Zephyrus Italia

[Markciccio]

I will explain with a video tomorrow....

As for italian people, the most difficult thing is to make them undestand that there may be more and better kind of transportation than SUV and big cars. They are usually not very open minded. Luckly there are some exceptions.

 

[Markciccio]

Zephyrus is even on a famous italian newspaper:

http://milano.repubblica.it/cronaca/2015/01/10/foto/pedali-104678246/1/#1

 

[Troubadix]

Shall I translate the caption beneath the 1st picture? Not too certain everybody in here understands Italian.

 

[Markciccio]

Yes, please. Or I will, in english.

 

[Troubadix]

Piacere.

Nachfolgend eine Übersetzung des Textes unter dem ersten Bild:
Es nennt sich Zephyrus - der Name wurde von einem Wind geborgt, weil das Glück bringt - und es ist das erste Velomobil, das heißt ein Auto mit Pedalen (Tretauto), das vollständig in Italien hergestellt wird. Diese Idee haben 2 Techniker verwirklicht, die fest an die ökologisch nachhaltige und alternative Mobilität glauben. Gionata Scrofani und Marco Ruga aus Gallarate, im Bezirk Varese. Der Prototyp des Zephyrus hat eine Karosserie aus Kohlefaser und Epoxydharz, eine Windschutzscheibe aus durchsichtigem Plexiglas, um den Fahrer zu schützen, er wird vervollständigt durch Lichter und Richtungsanzeiger und wiegt 31 Kilogramm. Der Startpreis, der für die ersten 5 Exemplare gilt, die Scrofani und Ruga bauen werden, beträgt 3900 Euro. Das Velomobil wurde schon ersten Straßentests unterzogen, aber die offizielle Vorstellung - mit vielen Möglichkeiten, es selber auszuprpbieren - ist für Sonntag, den 11. Januar um 11 Uhr in der viale dell'Unione europea 14 (Europa-Allee 14) in Gallarate festgelegt worden.
(Text von Lucia Landoni, Bild vom Facebook Auftritt).

Vi volio un buon successo, oggi!
Martin

 

[fan-dan]

would this illustrate the front suspension correctly?

 

[Habsab2012]

So hatte ich das im kopf

 

[Markciccio]

Yes, correct. The front suspension is made like that. Where have you found that drawing?

 

[Markciccio]

Today it was a nice day, here some photos, I will add some other in the next days:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Italian-Dream-Cycle/1510503069165031?fref=ts

 

[fan-dan]

haven't found it, I made it. I was curious about this geometry and wanted see some dimensions.

 

[Markciccio]

Very nice and very similar to reality.
The problem of this kind of suspension is to find the exact dimension an position of steering rods and joints. You need both a correct ackermann geometry and less bump steering you can. It is not easy. I think we have reached this aim. The vertical stroke of the suspension is only 30mm, differently from the drawing, so the track (width of the point of contact wheel-terrain) do not vary much while bumping.

Yesterday many people rode the Zephyrus, people that has never seen a recumbent bike in their life and they told us that it behaves very well. And even recumbent riders told us the same thing. I am very happy.

 

[Troubadix]

Actually I wonder about the ventilation of this little beauty: If I see this correctly. the Zephyrus is mostly closed. How do you deal with higher ambient temperatures or hillclimbs? Or do you intend to build a summer canopy that allows for more fresh air? Both my Flevo Alleweder and my Leiba X-stream got fairly large entry openings that can be left open in summer, only to be closed with a tarpaulin if it rains. I mostly ride my velomobiles with a Versatile roof for some shade. For really bad weather, the X-Stream also has a hard cover plus a separate canopy This has proven very satisfactory.

- Do you intend to visit this year´s Spezialradmesse?

Saluti, Martin

 

[Markciccio]

Yes, we will make a summer version that is the 001 Zephyrus, the black-white velo in this photos, without any roof:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/112298742306216654256/albums/6103185740469519985

but it will be covered with a full closed cap (at the moment under construction, soon available), that can be easily installed and taken away.

As for the summer canopy, I don't know, it is a good idea, maybe we can make it as an option but we haven't thought about it yet.

We can come and see the exibition but at the moment I think it is too soon to partecipate. maybe next year. We'll think about it.

 

[Troubadix]

Right, I hope we will meet each other, then. I will most probably come with my old Alleweder or my Leiba and be at the stall of the german HPV as in 2014.
What brakes do you use for the Zephyrus?

 

[Markciccio]

We use 160mm mechanical disk brakes, both for the front and for the rear wheels.

 

[Troubadix]

O.K., that sounds reasonable.
BTW: During Spezi 2014 I have been at the 2nd hand market stall in front of "Halle 3", had some good conversation in Italian with 2 visitors: Gionata and you?

 

[Markciccio]

I think you met two of my recumbent bike forum friends:

http://bicireclinateitalia.forumfree.it/

I will ask there...

 

[Moritzdresden]

Und jetzt noch ne Händleradresse in Deutschland, damit man das Teil mal Probefahren kann (viell. auch kaufen... )... ;-)

 

[fan-dan]

what priorities has your to-do list? The shell on frame approach and 'Fiat 500' suspension promise a nice Velo for a good price. Less weight, enclosed rear wheel, a front wheel drive, polished finish, plus many more features to dream on could be added. What will be next development steps?

 

[Markciccio]

Und jetzt noch ne Händleradresse in Deutschland, damit man das Teil mal Probefahren kann (viell. auch kaufen... )... ;-)

At the moment we do not have any retailer out of Italy, but soon we will contact some, maybe the Spezi 2015 will be a nice opportunity to do so.
As for the priority list, next step is a perfect cap, that we are making at the moment. Secondary an high performance, super light version, with extra light components as full carbon arms, steering and frame. And a good power-assisted pedaling system for all of them.

The problem is another one. We have had an incredible big media exposure this week, as I have written above. A national radio interwiev (Radio Deejay), many photos and comments on the italian bigger online newspaper (Repubblica.it), that where posted for three days (a record) and maybe we will be part of a italian Rai Due television show next tuesday, to be confirmed. At the test drive of the Zephyrus we met many entusiast people and many estusiast journalists and they wrote many newspaper articles on local newspapers.

Maybe italian people is changing the way of thinking about future transportation? Maybe not but maybe it is a starting point. Curiosity is a good starting point. So we haven't much time for technical things to do (only marketing, let's call it like that...) but soon we will back again on the velomobile evolutions.