About this project
Béatrice and Yannick Cazaspe from France ride two identical solar bikes designed by Yannick, an engineer, maths teacher and meteorologist. Each is a suspended Rockrider mountain bike pulling a welded aluminium AEVON trailer that is articulated on the seat post.
On the trailer, four panels with back-contact cells give about 220 Wp while riding; four more panels unfold at a stop and bring the total to about 400 W. Two motors of the CycloBoost “Free Ride” kit, front and rear, make mountain passes easier without overheating. The 1 kWh LiFePO4 pack (16 cells, 3.2 V, 20 Ah) is split into two 24 V batteries, each charged by its own Victron MPPT.
The couple has ridden these bikes for more than 52,000 km since 2014. On the 2015 Sun Trip they reached the finish in 63 days and won the Jury Prize. Béatrice says solar cycling is essential for her fitness and her fight against cancer: “I sent my cancer to oblivion with a big pedal stroke in its face.”
Technical data
| Riders | Béatrice & Yannick Cazaspe (France) |
|---|---|
| Bike | Rockrider full-suspension MTB + AEVON trailer (by Yannick) |
| Motors | 2 × CycloBoost hub motors (front + rear), 48 V |
| Solar | ~220 Wp riding, ~400 W parked (back-contact cells) |
| Battery | 1 kWh LiFePO4, 2 × 24 V, 2 Victron MPPTs |
| Distance | >52,000 km since 2014 |
| Sun Trip | 2015 (Jury Prize), Tours 2017/2019, Corsica 2019, Alps 2023 |
Links
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/cazaspe
- YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCJTkEHw1PkUzgD1Rzj5DpEw
Sources
Photos and details come from the rider’s profile on The Sun Trip website.
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