F-30 Pedal Cloud Public Art Car

The Forecast F-30 Public Art Car, commissioned by Forecast for our 30th anniversary, debuted on Sunday the 4th of May at the 31st annual May Day Parade. A team of artists known as Black Bean Associates (Hans Early-Nelson, Matt Carlyle, Juliana Peterson, and Julia Kouneski) along with numerous volunteers created this collaborative public art vehicle over the course of a month and a half.

About the F-30
more info at pedalcloud.com

The F-30 consists of a custom mild steel and stainless steel frame adapted to a 1974 VW Beetle rear suspension and a 1979 VW Bus front end (much sturdier than the beetle). Ten lugged bicycle frames were then grafted onto the frame and linked together using recycled bicycle tubing. All ten riders share a common handlebar while experiencing an amazingly smooth ride in intimate proximity to one another. Their pedal power is transmitted to a pair of drive shafts which link together in the rear with two helical cut gears (scavenged behind a grain silo over five years ago). One gear powers the transmission by chain and sprocket. Helical gears are by design more quiet and considerably more efficient than straight cut gears so behold the power and benefits of dumpster diving!

The F-30 is steered using the stock steering box from the VW Bus, steering power being developed through the leverage of a full size 27-inch bicycle road wheel. 

The driver is responsible for steering, braking and shifting through the gears including reverse. Because of the relatively low RPMs being developed from the riders (roughly 500 to 700 rpm with favorable gear ratios employed) no clutch is required to shift gears. 

And to top it off the F-30 features two custom painted patio umbrellas with dangling jewels that shimmer like rain on a sunny day!