Velomobile Configuration
updated 4 February 2007
Most velomobiles are in "tadpole" configuration, with two wheels in front and one in back. This allows the use of ordinary bicycle drive-train components, and many people consider this configuration to be more stable than the "delta" arrangement. Delta trikes and velomobiles offer more load capacity, and the Lightfoot velomobile adds the interesting option of a "tandemizer" hitch.
| Velomobile These are all three-wheel velomobiles. Two- and four-wheel velomobiles exist but have not been commercially-available. | Tadpole: 2 wheels in front and 1 in back | Delta: 2 wheels in back and 1 in front | Ease of tire changing - information not always available, but wheels outside the chassis are generally more accessible, and side-mounted wheels are easier to remove. | Brake arrangement - tadpole velomobiles can be destabilized by rear braking; where available, their rear brakes are generally for parking only. | Steering control arrangement - central tiller, paired joysticks are common |
| Aerorider | 3x20" (wide tires) | front wheels sit outside chassis; rear wheel is partially-enclosed. | front disc brakes, with the levers on the paired joysticks | paired joysticks | |
| Alleweder (Alligt A3) | 2x20", 1x26" | front wheels outside chassis; rear wheel is 26" and partially enclosed (two tube and tire sizes to carry, and some inconvenience to change the rear tire) | front drum brakes, controlled by a single lever on the tiller. | central tiller | |
| Alleweder (Alligt A4) | 3x20" |
| front wheels outside chassis; rear wheel on accessible swing-arm. | ||
| Alleweder (Alligt A5) | |||||
| Alleweder (Flevobike) | front wheels outside chassis; rear wheel partially-enclosed | ||||
| Alleweder (US Flevo) | |||||
| Aurora | 3x20" | rear wheels sit in shallow wheelwells outside chassis; front wheel sits inside (separated by a splashboard from the interior). | mechanical disc brakes on rear wheels; v-brake on front wheel. | underseat steering yoke | |
| Butterfly | 3x20" | front wheels are outside chassis, but with optional aerodynamic enclosures. Rear wheel sits in a deep wheelwell - unknown how accessible. | Drum brakes front, rim brake rear - brake levers on paired joysticks. | paired joysticks. | |
| Cab-Bike | 3x20" | front wheels are outside chassis; rear wheel accessible by easy removal of rear fairing section. | front drum brakes, controlled by a single lever on the tiller. | central tiller | |
| Cab-Bike Speedster | |||||
| Cab-Bike before 2006-2007 | front wheels are outside chassis; rear wheel access is difficult. | ||||
| go-one3 (carbon) | 3x20" | front wheels are outside chassis; rear wheel fully-exposed - easy access (no fender -- sprays riders behind in rainy group rides). | front drum brakes, controlled by a single lever on the tiller. | central tiller | |
| go-one3 (fiberglass) | |||||
| Leiba | 3x20" | front wheels are outside chassis; rear wheel fully-exposed - easy access (no fender -- sprays riders behind in rainy group rides). | front drum (disc also available) brakes, with the levers on the paired joysticks | paired joysticks. | |
| Leitra (small) | 3x20" | front wheels are outside chassis, but with optional aerodynamic enclosures. Rear wheel is accessible. | drum brake on the front wheels. Hydraulic disc brake on the front wheels also available. Rim brake on the rear wheel. (Optional hydraulic rear disc brake.) | paired joysticks. | |
| Leitra (Sport and medium) | |||||
| Leitra (extra long/tall) | |||||
| Mango | 3x20" | front wheels are outside chassis | front drum brakes, controlled by a single lever on the tiller. | central tiller | |
| Quest (26" - current model) | 2x20" front 26" rear | all wheels are inside chassis (option of open wheelwells); all with one-sided wheel mount. Shortened frame links seat and bottom bracket; rear wheel swingarm is mounted to chassis. | front drum brakes, controlled by a single lever on the tiller. | central tiller | |
| Quest (20" - low floor) | 3x20" | all wheels are inside chassis; all with one-sided wheel mount. Frame includes bottom bracket, seat and rear swingarm | front drum brakes, controlled by a single lever on the tiller. | ||
| Quest (20" - flat floor) | |||||
| Sorcerer | 3x20" | ||||
| Stormy Weather | 3x20" | rear wheels sit outside chassis; front wheel sits inside (separated by a splashboard from the interior). | mechanical disc brakes on all three wheels | central tiller | |
| Sunrider | 3x20" (wide tires) | front wheels sit outside chassis; rear wheel is partially-enclosed. | front disc brakes, with the levers on the paired joysticks | paired joysticks. | |
| Thunderstorm | 3x20" | front wheels are outside chassis; rear wheel accessible. | ? | under-seat steering yoke | |
| Versatile | 3x20" | front wheels are outside chassis; rear wheel side-mounted for easy access. | drum brakes in front (problems with joined cables have led some riders to have each brake controlled by a single lever); current models use a disc brake as a parking brake on the rear. | paired joysticks. | |
| WAW (original - remains available) | 2x10" front and 26" rear | front wheels are outside chassis; rear wheel accessible by removing rear section. | separately controlled drum brakes on the front wheels | paired joysticks. | |
| new WAW (2007) | 2x16" front and 26" rear | front wheels are outside chassis; rear wheel accessible by removing rear section. | separately controlled drum brakes on the front wheels | paired joysticks. |