Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Rick]

Years ago a friend of mine had a Cyclemaster, it didn't seem to be the easiest of things to start - what other power options were there for bicycles years ago??? I remember reading something about a Winged Wheel, and a Powerpak (or Powerpack)?????

RJ

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[Uncle Joe]

There were quite a lot of them at one time, they were known as Clip-ons.

Probably the ancestor to them all was the 1934 Cyc-Auto, that was actually sold to Scott pre-war.

To name but a few more: Cyclaid, Cyclemaster, Bikotor, Cymota, GYS, Phillips (the cycle company), Powerwheel, Tailwind....the list goes on and on....but didnt they have wonderful names?

UJ

[alfanut]

Yes, I just love that 'Winged Wheel', probably the least suitable name ever given to any vehicle. Didn't Vincent make one as well, in between all the Rapides and Black Shadows?

Geoff

[Uncle Joe]

Aah, the one that the Vincent owners wont even mention...

You are thinking of the Firefly, which wasnt REALLY a Vincent, in spite of it using the name.

Vincents used to get their electrical parts from a Company called Miller, who were the ones that developed and launched this clip on engine unit in early 1952.

Vincent took over production and sales in 1953, and it then became known as the Firefly. They then offered this fitted to a Sun open framed (=ladies) bicycle that was specially designed.

UJ

[Brian M]

In the late sixties I spent all my school holidays in France driving one of these:



It is a Velo Solex and they are still being made in Hungary! You pedalled first and then dropped the engine onto the front wheel to get it started.

The spec says the top speed is 25mph, but to a 15 year old it seemed much faster than that!

[Rivet_101]

http://s54.photobucket.com/albums/g102/rivet_101/Cyclemaster/?action=view&current=1171134317.pbw

slideshow of me on my newly restored Cyclemaster (in 1995), when a mate who ran a bike shop put it in their window. The press sent a photographer round and someone from the shop dressed in the latest flash gear posed with me and our bikes. Stunning photo, I thought. It was featured on the owners' club magazine, as you can see.

To be honest, the close-up of an engine isn't actually mine. Must get a shot, but the fact is that I currently have it apart because I just had the eadie brake apart. Mine has the rather hard to find coverplate, which covers the carb and completes the arc from the fuel tank across to the engine.

[Uncle Joe]

Incidentally, the Winged Wheel mentioned at the start of this topic was a 35cc engine in a complete rear wheel that was marketed by BSA.

UJ

[Rivet_101]

That's right but some critics took the Cyclemaster slogan, "The Magic Wheel that Wings your Heel" and re-spun it for the BSA Winged Wheel, thus:

"The BSA Winged Wheel, guaranteed to skin your heel."



This was because, unlike the Cyclemaster, where most of the components were built into the hub, BSA's ignition system, engine and carb were all external to theirs, which housed only gearing and an inefficient expanding brake. The year after its release, they had a re-think and produced an autocycle (essentially, a moped) with the same components instead, which to my mind somewhat defeats the object.

The whole point of cyclemotors - their conceptual and economic attraction - was that they could be attached to an ordinary bicycle.

[DM]

Ok, I know it's an old topic,

I still have a Berini in regular use, a few cyclemasters hidden away and have just bought a Cyclaid missing a few bit's.

Now I need to find enough parts to put it back together and on the road.

[petermeachem]

I lived in France when I was little (1960ish) and there were loads, I thought they were very cool

[roverdriver]

Not sure if this qualifies as a motorised push-bike or as a fully fledged motor cycle. Whichever way, it is an interesting machine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAQuljp-atA
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Dane- roverdriver but not a Viking.

[peter scott]

That's quite something Dane. I've never seen one before nor have I ever seen a radial bike (not rotary) that popped up beside your YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fU_HYXOgbRw

Peter
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1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

[ka]

There's nothing new in this, we had a radial engined 1930's bike, and a steam powered machine of similar age at the Festival at Mallory a few years ago.
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KA

Better three than four.

[lowdrag]

Far too sophisticated for this thread probably, but I did go to work on an NSU Quickly in the day.

[Rick]