There used to be many ways you could turn heads in the UK. Generation after generation sought to subvert the prevailing mores with their own ideas on fashion, music and language. Everyone from the Teddy Boys in the 1950’s through the Mods and Hippies of the 1960’s to the 70’s Punks and 80’s New Romantics, they all rebelled against what had gone before in order to say; “Look at me. I think differently to you”.

However, the 21st century seems to have finally caught up with Cole Porter’s sentiments 75 years earlier: now it seems that, really, anything goes. Currently sporting a foot-high, pink mohican? Meh, so what? Not even church-going octogenarians bat an eye-lid. Living through the latter half of the 20th century they’ve seen it all before.

Strange then that taking the Velorbis Mobii 3-wheeled tricycle out for a spin draws the kind of attention once reserved for the mini skirt. Heads do turn, and they follow you as you glide past; expressions of intrigue and amusement drawn in equal measure. As you park it up on the high street, brave members of the general public will take the opportunity to ask; “What is it?”, “Where does it come from?” and, most interestingly, “Where can I get one?”

The Mobii is hand-built in Denmark and, like the Churchill Balloon I tested a few months ago, the quality of the workmanship is outstanding. And it would have to be. Those following sporting pursuits think nothing of spending upwards of two and a half thousand pounds on a bike where top of the range models can cost three times that. However, this is an urban bike and, certainly in the UK, most people are not used to spending that amount of money on a bike.

It’s only when you stop looking at the Mobii as a tricycle and frame it in the context of a small car that things start to make much more sense. Indeed in the conversations that I was having with those I met around town whilst on the Mobii, I had to do precisely that. When I informed them that prices start at £2,599, unfailingly, there was a sharp in-take of breath. But when you ask them to consider that the average person spends that every year on petrol alone – of course you can also factor-in other costs attendant to car ownership, such as; insurance, vehicle licensing, parts, maintenance and there’s the cost of the car itself.  All of a sudden the Mobii starts to look like a very attractive proposition for getting around town.

So if you do decide to dump the European Super Mini and plump, instead, for a Mobii, what can you expect?

First of all it’s incredibly comfortable thanks to the Selle Royal saddle and an upright geometry that affords fantastic visibility on the road – the lofty riding position allows you to see what’s going on up ahead much more than you would in a small car. Of course, being a tricycle you don’t need to put your foot down or embarrassingly attempt to track stand at junctions! The frame is steel and is powder coated with the colour of your choice from the options list. Our review model was finished in a fetching charcoal grey which made it look very cool and very modern. The colour options also extend to the carrier box and also whether you would like it decorated with a printed design.

Our model was fitted with the carrier box for 2 children which was finished off with upholstered black, harness-equipped seats. Cargo-only and large, 4 child box options are also available. Gears come courtesy of a 5 or 7-speed internal hub from SRAM. The changing was excellent, save for the usual niggle that comes from internal gearing where the shift won’t happen while the pedals are under pressure. After a day or two, though, the slight easing of the pedal stroke required to change gear almost becomes second nature. However, this issue with gear changes highlights the Mobii’s biggest problem: it’s weight. According to the Velorbis website the bike tips the scales at 36kg and you are reminded of this whenever the road develops more than a gentle incline. That ‘easing off’ on your pedal stroke required to shift down only serves to further reduce your speed as gravity bites on the hill. Oftentimes, by the time the hub has shifted down, the bike has slowed so much that you need to shift again.

Options on the Velorbis website allow you to upgrade the Mobii with an electric motor and make it in to an e-bike. The target market for the Mobii is not going to blessed with the climbing ability of Marco Pantani so if you don’t live in spirit-level-loving Amsterdam this is an upgrade I would seriously consider. The cost of this thigh-saving conversion comes at a premium but, again, the Mobii needs to be viewed as viable alternative to the city car – not as a cheap health-kick impulse buy, destined for a neglected existence, rusting away at the back of the garden shed.

The Velorbis Mobii is tailor made for those people that genuinely want to ‘walk-the-eco-walk’ (or should that be pedal?!) and not the fashonistas whose green credentials extend no further than their drive to the bottle bank in the BMW. Be radical; drive a Mobii.
4.5 out of 5 stars

So you can understand why I felt ever so slightly self-conscious as I tootled about town on the Churchill Balloon that Velorbis had sent us to review, with grin so large it was causing quite a significant aerodynamic drag.

The Balloon is brother to the Churchill Classic and is set apart by the addition of Schwalbe Fat Frank tires which makes the ride smoother and more comfortable when the tarmac beneath them is less than ideal.

Considering the Dutch city bike design is so familiar to us all, the Churchill Balloon still manages to make you make you instantly fall in love with it.  As I unpacked it from its box the first grin, which would become an almost permanent fixture whenever I was near it, spread across my face.

The lugged and brazed diamond frame is designed in Denmark and hand-built in Germany from Chromoly steel which makes it lighter than expected for a bike of this style.  The quality of the workmanship is superb and the sleek tubes are finished off with a classic black, powder coated paint job and a clear top coat – as Henry Ford almost certainly never said; “you can have any colour you like, as long as it’s black!”  My only concern is the joint between the seat tube and the seat stays as this is bolted rather than welded.  But I am being picky here; this is a city bike and not a super stiff carbon fiber racer.  The load placed on this joint will never really be an issue.

Front and rear mudguards (fenders) come as standard as do Busch & Muller Lumotec dynamo driven front and rear lights which is a nice addition.  At 3 watts these aren’t likely to burn out the retina of on-coming traffic but they’ll certainly get you seen.  The Balloon also comes with a half-closed steel chainguard, single kickstand and a rear steel carrier which has a bracket holder for a briefcase or bag. As part of product enhancements for 2010, the Churchill Balloon will also come with a double kick-stand and a large 80mm ‘ding dong’ bell as standard.

Velorbis’ choice of componentry really can’t be faulted.  The Swalbe Fat Franks, which I have already mentioned, were supplied in a really cool caramel colour.  Visually, these worked superbly with the Brooks B67 saddle, Brooks leather mud flap and Brooks grips.

Our review model came with a 3-speed SRAM internally geared hub with coaster brake.  This particular model is the version that Velorbis sell mostly in Scandinavia. They say that they do sell these to the British market, however, the 5-speed Sturmey Archer hubbed, rear brake actuated by a normal brake lever version is by far the most popular model for UK customers. The Churchill Balloon is also available with a 7-speed SRAM with the rear brake actuated by a normal brake lever brake version too. I was worried at how well the 3-speed gearing would cope with some lumpy terrain around Peebles – this isn’t Amsterdam, after all – but I have to say it coped admirably.   There was enough resistance in the top gear to allow for pedaling downhill and the lightest gear made life easier when the gradient increased.  However, internally geared hubs don’t like changing at the same time as pedaling which is something you would have to get used to.

I was surprised at how nimble the Churchill Balloon was.  You would think that the wide handlebars, the upright riding position and big tires would make it cumbersome, but I found that changes of direction were swift and precise and at no point did the bike feel ungainly.

But all the talk of the smooth ride, the hand built frame, or the intelligent use of components really doesn’t sum up the feeling you get from riding this bike.  Velorbis have managed to do that rarest of things: create a bike that is greater than the sum of its parts.  The experience of riding the Churchill Balloon just makes you happy.  Happy to be out in the fresh air and happy to be on this bike.  Suddenly all is well with the world and you find yourself smiling.  So if the world thinks grinning like this while on a bike is idiotic, I’m happy to be thought of as an idiot.  When on a Velorbis Churchill Balloon I’m having too much fun to care!
5 out of 5 stars