A cool velomobile for your child is a great gift! DIY children's velomobile - detailed description and diagram Homemade velomobile for a child

Every restless child needs somewhere to direct his unspent energy. An excellent solution is to buy a children's vehicle. But there are situations when it is not possible to buy a child a new bicycle or car. A velomobile made with your own hands will be a truly valuable gift for your baby, and most importantly, this option will cost parents less money.

What is a velomobile?

It is something between a bicycle and a car, otherwise it is called a hybrid of a car and a bike. In Europe they were called velomobiles, and in Holland - yes-cars.

Externally, this unit looks like a smaller copy of a regular car, the only thing is that it is controlled using pedals. It is economical, environmentally friendly and easy to use, it is comfortable and easy to ride.

Features of the velomobile

This is intended for paved roads. Unlike a bicycle, a velomobile has a car or similar seat. Additionally, a hybrid is more streamlined than a bike, allowing it to go faster. What distinguishes a velomobile from a bicycle is the number of wheels; there can be three or four of them, and they are not aligned in one line. Plus, it’s much easier to ride; you don’t have to keep your balance.

What you need to know about a children's velomobile?

Before making a velomobile with your own hands, you need to understand that the safety of this type of transport is of paramount importance. In order for kids to ride without falls and injuries, and for parents to have peace of mind, special attention needs to be paid to this issue. It is desirable that the hybrid frame be made of strong metal and the wheels are securely fastened. For external safety, following these points will be enough, and even a high acceleration speed will not interfere with your child’s comfortable time on the velomobile. The internal safety of the vehicle depends on the reliability of the driver's seat; it must be well secured to avoid possible injuries and impacts.

Description of the velomobile design

Many parents ask the question: “How to make a velomobile with your own hands?” With careful preparation, viewing drawings and special literature, this task becomes quite doable and not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. Of course, to get a decent result you will have to try and combine theoretical knowledge and skills as effectively as possible.

First of all, you should decide on the model, decide how many passenger seats, wheels, etc. there will be. We must not forget that the body of the velomobile must be quite spacious and roomy.

The basis of the design of the velomobile is a standard carriage, which can be found on any road bike. The drive gear (sprocket) of the base structure is connected by a chain to the gearbox, which is located under the driver's seat. It is attached to the frame side members using special brackets. The second gear chain is connected to the multi-speed hub of the rear wheel.

Particular attention should be paid to the driver's seat. It is better to create it from a mesh material; it is stretched over the seat frame and tightened at the back with a cord. Some people prefer dermantine or shawl fabrics, but mesh materials are more common.

As for another irreplaceable part of the velomobile design - the cabin, the streamlining of the entire vehicle depends on its installation. Usually it is placed on a pipe, which is located on the frame.

How to assemble a velomobile with your own hands?

To immediately begin assembling a transport hybrid for children from two to five years old, you will need two frames, preferably symmetrical to each other. They must be fastened together by a steering mechanism, which will be located in the middle of the unit.

The U-shaped front frame must have supports made of solid wood materials in which the pedals and wheels are secured. By the way, it is better to make the shaft from a metal rod measuring 10 mm. The rear frame should be V-shaped, with the same supports where the wheels and axle are mounted. In the middle it is necessary to install a crossbar with a pin, which will serve as a support for the swing of the front frame.

You can make a children's velomobile with your own hands from available materials, for example, take tubes from an old or unnecessary folding bed. The rear axle can be borrowed from the previous bike; in addition, the wheels and handlebars of the previous bike will make the assembly process even easier. If there are none, then they can be made of plastic. For the information of builders, during assembly there is practically no need for welding; all parts and structural elements are fastened to each other with rivets or screws.

The driver's seat must be attached to the front frame; the height level depends on the height of the child. An almost finished velomobile needs to be supplemented with wheels, a steering wheel with a sound signal and a vertical steering shaft.

The proposed detailed instructions will help you easily make a velomobile with your own hands; drawings and diagrams may not even be needed here.

Advantages of a homemade children's vehicle

The main advantage of such a homemade vehicle is its ease of disassembly. All you need to do is disconnect from the top of the rear frame. You need to turn it 45 degrees and pull out all the supports along the crossbar. To ensure that assembly does not cause problems, the distance between the wheels of the velomobile is chosen such that they do not interfere with each other when folded.

In addition, to make it easy for parents to assemble the velomobile, the front and rear frames are connected so that the pin easily fits into the rolling support. If you slightly rotate the V-shaped frame relative to the pin, the latch moves to the steering mechanism arm, and the finished structure can be placed on wheels.

A self-assembled velomobile is quite compact and takes up little space; it is convenient to store even in a small apartment. It has low weight (within 12-15 kg), high cross-country ability and simple operation.

The variety of modern children's products confuses many. A homemade velomobile is the choice of thrifty parents who care about the quality and safety of their child’s rest. This article will help you create a velomobile with your own hands without extra costs.

This is exactly what the Rainbow velomobile I made is like. This is a pedal machine of frame construction, with a removable body. There is a trailer for transporting goods. Long-term operation (without a single breakdown) allows us to recommend it for repetition to all enthusiasts of this type of transport.

Technical characteristics of the Rainbow velomobile:

Length - 1780 mm;

Width - 800 mm;

Height - 1050 mm;

Ground clearance - 120 mm;

Weight - 29kg;

Number of gears - 9;

Speed ​​- up to 25 km/h;

Number of seats - 1,

Trailer load capacity - up to 100 kg;

Trailer weight - 7 kg;

Speed ​​with trailer - up to 20 km/h

Fig.1. Design and main dimensions of the velomobile:

Velomobile frame- T-shaped. For its manufacture, duralumin profiles of the “corner” type with 50X32 mm flanges were used, which were welded with an intermittent seam into box-shaped beams. The frame turned out to be light and very rigid. In its rear part the rear fork stays are secured by welding. At the front, a front fork strut is installed with screws, on which the carriage assembly and two brackets for fixing the steering cable braids are mounted. The ends of the cable are connected with screws to the steering bipod. Turns on the velomobile are carried out by moving the control handle back and forth.

All other components and assemblies are installed on MB screws in place (in accordance with the individual characteristics of the driver).

Velomobile transmission consists of a carriage unit with pedals, a tensioning mechanism, a speed switch, an intermediate shaft and two chain drives. When pedaling, torque is transmitted by a chain to an intermediate shaft located under the front edge of the seat. It is equipped with a set of sprockets from the Sputnik bicycle (preferably an old design, since these sprockets are thicker and wear out less). The intermediate shaft rotates in two bearings No. 200. Gear shifts are made by hand. To do this, you need to turn it forward and move it to the right or left, one or two grooves. In this case, the roller at the right end of the rod will change the position of the chain.

A special mechanism is used to tension the chain. It consists of two cheeks, two bearings No. 201, a washer 0.8 mm thick, an axle and an axle-tube of the lower bearing. The latter, after assembling the entire assembly, is rolled on both sides so that the outer race of the bearing rotates freely. In turn, the entire mechanism should easily rotate around an axis, which is fixed to the bracket-square. Transverse play is eliminated with washers. The chain is tensioned by a spring. Typically there is very little chain slack. To reduce it, the tension mechanism must occupy a position close to horizontal when the pedals are in a free position.

The rear wheels are taken from the Desna bicycle, and the left one has a brake hub. The front wheel of the velomobile is a “dutik” from a scooter.

Velomobile body consists of a wooden slatted frame covered with duralumin sheets 0.3 mm thick. The slats are connected on thin sheet plates coated with epoxy glue. The sheathing is held on with Moment glue, and in the most critical places it is nailed with nails, the heads of which are recessed and puttied. Doorways are closed with removable aprons made of transparent film with buttons installed on the inside.

Fig.2. Velomobile body:

1 - frame, 2 - bracket (2 pcs.), 3 - angle, 4 - bracket for the chain tension device, 5 - bar with grooves, 6 - speed selector handle, 7 - M6 nut, 8 - intermediate shaft bracket (2 pcs. ), 9 - M6 screw (8 pcs.), 10 - body frame (rail 20X20 mm), 11 - moving axle, 12 - bearing (No. 200), 13 - roller, 14 - washer, 15 - M5 nut, 16 - gusset (tin), 17 - nail (15 mm), 18 - washer (6 pcs.), 19 - axle, 20 - tube-axle, 21 - chain tensioner spring, 22 - front fork, 23 - bracket, 24 - bearing (No. 201, 2 pcs.), 25 - cheek (2 pcs.), 26 - M8 nut, 27 - intermediate shaft, 28 - cable sheath.

Fig.3. Frame:

1 - steering column, 2 - angle (Art. 3), 3 - carriage unit, 4 - spar (“angle” AMg-6), 5 - fork.

Fig.4. Intermediate shaft:

1 - bracket (2 pcs.), 2 - sprocket (Z= 19), 3, 5 - flanges, 4 - shaft, 6 - set of sprockets (Z1=15, Z2=19, Z3=22), 7 - bearing housing (2 pcs.), 8 - MB screw (4 pcs.), 9 - bearing (No. 200, 2 pcs.)

The body is attached to the frame at four points.

The seat of the velomobile is made of pipes from a “folding bed” and covered with a tarpaulin on top. A foam cushion is placed on the tarpaulin. This pseudo-anatomical design is very convenient during long hikes and provides good support for developing maximum effort on the pedals.

Since a velomobile is a vehicle, it must be equipped with lighting devices: headlights, side lights, direction indicators and a brake light. The body color also serves the purpose of increasing safety: white with red and blue stripes, it attracts attention to the velomobile and makes it stand out on the road.

An important addition to the Rainbow is the trailer. It has a wooden frame-base, assembled from slats, on which the bottom and sides are fixed. The joints are made on nails coated with epoxy glue. For rigidity, 20X20 mm slats are passed along the contour of the sides. The wheel arches are covered with tin casings. At the bottom of the frame, corners - wheel brackets - are secured with screws. The wheels are scooter wheels. A welded bracket is installed on the front of the trailer. The trailer is equipped with redundant direction indicators, side indicators and a brake light.

Fig.5 Trailer for velomobile:

1 - toe (plywood 6 mm), 2 - side wall (plywood, 2 pcs.), 3 - transverse wall (plywood, 2 pcs.), 4. 8, 17 - frame (rail 20 X 20 mm), 5 - casing (tin, 2 pcs.), 6 - handle, 7 turn indicator (2 pcs.), 9 - bracket-angle (4 pcs.), 10 - handle (2 pcs.), 11 - M4 screw (4 pcs.) , 12 - base (rail 20 X 30 mm), 13 - screw (8 pcs.), 14 - bracket, 15 - strut, 16 - cross member of the bracket.

Fig.6.7 Bicycle train with trailer:

1 - “bicycle tractor”, 2 - driven velomobile, 3 - electric cable, 4 - trailer, 5 - hinged cap, 6 - hinge, 7 - washer, 8 - M16 nut (2 pcs.), 9 axle (Art. 3), 10 - washer (2 pcs.), 11 - M8 nut (2 pcs.), 12 - tractor bracket.

And one more feature of the “Rainbow” included in the design is the possibility of sharing several velomobiles in the “bike coupling” mode. This option is convenient during long hikes, when everyone works to the best of their ability, and there are no people lagging behind or “running ahead.” Control is in the hands of the leader, everyone rides together; Upon arrival at the site, each velomobile becomes autonomous. When operating such “bicycle trains,” you should only take into account that as the number of “modules” increases, the amount of skidding on turns increases; When passing them, you must reduce your speed.

A. Muravyov.
Modeler constructor 03 1991

He can’t stay in one place for a long time and constantly requires new sensations, try to direct his energy in a useful direction! Give your children's velomobile!

A fidget will be able to feel like an adult if he gets his own vehicle, but not with two wheels, like a bicycle, but with four, like an electric car! Europeans called this type of transport velomobiles, and the Dutch even called them “da-cars”.

A children's velomobile is a smaller car controlled using pedals. In other words, it is a muscle-powered vehicle that combines efficiency, simplicity and environmental friendliness.

Inventing a velomobile

We build a velomobile with our own hands

The idea to create a children's velomobile does not arise by chance, because the velo- and electric vehicles sold today are not without their drawbacks. In addition, their cost is sometimes so high and not justified that it is easier to create such a “toy” for a child with your own hands. A modern children's car must be dismountable, similar to a real car, and also comfortable not only during operation, but also during storage.

Children's velomobiles found on sale, as a rule, have a non-separable design. Most of them are an open frame, equipped with a movable, adjustable seat and a complex drive. The design is non-demountable, and the machine itself is not able to overcome even the smallest obstacles. Ultimately, a full repair of such a toy is very expensive.

When creating a velomobile with your own hands, you can get rid of all the shortcomings.

Let's invent a children's velomobile!

Manufacturing Features:

Advantages of a homemade children's velomobile

The most important advantage is the possibility of quick installation and dismantling (convince yourself by watching the video). To quickly disassemble the mini-car, you just need to disconnect the leash located on the steering mechanism from the top of the V-shaped frame, and then rotate it to an angle of exactly 45 degrees, pushing it out of the support located on the crossbar.

Thanks to the selected distance between the wheels, even in the folded position they will not interfere with each other. “Breaking” the children’s velomobile is done first around the vertical axis, and only then around the horizontal axis, with a slight downward shift.

During the assembly process of the machine, the two parts of the frame (front/rear) are connected in such a way that the pin fits perfectly into the rolling support. Next, you need to move the latch to the leash on the steering mechanism, turning the V-shaped frame from the pin, and then disconnect it from the frame.

Ultimately, the structure is installed on wheels. The children's velomobile is ready! It boasts good maneuverability and the ability to freely overcome obstacles whose height is equal to half a wheel! Due to its high strength, it will not need repairs.

Its small dimensions in a dismantled state, as well as its low weight (approximately 12 kg), make it possible to solve all the problems that are usually associated with transporting a car, as well as long-term storage in a small car.

You can also design a children's electric car with your own hands. Of course, the assembly process will be much more complex and difficult to describe in words, but there are many videos online with step-by-step instructions for assembling an electric car.

Like a velomobile, it is better to assemble an electric car for a child not from scratch, but to use parts of a finished children's car. It is important to have a steering wheel, wheels, and an attractive body. If you have the main parts, you can make an electric car with your own hands in a day!