Torq fairing ideas?
I started thinking about a "non-standard" 2nd or backup NiMH battery for the Torq, to make it easier to carry in addition to the standard battery i.e. less of a heavy & awkward "brick" - maybe something like Jeff (Grandad) did for his Twist, but with a 36V battery divided in two & positioned either side of the rear wheel like panniers, so balanced & the weight distributed so less brick-like (each half weighing around 2.5kg), but then my thoughts also turned to fairings for improving aerodynamic efficiency i.e. reducing air resistance at higher speeds, as a means to possibly reducing power output & increasing range for the same speed without a fairing.
By my reckoning, on my Torq 20mph requires about twice the power output that 16mph does, and around 80% of the power is used to overcome air resistance: if a fairing could reduce power output by say 20-25%, that would give around 25-33% more range for the same speed, hopefully
I'm aware its a bit of a fuss for a few mph, and I'd get there in around the same time at 15mph, but it'd be good to know I can put in a burst of speed if required, without too much loss of range, or cruise a few mph faster if I want
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Anyway, a websearch didn't throw up much beyond what you posted Quicken, but I came across
this other forum thread on fairings & having been not over-impressed by all else I quite like the look of the "pocket bike" fairing: maybe its a bit overkill for a Torq & I've no idea of its weight, but find one the right size, shape & weight for a Torq & find a means to attach to the bars and it might be worth a shot?
It took me a while to figure out how its attached, but if you look at the 2nd photo posted May15th, it looks to me that the "bar ends" used to mount the fairing are attached to the handlebars just inside the hand grips and are pointing almost vertically down - maybe the 4 screws forming a vertical line down the side of the fairing, visible in the side view under the left hand grip, hold the fairing to the bar ends. It'd need to be fixed very securely to the handlebars, but to me that looks a good solution & quite a strong mount.
Stability in crosswinds is an important safety factor, but if the fairing isn't full length & the side profile also isn't too wide then it should be ok, plus the Torq's weight is an advantage in this respect I think?
Other thing is rattle from the undamped front wheel - I don't know how that would affect things?
So, is it worth a shot do you reckon, or too much pain for too little gain?
Stuart.