself, then by the repair shop. The manufacturers know more about the health of their producs then my health insurance about me.

And now compare this to our VM dealers.... Plonk

VM dealers also get margin for selling. Their repair rates can be determined by themselves, which is why you'll find as much as a 100% difference in price between one velomobile dealer and the next. Concerning the cheaper one of those two, I actually made a point in conversation with them about their rates being too low.

Concerning the situation with small car companies: not even by practice, but by law, you go through your dealer. In all of Europe, you have a contract with your dealer, not with the factory. By law, Jan is allowed to tell you to go play hide & f... yourself if you go directly to him to fix a problem.
Also, depending on how Jan has set things up with Daniel Fenn, Eggert Bülk, Jens Buckbesch, velomobiel.nl, Intercity Bike and other designers, he might not even be responsible for structural design errors.

So how does this actually work with a comparable car company?
Donkervoort is a Dutch car company that has more employees than Velomobile World, but actually builds less cars per year than Velomobile World builds velomobiles. Their cars are a more complex product (a lot more parts) than a velomobile, so this is not so weird. They are also very, VERY expensive (second hand, excuse me, "pre-owned" Donkervoorts are sold for as much as €200.000).
They used to sell through a dealer in Utrecht, but since that has gone bust, Dutch sales go through the factory. That is an exception: International sales go through dealers: In Germany, they have a subsidiary of the company, which is, you guessed it, a dealer. I believe they also run their own dealer in Belgium, and for the rest of the world they basically have partnerships.

If you have a problem with one of their cars, they will first figure out why you didn't go to your dealer, and they'll try to help you, just like Jan is doing here. Even though they support the Dutch Donkervoort Touring Club, they are not active there for direct support either.

The fact that Jan is trying to help us directly here in multiple languages that are basically foreign to him is quite remarkable and - as stated before - a wrong choice in my opinion.

PS: Concerning support, I complain quite a bit myself (to my dealer, mainly, and - when asked for feedback a while ago - also to the factory), but Velomobile World has delivered better products than [A-level road bike brand] did for me in the past (I had a tearing carbon frame), and since my road bike dealer actually DID tell me to go play hide & go f... myself, I've also received better service up to now.

 

[Gear7Lover]

Velomobiles never left the sellers market. It just starts to change a little tiny bit that clients don't thank the manufacturer on knees to finally receive a velomobile in whatever level of quality but they dare to raise "tips" how to improve without obvious additional effort.

 

[benparke]

I think the most enlightening thing I ever did about Velomobiles was to try and build my own. I thought I could build a good velomobile much cheaper than buying a used one made by professionals. I learned a very expensive but very useful lesson. It is not at all easy to build a very good velomobile, even when you are copying a good design. Sometimes I think everyone that is not happy with the Velomobiles coming from RO should try building one because they will learn a lot about how they are built and why they cost so much and why they are not perfect. That Jan and his team build such quality Velomobiles is pretty amazing to me and I know he continues to try and make them better and better.

 

[Velomobileworld]

It´s a state of fact: the manufacturer is right.
So please let it be. I don´t want do discuss any futher. I´m afraid that wouldn´t lead to improvements in the near future.

I also wrote you an email with my apoligies and to open a discussion how we can fix thinks. I like to have a phone call with you as I wrote in the email. Writing is not my best comunication way I have. I am sorry for you are not happy with it.