Full Fairing

Is there anyone out there that rides an enclosed recumbent?

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Home built recumbents, one dual 26" and one fully faired streamliner that can cruise at 30+ MPH

I built a full fairing out of coroplast for my Rotator Pursuit. Great when the wind wasn't blowing hard, scary when it was. Got blown off the road a few times on a road that has some severe side winds. I see you're in Sacramento area, I'm in Vacaville. The road I refer to is 680 frontage road between Cordelia and Benicia.
What has been your experience in strong winds?
http://www.wisil.recumbents.com/wisil/pauljones/

I raced a lightning P-38 once that belonged to Eric Warp. http://www.wisil.recumbents.com/wisi...warp_drive.htm
After that I built my own P-38 and had the F-40 body kit on it. The F40 kit was nice because you can take the cloth part off and not get blown around. I used to commute from Elk Grove to Davis for work (37 miles one way) and one day on my way home I got blown off the road (no crash) so I took off the cloth and had no more trouble.
I have some fairing molds from UC Davis and I am trying to put fiber glass fairings on my home built bike but my motorcycles aren't having it.

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Home built recumbents, one dual 26" and one fully faired streamliner that can cruise at 30+ MPH

What is the bike in your photo?

I have a Lightning F-40, disadvantges are it's hot in high summer heat, a little heavy for climbing, and you have to watch for side winds, advantage is big speed on flats and downhills. I used to be a weight tehno weenie, weighing all the parts going onto my Trek 5200, but I figured out aero is much more important than weight and the much heavier Lightning is faster in all but super hilly situations, and I don't ride the Trek any more.

The F-40 caught my eye long ago, ideal for changing wind conditions. Did you buy the F-40 new, and what was your opinion of Lightning's build quality and customer service?

I bought a P-38 used then a used F-40 fairing and upgraded the P-38. I think the P-38 and F-40 are well built, and relatively light for a recumbent. I've never dealt with customer service except to buy a few small parts, so can;t comment on them in that regard. Not sure if you already ride a recumbent and are familiar with them, it's a whole different trip than riding an upright, in terms of how you feel, how other riders and cars relate to you etc.

If you live in moderately flat to somewhat hilly terrain that isn't super windy and want to go fast it's a pretty good way to do it, if you live in a real hilly area and or want to ride with the group, it might not be the best. Generally on steep downhills one can coast around long groups even if the front guys are pedaling but the steep uphills are a challenge.

There are some good articles on the WISIL website to give you an idea of what the whole trip is about.

Earlier today I posted some comments on my F-40 fully-faired recumbent, including about side-winds. Having read a few more of the related postings, I'd like to add that I personally do a lot of paragliding, so I am extremely conscious of where the wind is coming from, and what happens to it around obstacles.
We will all have experienced the way when a lorry (truck?) overtakes you, first its "bow wave" tends to push you off the road, so you anticipate/react by leaning towards the lorry, then after it overtakes you it tends to suck you onto the road (maybe just because you were already leaning that way, maybe because the wake really does act in the opposite direction at that point) and shake you around a bit (just random turbulence). If you are going into the wind, then these effects will be that much greater than on a nil wind day, or a tailwind.
OK, probably everyone knew that. But in a cross-wind, it really is just an extension of the same principle. It's best if you do the same ride repeatedly in different wind conditions, you can get to know where you are sheltered from the wind (forest on both sides of the road), and where you are exposed to sudden changes in cross-wind (road turn-offs, gap in hedge/buildings). I realise this is all extra work, on top of all the actual pedalling, but it works for me.
Ride safe,
ML.