Thursday, November 13, 2008

The Velocipede!

This is another offering from Hammacher Schlemmer. This Carbon Chassis Velocipede is, according to their site, the "first human powered vehicle (HPV) to have a carbon fiber monocoque chassis." I have no clue what that means, but it sure does sounds impressive and apparently race cars are made of the same stuff. At first glance, it looks like an uncomfortable position to be sitting in for a prolonged period. I rented a recumbent bicycle at the beach once, and didn't feel right for a few days after. In full disclosure, I was also towing my nephews behind me in a cart, so that may have added to the strain. They claim that riding this qualifies as "low-impact excercise," so I'd definitely give it a shot. The shape eliminates drag, so that must help, and also:
The interior has a recumbent seat with variable longitudinal pedal geometry for a customized fit that maximizes comfort and pedal power efficiency. A Shimano derailleur and SRAM Gripshift Rocket shifter on the hand control allows smooth, shudder-free shifting.

I couldn't even try to explain that, but with the $14,000 price tag I probably won't have to...

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