Seen parading in County Leitrim last weekend and turning plenty of heads was a Dutch-built Carbon Quest XS three wheeled recumbent velomobile. Its “tadpole” design, with two wheels up front and one at the rear, is shaped for maximum aerodynamics. The fully faired velomobile concept is widely credited to Danish engineer and pilot Carl Georg Rasmussen, who developed the idea in the early 1980s. The owner of this distinctive orange and white machine bought it in Holland for €8,600 and cycled it home to County Roscommon.
RECLINED CYCLING
A recumbent bicycle is a human powered machine that carries the rider in a relaxed, reclining position, with the legs stretched forward to the pedals. Built for comfort and efficiency, it uses a broad, supportive seat that eases strain on the back, neck and wrists. The design is aerodynamic making it well suited to long spins or for anyone with limited mobility. According to the Romanian Velomobile World website, ‘Due to the aerodynamically shaped bodywork, you can achieve a decent speed of 30-50 km/h on flat road with little effort.”
CARL GEORG RASMUSSEN
Carl Georg Rasmussen of Denmark is widely regarded as the modern inventor of the velomobile. A mechanical engineer with a PhD in physics, an ecologist in noise pollution and a light aircraft pilot, he brought modern engineering to human powered transport.
Velomobiles were popular in continental Europe since the 1930s but faded after WW2. In Sweden the Fantom, a two person plywood design, sold thousands of blueprint sets in the 1930s and 40s, though few were ever completed. By the late twentieth century the idea had largely disappeared.
Rasmussen revived it. Inspired by the oil crisis of the late 1970s, he created the Leitra in Danish – Let individuel transport – “light individual transportation” the first commercially produced velomobile built with modern materials. In 1983 he completed an initial run of twelve machines.
His personal approach to transport shaped the design. His Leitra is a three wheeled vehicle for commuting, shopping and touring fast and aerodynamic but not a racer. Rasmussen prioritised safety, comfort in poor weather, useful luggage space and dependable all year operation.
When an early Leitra was confiscated by Danish police in 1982 as “dangerous,” Rasmussen pushed for and achieved legal recognition of velomobiles and the resulting approval tests that same year required riders to give clear arm signals, shaping the Leitra’s distinctive open sided fairing and its approved mirror above it. Rasmussen gave up owning a car in the 1980s and cycles around 10,000 kilometres a year in his velomobile.
PARADING IN LEITRIM
In late January 2026 we were in Mohill, County Leitrim and every head on the street turned as a bright orange and white velomobile swished down Main Street . We caught up with Jeremy when he stopped for lunch and a quick hello soon became a full conversation about his remarkable machine.
Jeremy’s CarbonQuest XS velomobile is part bicycle, part engineering marvel and one of the most aerodynamic human-powered machines ever to appear on Irish roads. Built in the Netherlands by Velomobiel, which has been producing these streamlined machines since 2000, the basic model costs €9,500 before extras.
Jeremy travelled to Dronten in Holland to collect his velomobile and rode it from there to the Hook of Holland ferry. He then rode across England to Holyhead and apart from a 100- mile stretch through the Midlands, where he rented a van to avoid particularly dangerous roads, he completed the journey under his own steam. From Holyhead he took the ferry to Dublin and cycled the remaining 145 kilometres home to County Roscommon.
His CarbonQuest XS, now out of production, Jeremy’s was the very last one made, hence the reduced purchase price, came with a detachable tonneau to keep him dry in bad weather. He also opted for a twin headlight upgrade for €100.
According to the manufacturer, the QuestXS Carbon is built entirely from carbon, including the swingarm. It is designed to be fast, comfortable and efficient, with a stiff lightweight body, independent suspension on all three wheels and single sided hubs for quick tyre changes. A full chain guard keeps maintenance low. Standard equipment includes full lighting, headlight, taillight, indicators and brake light, plus generous luggage space suitable for touring. Wide tyres reduce rolling resistance, ground clearance is good and each machine is delivered ready to ride with lights, bike computer, bell, spare tyre and repair kit. A fully enclosing racing hood is also available (€695).
CarbonQuest XS Velomobile Specifications:
Construction: full carbon shell incl. swingarm
Gearing and pedals: Shimano
Brakes: aluminium 70 mm drum brakes
Tyres: Schwalbe Kojak
Length: 2.60 m
Width: 0.765 m
Height: 0.855 m
Weight: 27.5 kg
Turning circle: 11 m
Seat angle: 35–40°
Lighting: LED rear light and brake light
Electrics: Li-ion 12 V 2.6 Ah with charger indicator system with 8 × Luxeon 1 W LEDs Electric horn
SPEED & ENDURANCE
Recumbent bicycles hold many of the world’s major speed and endurance records, largely thanks to their aerodynamic efficiency and rider comfort. They routinely outperform conventional upright bikes in long distance and high speed events. Among the standout achievements are the 56.696 kilometre one hour record set in 2014 by Aurelien Bonneteau, the feat of visiting five countries within twenty four hours achieved in 2023 by Mohamed Elewa and a series of World Ultra Cycling Association records by Larry Oslund, including covering 300 miles in 13 hours and 4 minutes.
SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL
A study from the Millennium Alliance for Humanity and the Biosphere at Stanford University projects global oil supplies could run out by 2052. If that timeline proves accurate, it is not hard to imagine velomobiles becoming a familiar sight across both urban and rural Ireland in the decades ahead.
If you have a story to share, please email Kevin Reid [email protected]
Our thanks to Mohill leitrim by Michaelk Reynolds Facebook page for the use of his video clip
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Sources of Information, Video and Photo Credits:
Endless Sphere Website – Dauntless
HPV Website
Left Handed Cyclist Blog
Leitra ApS Facebook Page
Millennium Alliance for Humanity and the Biosphere (MAHB) – Stanford University – When Fossil Fuels Run Out, What Then?
Old bike website
Recumbent News Website
Recumbents Retro And Vintage Facebook page – Jimm Pratt
Velomobiel website
Velomobile world website
WIKI
