10
few things to keep in mind when traveling in a storm.
When parking the vehicle, always set the parking brake and place the bow of the Bülk into the
wind. This prevents the hood from being opened by the wind. Caution: the hood can also be
pulled up in cross winds. Secure them.
When getting out and opening the hood with the rear in the wind, the hood can be yanked
forward very sharply. It is therefore essential to control the movement of the hood with the
hood safety cable. Otherwise the hood can be damaged by the knee lever effect. A hood that is
torn open by the storm and rolls over can also damage the hinge area of the body.
While driving, there may be a loss of control in a storm if the wind suddenly hits the vehicle
from side corridors or, for example, oncoming truck traffic causes stalls. Therefore, adjust your
speed during a storm or refrain from driving. Familiarize yourself with the characteristics of
the vehicle in a storm.
4.16 Behaviour in the rain
When it rains and is wet, you are much better prepared with a three-lane vehicle than with a one-lane
one. Nevertheless, here are a few tips.
Especially with new tires you should consider that the grip on a wet road is significantly lower
than on a dry one. Adjust your speed.
In the wet, the braking distance is generally significantly longer and the potential cornering
speeds are lower. If the rear wheel skids, vehicle control becomes difficult.
Make sure that the water drains in the hinge area and in the hood are permeable.
If visibility with the visor becomes too poor, you should open the visor a little.
5. Maintenance and Self-Help
The wear on the drive components is significantly lower than on a normal bicycle. This is because the
chain and the drive are encapsulated and are therefore very insensitive to the effects of the weather.
But: The safety-relevant components of the vehicle must be serviced regularly. Contact your dealer
and coordinate the maintenance with him. VelomobileWorld provides a series of explainer videos to
provide customers and dealers with important maintenance information.
When you are traveling with the velomobile and far away from outside help, it is important to know
the relevant parts of the vehicle in order to be able to act yourself in an emergency.
That's why we advise you to spend a while with the vehicle and understand it before you go on a longer
first tour.
Fortunately, there is hardly any complicated technology in the Bülk and even laypeople will quickly
understand how it works. This chapter is intended to support maintenance and repairs.
5.1 Brakes
The SA drum brakes used at the factory are generally very insensitive to weather influences and wear.
Nevertheless, there are a few things to consider here, because the brakes are vital.
The tension of the brake cables can be adjusted on the brake levers. It should always be as high as
possible without the brake starting to drag. A cable with insufficient tension can cause the cable holder
on the drum brake to disengage if, for some reason, the cable return to the brake plate no longer works.
We recommend servicing the brakes every 5000 km.
It should be checked whether the drum brakes are still working properly. To do this, the front wheel is
