I now totally understand when manufacturers tell me "we are waiting on a vendor"!
Pulling the Aergo together is a learning experience and I am humbled. :)

To answer a few inquiries, here's some of what's going on in our heads:

-How do we best lessen the inevitable "din" inside the shell? Velomobiles are innately noisy anyway and with the rider's head inside the shell ... well, you get the picture.
-Direct steering and in-direct steering effect steering into the sides of the shell.
-Everything takes 10 times longer than my most conservative estimates.
-How many supports do you really need to minimize "rocking" of the shell?
-Closed bottom of shell keeps road dust and spray out, but limits "Fred Flintstone backing up", and getting in and out is more difficult.

We want to thank all you supporters who have been following the development. It's slow (as in snail slow) going, but it's coming along ...

The Aergo - (We are working with Zzipper to make our clear fairing piece. Catrike has been very generous with helping us with a Road to fit and model around. It's in the shell so unfortunately it's not visible in the picture.

A velomobile kit to retrofit a recumbent trike?!? Rob has been working with Aerolope to redesign a velomobile trike kit. Rob went to meet with Chuck McCain of GlasTec in Arizona and took the shell to the next level. (GlasTec is a fiberglass product manufacturer that originally made the Aerolope Velomobile and is now working with RBR to redesign and manufacture a shell/kit.)

In a recent interview Rob explained, "I think they [Chuck McCain and Boris Zakoldev] were way ahead of their times. The design is well thought out, very aerodynamic, durable, and practical. Lots of trunk space for hauling and for the tall folks, ceiling height. Pedal for fun, use as sustainable transportation, electric-assist if desired, and you can have your bare trike back whenever you want."

Depending on trike steering designs, we are trying to come up with some sort of removable (fabric?) side doors. As shown below, it will be a "pull-apart" design so the halves can be nested and shipped more easily.

The initial 10 shells of the RBR Aerolope velomobile kit should be ready for sales the Spring of 2008. We will be giving rides at the RBR Rally 2008 - June 14th weekend. The goal is to use existing trikes to create velomobiles. Save on auto expenses, maintain health, and get "greener" with a sustainable transportation!

Right now, the plan is to produce a kit to fit Catrike and Greenspeed trikes, but we will look at other trike possibilities as time goes on. The first Catrike shell is 85% finished, on the trike, and being tested.

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Travis has a link to some pictures of the 2007 RBR Recumbent Rally.

Here are a few pictures from InterBike 2007.

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The Optima Baron is back ...

... pictured here with carbon fork, boom, riser/handlebar. This one is shown with
SRAM X-0 rear derailleur and shifters, Ultegra 165 triple and front derailleur,
Velocity Aeroheat rims/XT hubs/Stelvio tires 20"/26" wheelset.
Comes with seat foam and cover. Beautiful ... $3495