Why a delta Kettwiesel trike?

December 16, 2012

Why a recumbent?

Back in the '80 my colleague from work was often talking of his confortable bike, most of the time tagged as acrobat's bike by the rail road company employee whenever he was taking the train.

Lucien was attracting our curiosity every time he was riding his odd Sliperette II to work. He had designed and built it in 1951 with bits and pieces from several regular bikes and a molded plastic chair.

Unusual display on rue de la Tour d’Auvergne, where bicycle repair workshop Sardines à Vélo exposes the ancestor of Nantes recumbent bikes.

To see a recumbent bike circulating in the streets of Nantes isn’t an incongruity anymore nowadays.

But did you know that an inhabitant of Nantes designed the first recumbent bike 66 years ago from scratch ?

One of the three models that Lucien Battarel created from scratch just after war world II is displayed this summer in the workshop of the store Sardines à Vélo owned by Rémy Jousseaume, on the island of Nantes.

"It was stored for years in an apartment. Lucien Battarel’s children gave it to me in the spring 2017, finding more rewarding to see it displayed here", the bicycle repair seller said who is established in this shop since September 2016.

The gesture was appreciated, "it is a beautiful element of decoration … and it pays tribute to his creator" (died in 2004).

This refrigeration engineer at Brissoneau and York, besides inventing snow guns to produce todays automatic snow guns equipment in ski resorts. He had also showed the aerodynamic efficiency of his invention, pushing the recumbent up to 50 km/h on a flat surface, with maximum velocity of 80 km/h in descent …

His genius will be really recognized only in 1995 in the Netherlands, on the occasion of the HPV world championships (human-powered vehicles), movement born in the United States in the 70s.

Curiosité rue la Tour d’Auvergne, où Sardines à Vélo expose l’ancêtre nantais des vélos à pédalage horizontal.

Two nice guys ready to help you a,d take care of your bike. Sardines à vélo workshop

My old colleagues from former York company will remember this chair ...

Inside the chair you can see the same of Lucien's recumbent bike nr 2 ( he made 3 bikes ) : SLIPERETTE 2

Rémy was curious to try my trike. Front of : La boutique

http://sardinesavelo.com. https://goo.gl/maps/aMtRGmMpZN32. a place worth to visit.

Voir circuler un vélo couché, ou vélo à pédalage horizontal, dans les rues de Nantes n’est plus une incongruité de nos jours. Mais saviez-vous que son ancêtre a été conçu de toutes pièces il y a 66 ans par un… Nantais ? L’un des trois modèles que Lucien Battarel a créés de toutes pièces juste après guerre est exposé depuis cet été dans l’atelier du magasin Sardines à Vélo tenu par Rémy Jousseaume, sur l’île de Nantes.

« Il était stocké depuis des années dans un appartement. Les enfants de Lucien Battarel me l’ont confié au printemps, trouvant plus valorisant de le voir exposé ici », rapporte le réparateur et marchand de cycles nantais, installé rue la Tour d’Auvergne depuis septembre dernier. Qui apprécie le geste et l’idée : « C’est un bel élément de décoration… et puis cela permet de rendre hommage à son créateur » (décédé en 2004).

L’ingénieur frigoriste chez Brissoneau & York, par ailleurs à l’origine des canons à neige qui jalonnent aujourd’hui les pistes de ski, avait pourtant fait les preuves de l’efficacité aérodynamique de son invention, la poussant lui-même à 50 km/h sur le plat, avec des pointes à 80 km/h en descente…Son génie ne sera vraiment reconnu qu’en 1995 aux Pays-Bas, à l’occasion des championnats du monde de HPV (human powered vehicles : véhicules à propulsion humaine), mouvement né aux États-Unis dans les années 70.

Most of the time, when I stopped by and talk with other cyclists along side the road, they would stair at the trike and finally ask about the price. One time a bunch of people asked, and I anwsered xxxx €.Telling them that I would prefer to put this amount of money to the bicycle store rather than to the doctor. They were quite upset about my theory, telling me that with people like me they would rapidly run out of business. Guess what ? they were doctors !

Consumption is about 1 liter of " unleaded " fresh water for 100 km.

Here is my first 3 wheel delta sand yacht built from scratch with 2CV parts during my one year stay in Kerguelen Island, roaring fourties, Terres Australes et Antarctiques Françaises, it's here: PAF, Port-aux-Français right in the middle of nowhere.

Me in 1977, Kerguelen Island, doing my military service as radar operator

Speed reccord: 60 km/h, and no speeding fine

Why a delta recumbent trike?Because of a combination of above two reasons also because I hate to practise up straight bicycle; for me, after a 10 km it becomes painfull & inconfortable. Is there a reason to suffer?

After 19,000 km, I bought my second Kettwiesel in 2010, aluminium frame, 3 front cranks, Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires, Airzound, Schmidt Son dynamo 16"- 20" / 6 V- 3 W, ambiant thermometer (bought for 1,5 €, in the local hardware store), natural air conditioning, open drive and 40 liters Ortlieb trike bag.

Kettwiesel aluminium frame cumulating 38,600 km. Speed reccord: 56 km/h, and no speeding fine. Chalonne island, EV6 : http://goo.gl/maps/eHC2Y

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