Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

DanH · Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2015 9:01 am Post subject: Swiss Army Bicycles

Apart from my Morris 8 and old radios, I own a 3 Swiss Army bicycles, a 1941, 1945 and 1958. I brought my first one from a local Army Surplus shop nearly 10 years ago and was hooked. They are very well made bicycle with good parts availability.

They are a very usable bicycle. When I lived closer to where I work used to ride one to work almost daily and still manage to get in about 20-40km per week to keep fit on weekends and days off. Back in 2011 my wife and I did the Otago Rail Trail in the South Island of NZ. I rode my 1945 machine and it was right at home on the 200km gravel trail. Despite having tires that were older than me, I didn't get and single puncture!

Of course, once you get one of these machines you start looking for the military accessories to go with them, as you can see I've built up a reasonable collection of Swiss paraphernalia, much of which is specialist equipment for the Swiss Cycling-Troops (Now disbanded)

roverdriver · Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2015 10:40 am Post subject:

Very interesting, Dan. Thanks.
When I saw the title, I was expecting to see a bike that had many fold out accessories and functions, much like the Swiss Army pocket cutting instruments.
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Dane- roverdriver but not a Viking.

clan chieftain · Joined: 05 Apr 2008 Posts: 2041 Location: Motherwell

Great to see your old bicycle and its accessories. I have had a notion to get an old bike and restore it. Some are quite expensive. The Rudge is a nice bike.
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The Clan Chieftain

ukdave2002 · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4104 Location: South Cheshire

Nice post

I was expecting a punch line given the title Laughing

The practical problem I have with old bikes is their weight! Although I suppose it's good exercise Smile

Dave

DanH · Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2015 8:36 pm Post subject:

Thanks

Yes, I've heard all the jokes....."wheres the can opener?" "Is this one thing they couldn't get in the knife?" and so on....

They weigh 25kg so are no lightweight. However I find the geometry of the frame and the gear ratio is spot on, which makes them quite a nice ride compared to some other old bikes I've ridden.

What I find amazing is that the design of the bike was pretty much unchanged from 1905 until production stopped in 1988! The only major changes being the addition of a drum brake to the back wheel in 1944 to supplement the coaster brake, then dynamo lights were added in the 1980's. Before then the soldiers had to rely on pocket-mounted torches.