By Alana Gibbs

As gas prices slice student’s spending money, some may wonder if there is a cheaper option for transportation.

Meet the Velomobile, it runs like a bike but is newer and different in many ways.

• Some models can be ridden in the winter and keep the rider warm
• It is a three-wheeled transportation device
• Weighs more than a bike, about 80-100 pounds depending on the model
• The seat in a Velomobile is lower to the ground

A local Velomobile rider

David Shank of Eden has been riding his model of Velomobile, the Versatile, for a bit over a year and says it keeps him warm throughout his rides in the winter. The Versatile’s hard shell is made of Twintex, a type of plastic woven with fiberglass and polypropylene fibers.

“This keeps me nice and warm in the winter, but in the summer this thing is like a sauna,” Shank said.

Shank is recovering from chemotherapy, so he is unable to commit to the 46-mile-ride to and from work at Quebecor Printing in Depew. He used to ride two or three times a week to work and hopes to be able to in the near future.

A Velomobile fit for a college student

Ethan Davis, a University at Buffalo graduate who currently lives in Arundel Maine, is a Velomobile rider. He suggested buying the Alleweder if you are on a budget.

“The Alleweder requires the least amount of cash at a cost of $2,700, although they do require a bit of sweat, equity and elbow grease to complete,” Davis said via e-mail.

Davis organized the first New England Velomobile/ Human Powered Vehicle Rally in, 2005. The rally has a group ride in the morning and an expo, or “show and tell” Davis would say in the afternoon.

Davis plans to include meals and guest speakers at the 2007, rally.

Velomobiles are environmentally friendly

The motor of a Velomobile is the rider, this why people call Velomobiles HPVs, or Human Powered Vehicles.

“Aside from the CO2 you exhale, Velomobiles require no fossil fuels in its day to day operation. So, they are not to blame for oil spills or any of the other environmental or socio-political problems with fossil fuel consumption,” Davis said.

Please contact Alana Gibbs with any questions at, gibbaf28@buffalostate.edu