Community Corner
Velomobile Tour Stops In Vienna On Wednesday
Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling hosts meet and greet with 24 leg-powered bicycle cars as they finish their cross-country journey
Walkers, runners and bikers on the Wednesday afternoon should look out for some unusual company.
Former German official and bike commuter Josef Janning will roll through Vienna sometime after 3 p.m. Wednesday with a fleet of about 24 velomobilies – leg-powered bicycle cars mostly enclosed in a cone-shaped shell.
Janning's journey through Vienna enroute to Washington, D.C. is the last leg of the cross-country “Roll Over America Tour," which Janning organized to bring awareness to the vehicle and what it could mean for commuting and climate change.
Find out what's happening in Viennawith free, real-time updates from Patch.
In a 2010 interview, Janning said the American use of the bicycle was "exotic," purely for sport and pleasure – he wanted to show while bikes or velomobiles can’t cure climate change, using them could somewhat diminish gas emissions. You can watch Janning explain the vehicle in the video above.
They could also help traffic-ridden areas, like Northern Virginia, explore some new solutions, he says.
Find out what's happening in Viennawith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Velomobiles are still relatively new and uncommon in the United States, though they're slowly gaining traction in Europe. They're assisted by electric motors that power the bicycle chains while still allowing the rider to shift gears. Low to the ground and sleek, the bicycle car is powered by pedals and designed for traveling long distances because they are the “most efficient method of bicycling," Janning says.
The trip began in Portland, Ore., with the goal of crossing the country in 30 days and ending Aug. 26 in Georgetown. They'll stop in Vienna for a meet and greet with Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling members and residents Wednesday at the Caboose near the intersection of Church Street and the W&OD trail, before finishing their trip later in the day in Georgetown. The group estimates they'll arrive in VIenna sometime after 3 p.m.
"We made contact with the organizers of the trip and asked them would they take a break, so they’ve agreed to stop and chat with us for a little bit,"FABB board member Fionnuala Quinn said. “It's very informal, [we're just putting] the word out for people to stop by."
You can also track the riders on their website.
