I think the Modern Mechanix definition of a fad is “something somebody did once”.

Bike Riding on Tight Wire Is Latest in Hollywood Fads
RIDING her bicycle along the popular beach at Venice, California, near Hollywood was too tame a pastime for Billie Yuill, so with Isabelle Becker to help her maintain her balance she tried out the stunt illustrated. Taking the tires off the wheels of her bike and with Isabelle in a rope swing underneath her “bike,” she rode the lifeline along the beach.

FREAK BIKE RUNS BY MOTION OF BODY

A bicycle without pedals, invented by two Chicago men, is designed to operate on body motion alone. Standing on a springy footboard, a rider propels the strange vehicle simply by raising and lowering his body. The rear wheel of the bicycle has its axle mounted off center. A down-ward thrust of the legs tends, after the bicycle has been placed in motion, to pull this axle down to its lowest position, thus causing the wheel to revolve in a forward direction. Read the rest of this entry »

Grindstone Attached to Bicycle

A man who makes a living grinding scissors, knives, etc., in the vicinity of Moreton, Cheshire, England has fitted his bicycle with a small grinding wheel, in accordance with the illustrations and description here given. For those who would like to go into this business, we outline the details. Two ordinary strips of iron, about 1″ wide and 1/8″ thick, are drilled to accommodate three bolts and a bicycle hub axle. By means of a bolt, the iron strips are fastened together at one end, and the strips spread by hand; a small piece of iron pipe is then dropped down close to the bend, and the strips are again squeezed together, first by hand and later with the vise. This forms a clamp for the bottom of the bicycle frame. The top cross-bar is properly located, and the iron bent around it in a similar way.
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Landlubbers Hoist Their Sails and Go Yachting on Bikes
Boats are nice, but not necessary for a sailing trip. Right in Miami, Fla., a city of yachtsmen, two youths who had bicycles but no boats hoisted their sails over the bikes and let the trade winds haul them down the drive.

Bike Racer Hits 100 m.p.h. To Set New World’s Record

ANEW world’s record was established in Los Angeles recently when Frank Bartell, veteran six-day bike racer, pedaling behind a streamlined windshield fastened to the rear of a fast-traveling car, skimmed over a one-mile course at an average speed of 80.5 m. p. h. Beating the previous record by more than four miles, 33-year-old Bartell was confident that he soon would surpass his present time.

The mile straightaway course was laid out on a concrete boulevard. Both auto and cylist passed over the finish line at 90 m. p. h. and were said to be doing 100 m.p. h. before they slowed down.

Speed Bike Has Natural Airlines

NATURAL streamlining is accomplished in a new type of bicycle designed in England for use on the speedways. Aware of the discomfort suffered by racers who must remain humped up over their machines for long periods to reduce air resistance, the designer has placed the drive pedals behind the rear wheel. The handlebars are lowered almost to the level of the front axle.

In this posture the rider is almost horizontal to the ground and in a naturally streamlined position. It is believed the new machine will produce speeds far in excess of anything yet accomplished.

Ride Side by Side on This New “Bicycle Built for Two”

THE “bicycle built for two” of the gay nineties may become popular again. A device invented by Charles Nessom of St. Louis allows two ordinary bicycles to be coupled together so that riders can sit side by side and enjoy the ride together.

The light steel framework contains universal joints, so the two front wheels can be steered as one. Cross chains at the rear may be loosened to allow the two riders to pedal together at different elevations without danger of tipping.
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Builds Tiny Bikes As Hobby
BUILDING the world’s smallest bicycles is the honor claimed by A. G. Tabb, of Kidderminster, England. He has constructed several of the miniature cycles, the latest being 17 inches long and nine inches high. Many of the novel bicycles are two-seaters.

That looks safe.

Rumble Seat on Handle Bar for Cyclist’s Baby

When one proud father in Switzerland wants to take the baby for an airing, he fits a special rumble seat on the handle bar of his bicycle and away they go. The seat is equipped with a top to protect baby from sun or shower, but the top can be folded when desired.

Well, they got one thing right. It certainly does look thrilling.

New Ice-cycle Gives Cycling Thrills on Lakes in Winter

THE bicycle craze has taken its hold on devotees of winter sports, resulting in the development of the ice-cycle, which speeds over the frozen surfaces of ponds or rivers. The new ice vehicle is built from an ordinary bicycle. The front wheel is removed entirely, and the forks extended so that they almost touch the ice with the bicycle standing upright. A steel skate runner is attached to the extended front fork.

Two skate runners are similarly attached alongside the rear wheel. The cycle is pedalled as usual, the rubber tire gripping the ice. The skate runners prevent skidding, and balance can be maintained just as easily as on an ordinary bicycle.

Aww, how cute. The little Nazi needs training wheels.

TWO TINY WHEELS KEEP NEW BICYCLE UPRIGHT

A four-wheeled bicycle which recently made its appearance in Germany may be mounted easily, even by a beginner, and may be parked anywhere. Two small auxiliary wheels are attached by movable brackets to the frame of the cycle and are raised or lowered by moving a lever on the handle bar. So long as these wheels remain lowered, the cycle stands upright as shown above. When in motion, they are raised.

MASKED CYCLIST SOUNDS GAS-ATTACK WARNING

Sounding a loud alarm through a loudspeaker clamped to the handlebars of his bicycle, a masked rider wheeled through London streets recently, like a modern Paul Revere, to test the efficiency of a new method of warning the public against sudden aerial gas attacks in war time. Equipped with gas mask and respirator, the cyclist broadcast warnings through a microphone built into the mask and wired to the battery-operated loudspeaker.