MICROCAR
The Microcar holds two riders, each of whom selects their own gears, chooses their own pedaling cadence, and adjusts their own seating. It provides extremely comfortable, ergonomically neutral seating. It has a substantial amount of cargo space and can carry child passengers. The highly capable Microcar is one of our oldest models, and has been steadily refined over the years.
The front end design provides a tight turning radius (20' outside). Although designed primarily for street use, the standard high-clearance frame and large diameter drive wheels can be outfitted with fat tires to provide surprisingly agile and capable rough-road and even off-road performance. One conversion turns the Microcar into a pedal-powered golf buggy.
The Microcar is similar
to Lightfoot's more minimalist and lower-cost
Duo
model in many ways, but has some
important differences. Because of its wider
stance, the Microcar's balance makes it suited for
use by a single rider, which the Duo is not.
The Microcar is suited to the use of chain-drive power assist
and engine assist, though it also, like the Duo,
accepts electric hub-motors.
It is a little heavier, and does not knock down as
compactly as does the Duo for ease of transport, and
is not nearly as compact as the even smaller
Duette.
The Microcar has a compound-gear transmission, which
provides a wider range of gear ratios than does the
Duo; the Microcar has very low gear
choices (as low as 9 gear inches) to climb even very steep hills.
The Microcar is extremely stable with two riders. With its car-like layout (wheels to the outside of the riders), the Microcar is stable with a single rider and can be ridden solo. Just as a minivan is less stable than a sports car, there are of course limits to the Microcar's stability; if empty, a large solo rider could tip this lightweight vehicle if consciously and vigorously attempting to put it up on two wheels or if careless in a fast hard-right turn. We accept this slight limitation in order to keep an optimal size to the vehicle without compromising its performance.
Options available for
persons with moderate special needs include
single-hand controls, safety pedals, calf supports,
internal/automatic gears, and seat belts or 5-point harness.
MicroCar
2003 Riding the Microcar solo on level terrain is surprisingly easy; a single rider can maintain perhaps 70% the speed that they would achieve on a mountain bike, and two riders can maintain perhaps 85% the speed of a solo bicycle.
The Microcar is designed first and foremost to be efficient and easy to pedal under leg power alone, but two micro-power assist systems are optionally available, and can add further capability. Assist is used by those who want help accelerating across busy cross streets, climbing problematic hills or crossing distances that are too challenging for pedal power alone. The mechanically simple electric assist system's batteries and motor provide quiet power around the neighborhood and local streets, but have limited range (10 to 30 miles depending upon system, the battery size, and the amount it is used for assist), and must be plugged in and recharged frequently. Gas Engine assist provides unlimited assist over long distances on highways and back roads. The electric assist takes up perhaps 10-30% of the cargo area (depending upon the type and size of batteries); the gas assist takes up almost 50%. Both assists have a powerful standard range of gears, and extra-torque gearing can be added for heavy loads in steep and rugged conditions. All of our power systems allow the rider to pedal effectively with or without the assist, or even to use the assist by itself when not pedaling. "(Kathleen) bought a Microcar from you a couple of years ago. This bike has made a tremendous difference in her life." -- Linda B., OR
Characteristics of Lightfoot four-wheeler's Lightfoot four-wheeler's are long-wheelbase recumbents. Large rear wheels help provide a smooth ride, and define the dimensions of a large cargo area. Small front wheels reduce vehicle length and provide sharper steering. Each rider can adjust their seat and handlebars in multiple dimensions for best ergonomic fit. Any kind of wheel and tire can be chosen depending upon riding style and conditions.
The first Lightfoot design priority is safety. We give all control of steering and braking to a single person, the captain/pilot. Both riders shift their own gears, by means of grip shifters located on each person's handlebars. The handlebars provide a sturdy handhold for both riders, and attachment points for water-bottles, lights and fairings. Another priority is comfort. Our highly adjustable Century seat can be ridden for hours and days in a row without discomfort. The highly adjustable seat and handlebars allow a riders of very different sizes to tune in their preferred position. Large diameter rear wheels provide a smooth ride, and oversize tires are available for maximum pneumatic suspension. All Lightfoot four-wheelers are designed with Ackerman steering, a refined geometry which keeps the front wheels properly aligned with each other even through a sharp turn; this improves rolling efficiency, cornering safety and front tire life. Like all Lightfoot cycles, the MicroCar is handcrafted in our Montana, USA shop. They are carefully built and carefully assembled. They are engineered to be maintainable for a very long time, and come with a lifetime frame warranty. "About 6 years ago we bought a 4-wheeler from you...(the Microcar) has held up great..." -- Herb A., FL
Comparisons To compare the Lightfoot to other four-wheeled vehicles on the market, got to the Quad Comparison page. "At low speeds the steering is light and easy for maneuvering in tight quarters. I was impressed by the tight turning radius for a vehicle the size of the Microcar with linkage steering. At road speeds the steering seems to stiffen up allowing the vehicle to track rail straight without requiring much attention from the rider. Moderate pressure on the handlebars in one direction or the other smoothly steers around curves...it reminds me of old cars without power steering but without the heavy feel. I was also very impressed by the way the vehicle rides over bumpy roads." -- David B., MT
Using a Lightfoot quad on the road
We have never heard of an instance of a
Lightfoot quad being treated as anything but a bicycle in the US,
specifically; a "double" or "tandem" bicycle. If you are concerned,
check your local municipal and state codes. International regulations
vary; from what we have seen and read, when 4-wheelers are mentioned, they
are accepted as "bikes" (for example: UK cycle laws refer to "bicycles,
tricycles and bicycles with four or more wheels") and we have had no reports
of problems so far with internationally shipped MicroCars.
"I am loving my
Microcar...it is turning a lot of heads." -- Clem
S., FL Storage We can supply, or you can obtain, a waterproof cover for parking the Microcar outside.
We store many of our models by standing them on their rear end, this saves quite a bit of space, reducing the space needed for the Microcar to about 44” wide x 38". A pulley mounted on the ceiling (or high on the wall) allows the Microcar to be stood up fairly easily with its wheels toward the wall. We keep a bungee cord handy to stretch from the seat back to the handlebar, to keep the handlebar centered so that the wheels track straight up the wall. A double set of bike-lifter pulley systems have been used by persons who had almost no storage space, with one positioned at the front and the other at the rear. These are used to lift the Microcar all the way to the ceiling. Lifters are available at local bike shops. If you ever want to knock down the Microcar, you remove the seats (quick-releases all around) and remove the wheels (quick-releases). This takes 10 minutes, and leaves a one foot high frame that is still 42” wide and 84” long. To break this in half, unbolt (16 bolts) the front from the rear (as necessary), remove fenders, etc., and break the front chains using a chain-break tool. This takes perhaps half an hour with the right tools and a little experience. Transporting the Microcar The Microcar is designed more to replace a car, not so much to ride inside of one. Still, many people will want to carry the Microcar in or on their vehicle. The Microcar will fit into a large cargo van without rear seats, and can ride in the back of almost any pickup. It cannot be carried on a simple bike rack on the back of a car, but a number of other options are available. To see some of the possible solutions, go to our Transporting page. If your primary criteria for a 2-seat side-by-side cycle is portability, consider the Duette, our most compact and compactable 2-seater.
SPECIFICATIONS
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Call us at 406 821-4750
8-6 Monday - Friday Mtn Time Email:
info@lightfootcycles.com
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