Bike Power Unit (Apr, 1951)
Filed under: Automotive, Bicycles — @ 9:16 am
Source: Mechanix Illustrated ( More articles from this issue )
Issue: Apr, 1951
| Buy on Ebay
Source: Mechanix Illustrated ( More articles from this issue )
Issue: Apr, 1951
| Buy on Ebay
I don’t know how well this worked, but I love the idea of just tacking an engine onto the side of the wheel.
Bike Power Unit will convert any bicycle into an honest-to-goodness motor bike in 15 minutes. It attaches to the front wheel as shown. Its single-cylinder, three-horsepower air-cooled engine provides 100 miles to a gallon. Fuel tank is at top. American Brake Shoe, Rochester, N. Y.
Revopower is developing one now that replaces the front wheel.
http://www.revopower.com/
Comment by UKBB — June 5, 2007 @ 5:35 pm
the concept is wonderful.
Comment by galessa — June 5, 2007 @ 6:10 pm
Seeing that somebody was smart enough to build this prototype just imagine what we could do with the modern technology we have today. Who ever come up with this idea was a genius.
Comment by Gator — July 20, 2008 @ 2:09 pm
Look up Smith Motor wheel to see it’s granddaddy. or follow this link to it’s patent:
http://www.google.com/patents?....._1#PPA1,M1
Comment by Smitty — November 27, 2008 @ 11:12 pm
There was a derivation of this that surfaced briefly in the 1970s – the ‘bumble bike’. It was a tiny dirty 2-stroke with a friction drive designed to destroy your bike tire.
They actually made Solex mopeds look good. At lest they had slightly better brakes than most bike people tried to convert.
Comment by Toronto — November 28, 2008 @ 2:09 am
My name.is Bill and I actually own the Power unit pictured above that is attached to an original 1950 Schwin Heavy Duty {Same frame used for Whizzers} I also have another one unrestored and original in it’s original crate,with the American Brake Shoe name on it. For those wondering It does run and is very easy to ride, itsi also very quick @ over 40 mph
Comment by Bill — September 2, 2009 @ 9:48 pm