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My new corovelo build (Read 5299 times)
jrob_bent
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My new corovelo build
Jul 22nd, 2018, 6:54pm
 
I decided to completely rebuild my corovelo. I liked the way the Australians put the wheel inside to fairing. I have to go and get some heady duty velcro, the sew on kind, for the hood closure. The hood is attached to a tube via zip ties so I can open and close it. Works rather well. I am using nylon twine to hold the hood down until I get my velcro. Haven't tested it with the new hood yet as I just finished it and it is 112f. I'll wait until dark to try it and give it a good test very early tomorrow. It was already faster without the hood than the old design. This will be my touring ride. Come winter time I'll add the bubble to the hood with a sliding window on each side of it.
 
 


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« Last Edit: Jul 22nd, 2018, 6:57pm by jrob_bent »  

I get about 15 miles per honey bun!
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jrob_bent
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Re: My new corovelo build
Reply #1 - Jul 28th, 2018, 12:41pm
 
I changed the front end and am really surprised how much difference it makes. It is like going from riding with the brakes on to riding with the brakes off. I knew a pinched flat front wasn't well suited, but I can't believe the difference it really makes. Now to refine the turtle deck. I am thinking about using the corovelo at the HHH now.
 
 
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I get about 15 miles per honey bun!
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jayg
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Re: My new corovelo build
Reply #2 - Jul 28th, 2018, 1:22pm
 
Quote from jrob_bent on Jul 28th, 2018, 12:41pm:
I changed the front end and am really surprised how much difference it makes. It is like going from riding with the brakes on to riding with the brakes off. I knew a pinched flat front wasn't well suited, but I can't believe the difference it really makes. Now to refine the turtle deck. I am thinking about using the corovelo at the HHH now.


http://i.imgur.com/BBApVtZ.jpg

 
Velo Ver. 2 looks good Jerry. How did you form the rounded nose?
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jrob_bent
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Re: My new corovelo build
Reply #3 - Jul 28th, 2018, 1:30pm
 
I cheated a little Jay. That is a nose cone I bought and put most of it underneath the coroplast. The nose cone is zip tied in about 8 places to the coroplast and I have a coroplast horizontal and vertical support underneath the nose cone. I put it at the perfect height so I don't get foot strikes on the deck. Each time I change it, it gets a little better. When I get the turtle deck finished and put the hood back on, it should be fairly fast.
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I get about 15 miles per honey bun!
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jrob_bent
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Re: My new corovelo build
Reply #4 - Aug 2nd, 2018, 7:39pm
 
I have a lot of extra attention to my corovelo this past few days. A Bicycle Inc. van followed me and when I pulled into Green Valley Park, they did also. Told me how cool it looked and did I know I was going around 30 mph. Hundreds of questions and pictures taken. A woman this morning was driving the opposite direction and slammed on her brakes to take a picture and the car behind her almost rear ended her, then got their cell out and took pictures also. A woman flags me down and then tells me to wait and she comes back out with several people. Now she is arranging for me to bring the corovelo to her son's 8th grade science class. I was headed back home and about 30 high school kids flag me down and wanted pictures and all the usual questions. I let several of the kids sit in the corovelo while their friends took pictures of them. See a huge pickup go by the other direction and I hear tires squealing and big motor revving up. He had done a u-turn and came back to see what the hell that thing was. Sometimes it is hard to ride with people trying to take pictures, wanting to ask questions, and doing some really dangerous things in a motor vehicle. I can imagine the attention a commercially made velo gets. The number one comment besides that is so cool, is, it looks like the space shuttle. I guess I'll name it the Cool Voyager then! Smiley
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I get about 15 miles per honey bun!
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jrob_bent
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Re: My new corovelo build
Reply #5 - Aug 5th, 2018, 2:28pm
 
Ok, this is my last major change to the corovelo. It handles better and is a little faster. The 12 volt torpedo fan I installed works great! Used it today on my test ride at 1 pm. Climbing a hill in that direct sun light, I found a small tree to park under, locked the brakes, turned on the fan, and drank my ice water.  
life is good!
 

 
Finished taping.
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« Last Edit: Aug 6th, 2018, 12:32pm by jrob_bent »  

I get about 15 miles per honey bun!
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jrob_bent
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Re: My new corovelo build
Reply #6 - Aug 7th, 2018, 3:03pm
 
I don't have the money they want for a nice vinyl wrap, so I drew and painted this. The Texas Road Runner.
 
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I get about 15 miles per honey bun!
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Tom Nuchols




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Re: My new corovelo build
Reply #7 - Aug 7th, 2018, 5:05pm
 
looking for the coyote.   Smiley
Tom Nuchols
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jrob_bent
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Re: My new corovelo build
Reply #8 - Aug 7th, 2018, 5:41pm
 
Quote from Tom Nuchols on Aug 7th, 2018, 5:05pm:
looking for the coyote.   Smiley
Tom Nuchols

 
He is with the roadies trying to catch the Road Runner! Smiley
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I get about 15 miles per honey bun!
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jrob_bent
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Re: My new corovelo build
Reply #9 - Aug 11th, 2018, 9:52pm
 
Been gone since Tuesday evening, got back late this afternoon. Decided to brave the mosquitos and do a little work on the corovelo. I will be putting the American and Texas flag on it soon. I have to finish the other side also.
 

 
Need to put my silver/red reflectors all along the bottom and rear end again. I love those little 6" ones with the glass embedded in them. The silver ones really light up when hit with light at night and the red ones can be seen easily in the day time.
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« Last Edit: Aug 11th, 2018, 9:56pm by jrob_bent »  

I get about 15 miles per honey bun!
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Action Lad
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Re: My new corovelo build
Reply #10 - Aug 12th, 2018, 7:12am
 
Quote from jrob_bent on Aug 11th, 2018, 9:52pm:
Need to put my silver/red reflectors all along the bottom and rear end again. I love those little 6" ones with the glass embedded in them. The silver ones really light up when hit with light at night and the red ones can be seen easily in the day time.

Who makes these reflectors?  I have been looking for super bright ones, all colors, especially black ones that reflect brightly white at night.
 
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"You can't see paradise if you don't pedal!"
T.J. Fowler -- Chicken Run
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jrob_bent
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Re: My new corovelo build
Reply #11 - Aug 12th, 2018, 10:49am
 
I finished painting and now need to find USA and Texas stick on flags. The motorons like flags!
I also need to paint a rocky desert scene around the corovelo for the road runner to play.
 
I can tell you first hand a pace line of roadies get really pissed off when you fly by them with the Road Runner on your corovelo! Ha ha. Smiley
 
 

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« Last Edit: Aug 12th, 2018, 10:52am by jrob_bent »  

I get about 15 miles per honey bun!
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jrob_bent
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Re: My new corovelo build
Reply #12 - Aug 12th, 2018, 10:52am
 
I get mine at Home Depot and Lowe's.
 
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Hillman-2-25-in-Safety-Tape/3057237
 
 
Quote from Action Lad on Aug 12th, 2018, 7:12am:
Quote from jrob_bent on Aug 11th, 2018, 9:52pm:
Need to put my silver/red reflectors all along the bottom and rear end again. I love those little 6" ones with the glass embedded in them. The silver ones really light up when hit with light at night and the red ones can be seen easily in the day time.

Who makes these reflectors?  I have been looking for super bright ones, all colors, especially black ones that reflect brightly white at night.

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« Last Edit: Aug 12th, 2018, 10:55am by jrob_bent »  

I get about 15 miles per honey bun!
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jrob_bent
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Re: My new corovelo build
Reply #13 - Aug 14th, 2018, 8:58am
 
Funny what a little flag will do.  
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I get about 15 miles per honey bun!
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jrob_bent
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Re: My new corovelo build
Reply #14 - Aug 15th, 2018, 11:15am
 
Rode the corovelo to Lowe's yesterday. While inside some yahoo cut the zip tie holding my PVC vertical deck support. I hope he fells good about it. I fixed that, closed off the foot holes, fixed a bulge in the right side, and installed the summer skirt this morning. I decide to cut the back off the shirt that was touching the turtle deck. Works better. These mods really helped the speed. I took it for a 6 mile test ride and caught and passed a roadie at 26 mph just north of Starnes on Smithfield Rd. About a block after I passed the roadie i got caught at a traffic light at Starnes. The roadie rides up all excited saying, darn, that thing is fast. He thought I might have an electric motor in it. Nope, just me.
 
The old head sticking out the top of the corovelo is mine in the picute.
 
 
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I get about 15 miles per honey bun!
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