March 2, 2010

Cast-off Shoes Make Tires for “Rough Rider” Bicycle (Sep, 1931)

Cast-off Shoes Make Tires for “Rough Rider” Bicycle
IF YOU don’t know what to do with your old shoes, here’s a suggestion—make bike wheels out of them. No less a unique stunt has been performed by Marie Glory, a well-known Parisian bicycling enthusiast, as the photo at left shows. The regular wheel has been dispensed with altogether, and the “shoe wheel” substituted.
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February 8, 2010

Inventor Makes Propeller-Driven Tricycle (Nov, 1928)

Inventor Makes Propeller-Driven Tricycle

A THREE-WHEELED vehicle constructed of airplane parts and powered by a two-cylinder motor and small propeller has been designed by John Dacy, a young inventor of Zion City, Ill.

The rear part of the machine consists of an airplane landing gear on which is mounted the motor and propeller. In front of this is the pilot’s seat, suspended from a frame of steel tubing. The lone front wheel is connected by chain and wire to the steering apparatus.

The propeller develops tremendous pushing power and gives the machine such high speed that its owner has no fear of traffic officers.

December 17, 2009

New Slant on Bicycles (Jan, 1936)

New Slant on Bicycles

EVERY man his own streamline is the idea of Fred Strecker, English rider, in the bicycle design at right.

November 19, 2009

70-YEAR OLD TOURIST CROSSES U. S. ON BICYCLE (Jan, 1929)

Filed under: Bicycles — @ 12:55 pm
Source: Modern Mechanix ( More articles from this issue )
Issue: Jan, 1929
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70-YEAR OLD TOURIST CROSSES U. S. ON BICYCLE

AN ORDINARY bicycle with a special baggage support above the front wheel is the equipment used by M. C. Plummer of Portland, Maine, in touring the United States. Mr. Plummer is 70 years old but he covers from 50 to 150 miles every day on his bicycle, depending on the weather and the nature of the country to be traveled. Read the rest of this entry »

January 20, 2009

Low Bike Gives Added Power (Jun, 1937)

Filed under: Bicycles — @ 12:04 am
Source: Modern Mechanix ( More articles from this issue )
Issue: Jun, 1937
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Low Bike Gives Added Power
WITH a seat only 19 inches from the ground making it unnecessary for the rider to leave the seat when stopping in traffic, a new type bicycle affords more safety and greater speed as well as being easier to ride. The leg muscles are supplemented by the back muscles when going up hill. The rider sits in the same position as in an automobile, thus reducing discomfort.

December 17, 2008

Bike Disguised as Motorcycle (May, 1932)

Bike Disguised as Motorcycle
WHAT is this younger generation coming to? When you and I were kids a bike was a bike, and lucky was the boy to get one without any trimmings whatsoever. But now look! Even the tiny tots must have a bike, and an ordinary one won’t do. It must be designed as the Graf Zeppelin, or in this case, a real motorcycle.

September 7, 2008

GEARLESS AND CHAINLESS BIKE DRIVEN BY BODY BOUNCE (Jun, 1935)

GEARLESS AND CHAINLESS BIKE DRIVEN BY BODY BOUNCE
Functioning on the principle of an eccentric rear wheel, the latest bicycle has neither gears nor a chain. Invented by Phil Huyseng of Chicago, the bike is propelled by a bouncing motion of the body.

August 25, 2008

Steering Wheel for Bicycles (Aug, 1931)

Steering Wheel for Bicycles
POLO games in which the players are mounted on bikes instead of ponies is the latest sport devised for amusement of Hollywood movie stars. A unique feature of the bike mount is the ring shaped handlebars, which permit greater facility in maneuvering about the polo field.

July 21, 2008

Cyclists Maneuver Galloping Bikes in Novel Polo Match (Jul, 1934)

Cyclists Maneuver Galloping Bikes in Novel Polo Match

A POLO game is seldom dull, but when galloping bicycles are substituted for the traditional steeds, the fun begins.
A polo match on bicycles was a feature of a recent cycling meet at Heme Hill, London, England.

Spills were frequent as riders literally tossed their cycles about the course in pursuit of the elusive white ball.

The elongated “croquet” mallets proved rather dangerous weapons as they were swung wildly about in the faster scrimmages. Riders chose to wear “crash” helmets just in case things should get rough.

July 10, 2008

Bike Keeps Family in Stitches (Oct, 1939)

Bike Keeps Family in Stitches

CARRYING four persons and a sewing machine, the world’s weirdest bicycle recently had a tryout in Chicago, Ill. The two-story vehicle, known as the “Goofybike,” is the creation of Charles Steinlauf. It carries the whole Steinlauf family. The inventor rides at the top and guides the contraption by means of a huge automobile steering wheel. Mrs. Steinlauf sits below, operating a sewing machine, while her son pedals behind and her daughter rides on the handlebars in front. When the odd vehicle is at rest, the projecting legs of the sewing machine prevent the lofty cycle from tipping over.

July 7, 2008

Leg Power replaces electricity (May, 1945)

I don’t buy it. Hair dryers use a LOT of electricity. Plus, unless they have some sort of flywheel or intermediate battery, wouldn’t the power fluctuate if his speed alters?

Leg Power replaces electricity in this Parisian beauty salon, where Madame has her hair dried despite the lack of coal-generated current. An ingenious beautician hires unemployed 6-day bicycle racers to peddle away on a bike, the back wheel of which is attached to a small generator! The current runs 6 driers.

April 9, 2008

ELEVEN BLIND MEN RIDE ONE BIG CYCLE (Jul, 1931)

ELEVEN BLIND MEN RIDE ONE BIG CYCLE

An odd-looking cycle that seemed to have some of the qualities of a railway train was seen on the roads near Upper Norwood, England, the other day. Its twelve riders pedaled along, seated in flexibly connected units of the “multicycle.” This centipede among vehicles is twenty-eight feet long, but its flexible connections enable it to turn corners easily. It was built for use by students at the Royal Normal College for the Blind. An attendant with normal vision steers it.

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