The Velo Handcycle concept will add coolness to your recumbent bike commute. I have to admit that I’ve never been too much a fan of the whole recumbent bike phenomena – but this thing could convert me.
This bike was designed by Gerardo Leon for individuals with lower leg immobility, and as such serves a great purpose. But that’s not to say that this bike couldn’t be for just about any bicycling enthusiast looking for a unique ride. Talk about a wicked arm workout, though! You’d definitely have ripped biceps after riding this thing around.
But one of the things that really impresses me about this concept bicycle is the fact that it has a remarkably cool design. I’ve always been a big fan of the motorcycle designs in the anima film Akira, and these concepts seem pretty close. Granted, I’m pretty lazy when it comes right down to it, so I’d probably find some way to wire up an engine.
The concept for the Velo is the brainchild of designer Gerardo Leon, whose ideas on the Behance network look pretty amazing. The sketches for the Velo bike include everything from basic schematics to computer renderings of what the final product would actually look like. Imagine an amped up wheelchair crossed with a recumbent bike and what you get is the Velo.
The bike concept calls for a frame made from fiberglass, which decreases the overall weight. The lightweight frame, combined with its aerodynamic structure, would ultimately mean you’d be able to reach some amazingly high speeds. One could always get a robot to ride the thing for you, like the JouleS — or you could maybe get Leon to hook you up with a bendy frame like the design by Kevin Scott. Heck, I’d be happy just taking this thing on a downhill slope to see how much speed I could get out of it.
Hopefully it won’t be too long before we see something like this on the X-Games or the Tour de France. Maybe now that Lance Armstrong has kicked butt at the Tour so many times, he’ll be in need of a new challenge.
