Frequently Asked Questions

Do you turn in a circle?
No, we did not build a carousel. The driver always has to be able to see what is in front of him. Therefore, rotation of the ConferenceBike is pretty difficult.

Can it flip over?
The ConferenceBike is as stable as a tricycle. We have optimized the stability geometrically and aimed to put the center of gravity as low as possible. If the weight of all of the passengers is evenly distributed the ConferenceBike is very unlikey to flip while running. If heavy people sit on the lateral seats and no one is sitting directly opposite it could happen that the ConferenceBike flips when very sharp curves are taken. Within normal operation and reasonable behavior, this problem will not arise.

How fast can the ConferenceBike go?
We offer the following different gears for the ConferenceBike (distance per pedal rotation):
    normal (deconvolution: 2.21 m)
    quicker (deconvolution : 2.65 m)
    mountainous (deconvolution: 1.89 m, also recommended when often driven by only one person)
This results in a top speed of 15-20 km/h depending on the pedaling frequency. Of course, when the ConferenceBike is rolling downhill, it can be much quicker. The brakes are well dimensioned to bring the ConferenceBike to stop safely even from high speeds. The ConferenceBike was not meant for racing but for fun moments in community. And twice as fast is not necessarily twice as funny...

Is there a gear shift?
We build the ConferenceBike without a gear shift.
With the power from seven people and a gear shift, higher speeds could be attained. The torque of the rear axle through collective, maximum effort could exceed that of a passenger car!
Some customers cannot realize that they are responsible for seven people and that the ConferenceBike, when fully occupied, can weigh more than a ton. Therefore, we decided against a gear shift for security reasons. And besides, the ConferenceBike is still lots of fun even at moderate speeds!
Technically speaking, for each individual seat the fitting of a gear shift is possible. A gear shift in the main drive-train is impossible because of coupler problematic (it can be thrown out of gear when the passengers pedal at that very moment) and the high energy is hard to assess.
And the longer the journey takes, the longer fun lasts :-)

Who came up with such an idea?
An american artist, Eric Staller, first had the idea in the early 90's. He wanted to create art that causes communication and association. Something different from the commonly emphasized form of art. On the ConferenceBike you can start a conversation in no time flat!
The construction, the design, and the whole technical development was done by the founders of the company Velo.Saliko.

Such a heavy thing is hard to move!
Although the ConferenceBike, completely unoccupied, weighs more than 200 kg, it can be driven by one person!
The bike is robustly built so that seven very well fed people can have fun on the ConferenceBike. The ConferenceBike is allowed to weigh up to 1000 kg.
This weight definitely has to be moved and braked. Therefore, perfected technology from the automobile and motorcycle industry was used. Whether the steering gear from Porsche, or the disc brake from the area of racing sport - your safety is important to us.

How about riding it? Do you always have to pedal with the rest of the group?
When you are sitting in a circle, only one person can see the direction they are heading ot. This person is responsible for steering and braking.
The ConferenceBike has two wheels in the front and two twin wheels in the back.
Everyone can pedal or take a break, the pedals do not turn when you are not pedaling, instead they free-wheel just like any normal bike.

How does that work?
At every seat you pedal just like by any bike and move a pinion.
The power the passengers is collected by a so-called circular axle in the middle underneath the frame, and it is then transfused by a motorcycle chain to the rear wheels. The seats do not turn. We did not build a carousel! As a passenger you are always sitting either sideways or backwards to the travelling direction.

Why is it not made of aluminum? Would that not be lighter?
Aluminum is definitely lighter, but also less stable. Compared with steel more material has to be used to get the same stabiliy. Through which, the majority of the weight is eaten up. We use steel.
For the construction of bikes steel has many advantages because of its elasticity compared to aluminium. Aluminium breaks in case of damage without any warning.
The weight savings is not so important with this vehicle. Seven people have enough power that the weight of the vehicle does not play a huge roll and even one person can easily drive the ConferenceBike.

More FAQ about legal concerns can be found at www.saliko.de.