Groups like the UCI etc will continue to just change the rules to their liking - further making them irrelevant in the larger view of the actual public. These things already suffer from the "dozens of fans" syndrome. Regular people wanting to ride bikes are not paying attention to their rules - they ride to commute and ride for fun. Racing has its place for sure, but its been pretty clear they have no intention of being inclusive.
The problem is UCI and ITU have brainwashed their members and most of the cycling/triathlon fan. ANd this extends to the media channels too. Cycling Youtube, facebook, sites, etc will all keep silent about recumbents and BMX/trials (good thing BMX/trials has a big following and is seen as radical and cool as they do tricks that are much harder than MTBers, but BMX/trial bikes are just as cheap as they are (the most expensive is 1500ish
https://www.tresna.co.uk/blog/expensive-bmx-bikes.htm) and not much can be made of the bike as its really the rider that matters).
For a general population, the name cycling itself is misleading them, because when they google cycling, it always point out to road cycling. MTB, BMX, trials, Artistic, recuments, HPVs are down the list. This really screens people from knowing what other form of cycling is. and in a place where "cyclists" are, they are usually rough people going fast, an ridicule people for their own cycling. Had a friend telling a story of how her relaxed dutch style bike with panniers and choosing to wear usual clothes were wrong,
Its hard to change peoples mind like that, especially if they also ridicule people who cycle differently. Go with the general population and talk to them about it. And our best bet is the cargo bike, ever heard of Armadillo cargo bike? That bike is a recumbent and was at the forefront of many delivery companies as it has big capacity, an it is also comfortable to do long rides...deliveries
Nothing wrong with the focus on speed which Bachetta, M5 and Cruzbike plus velomobile companies are working on. But it is also important to take lessons from Charles Mochet himself. how he made velocar for the love of his son as little Georges can't use a usual bicycle, because in all events in history, mothers will first say no. He also designed the velocar to be a practical vehicle, not only going fast, remember this clip
a relaxed bike with huge amount of luggage space (and in modern times it was also found to have aerodynamic effect)
The velocar built by Mochet also had many variations and were sold as day to day transport vehicles, as cars were rare and expensive, with some having little motors, affordable to your low to mid class family.
Relaxed, have huge luggage space, practical as day to day transport, and also Safety (there is no need to balance on the velocars and you have feet forward rather than head forward). This should always be kept in mind, this is what the general population want, they don't care too much about speed ( that will come later after they discovered it is also fast)
History should also be told, as we should be fair
1. The first one who put fairings to a bike is probably Étienne Bunau-Varilla, raced in 1913, banned in 1914
2. The first bent is probably Fautenil Vélociped made in France in 1893 (CMIIW)
3. Charles Mochet probably made the first velomobile in 1925, the 4 wheeled velocar (interesting to note he made a faired bent before an unfaired one)
4. Mochet also made a racing velomobile with francis Faure as the rider. On March 5, 1939, Faure rode 50.537 kilometers in one hour
It is remarkable that now history just shows us the way. and velomobiles as the future of transport were already there in a930-1950s.
