the essentials At 70 years old, Jean-Pierre Cabirol, a retired Cadurcien, built his own electric quadricycle. He did everything by hand, a real goldsmith’s work. A project that he started during Covid to combine his two passions: cycling and automobiles.
The Covid years, more than four years ago now, were sometimes synonymous with boredom. Confined to home, it was necessary to be creative to keep busy. Jean-Pierre Cabirol, for his part, embarked on a project that was as original as it was a little crazy. “Like everyone else, I was bored during Covid. So I thought about what I could do. I had the idea of building an electric quadricycle,” says the 70-year-old retiree. The perfect opportunity for him to combine his two passions: cycling, which he practiced for years, but also automobiles, as evidenced by the few cars he has restored or the many small sports cars that adorn the shelves of his garage.
In 2021, he started making plans. Not easy for this former salesman. “The hardest part is really creating something because it’s not easy,” admits the retiree. But he’s hanging on. He makes everything with his own hands. He glues all the parts meticulously, and even welds the chassis. And as for the equipment, it’s all recycled. “Here, I used a pedal set from the 90s!”, Jean-Pierre shows. “I used my old bikes to create this new vehicle concept.” The bodywork was made of composite material.
Under the removable seat, all the mechanics are hidden. DDM Marc Salvet
“I wanted to stick to the logic of the traditional bike. Doing it manually: it’s more reliable, lighter, and it’s easier to use the vehicle like that,” says Jean-Pierre. He has nevertheless installed an electrically assisted motor, for more stability. His goal: to have a quadricycle that is as light as possible. “It’s my legs that work!” jokes the retiree. The machine currently weighs less than 60 kg. Jean-Pierre is still fine-tuning a few small details to try to improve the weight.
“There were ups and downs. Sometimes, we had to remake parts because they didn’t fit by two millimeters,” says the Cadurcien. He spent days and evenings in his garage to fine-tune the machine. But after two and a half years of hard work, “Cycloto” was born.
“We can move differently”
Today, the vehicle is in working order. All the safety features are there: the indicators, the lights… Under the removable seat, you can see all the mechanics. A real work of art. This week, many of Jean-Pierre’s neighbors and friends came to admire his work. “And is there reverse gear?” jokes one of them, who does not hide his desire to try the machine. Jean-Pierre’s wife laughs: “I have a great-nephew who came to see us, he was crying because he didn’t want to get out!”
Let’s go for a ride! DDM Marc Salvet
On the quadricycle, several small butterflies are stuck. “This represents the purity of the air. We are in Cahors, the air is necessarily pure! And the butterflies are free”, smiles Jean-Pierre. For him, aesthetics are important. The quadricycle, moreover, is decorated with the color green: “It is for hope. But also to give a little wink to certain politicians who bear this name and who drive 4x4s. It is to show them that we can get around differently”. Indeed, with “Cycloto”, it is easy to go to work. The vehicle is ideal for driving in 30 zones, especially in town. Jean-Pierre smiles: “In the trunk, we can put the ham, the pastis and the Dépêche!”
Now, Jean-Pierre would like his idea to evolve. “If people want to contact me so we can discuss it together, they can do so. Why not do a small series construction with those who are interested?” One thing is certain: even in retirement, Jean-Pierre is teeming with projects.
