Jim Howell – Colorado, USA

As a kid in Southern California I went everywhere on my bike, it was my ticket to freedom and adventure. School, career and family steered me away from cycling for several decades until around 2010, when I dusted off my 1983 Cannondale road bike and started riding again. I rediscovered the joy of riding in the fresh air and experiencing the sumptuous beauty of my adopted state of Colorado. Over the ensuing years I started increasing ride distances and was quite proud when I was able to ride 50 miles! Then I started wondering how far I might be able to go and discovered randonneuring, a long-distance cycling sport where riders attempt courses of 200 km or more that include check points and must be completed in a specified time. I remember my first 200k, wondering if I could make it. It was hard, but I did it! What about 300k? Or 400k? 600k? or even 1200k? Crazy, but possible! I have now been involved in randonneuring since 2017 and have completed many long brevets, racking up a total of over 30,000 km, including several 1200k Grand Randonnees, the most memorable of which was Paris-Brest-Paris in 2019.

When not riding brevets I still enjoy extended days on the road and have ridden up Colorado’s two ‘fourteeners’ with paved roads- Pikes Peak and Mount Evans- which top out at over 14,000 feet (4270 m) and make for an exhilarating but oxygen-starved climb and a spirited descent! On hot days I head for the hills to enjoy the cool mountain air and beautiful alpine scenery. The cold but generally dry winters in Colorado allow continued riding all year, albeit mostly on the roads at lower elevations.

As you might imagine, riding for long hours on an upright bike can lead to discomfort and potential for permanent physical damage to your body. Hands, neck, arms, shoulders, back, and ‘down below’ all suffer, and I’ve experienced nerve damage that took many months to (mostly) recover from. Needless to say, this isn’t sustainable- I can either reduce the amount I ride or change what I ride (and I’m not going to reduce the amount I ride if I can help it!). Time to look for alternatives to an upright bike. Enter the velomobile.

The Bülk is my first recumbent bike and I am excited to use it to continue my cycling passion in more comfort and also introduce others to the advantages of velomobiles. I hope to share my experiences online @BlueSparkVelo, so please check them out and say hi!

P.S. If you want, when you have some time, you can take a look at my article about velomobiles that was featured in the American Randonneur magazine (all the details HERE).

After Eggert Bülk and Jens Buckbesch started the Milan project in 2005 (which is still running successfully today), they started a new velomobile project in 2021, the Bülk-MK1. It implements a new space utilization and aerodynamic concept. The findings from various wind tunnel tests were also taken into account. Jens documented every step of the Bülk-MK1 project, then he sent us very detailed info to create a page where you can discover the philosophy of the Bülk-MK1.

A velomobile is a human-powered vehicle related to the bicycle, for everyday use, with a body/shell that provides comfort, weather protection and luggage space. Due to the aerodynamically shaped bodywork, you can achieve a decent speed with little effort (30-50 km/h on flat road). Velomobiles are very suitable as commuter vehicles, for shopping or holidays, also are a good way to clear your mind while taking a tour or a road trip with your friends.

Do you want to discover the velomobile models? You are in the right place. Here you will find all the details about each model, reviews, how to order, velomobile price and all kind of useful information.