How does the speed of a Volae compare to speed of an upright?
Volae positions the rider in a naturally aerodynamic tuck position. Most riders cannot stay in the aerodynamic tuck position on conventional bike for more than a mile or two without discomfort, while a “recumbent tuck” is completely comfortable and is the position you always ride in. All the human powered speed records including the DuPont Prize for breaking 65mph are held by recumbents. (Francis Faure set speed records for the mile and kilometer in 1933 on a recumbent. The Union Cycliste Internationale (U.C.I.) promptly banned recumbents from racing because they felt recumbents provided an unfair aerodynamic advantage. As a result, recumbents have not been used since in racing and have not been mass-produced until recently.) Speed is largely dependent on the engine (you), but our own experiences have shown a significant advantage over upright bikes in flat and rolling terrain, and no real advantage to either in moderate hills. In very steep hills, an upright rider can have an advantag
