A strange sight I saw today.

[gavroche]

On my ride today, I could hear a noise coming from behind me. When it overtook me, I was treated to a strange sight indeed. It was an old fashioned, tall bicycle ridden by a man who was not pedalling at all but was using a petrol engine to propulse him. It had a small, square petrol tank under his seat and the back wheel was driven by a belt. it also had a number plate dating from the 50's or early 60's I would guess.
Never seen anything like that before!

 

[Globalti]

I have a cycling phone that cost me £2.99 and goes in my jersey pocket. Nobody has EVER phoned me on it, mainly because nobody has the number, except my wife. Last year my buddy and I were belting along hell for leather as usual when we heard a wierd noise coming from behind us. It went on and on and neither of us knew what it was, I thought maybe there was a motorcycle or a helicopter somewhere behind us. Later when I got home my wife had a bigger moan at me than usual: "I called your cycling phone; didn't you hear me?"

I've changed the ringtone now to the William Patel Overture, in the hope that I might recognise the noise.

 

[Matthew_T]

I always hear noises behind me. Normally it is from cyclists that I have just overtaken though.

 

[jhawk]

I always hear noises behind me. Normally it is from cyclists that I have just overtaken though.

I get that too. The 'noise' turns out to be their astonishment at how fast I'm going.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I have a cycling phone that cost me £2.99 and goes in my jersey pocket. Nobody has EVER phoned me on it, mainly because nobody has the number, except my wife. Last year my buddy and I were belting along hell for leather as usual when we heard a wierd noise coming from behind us. It went on and one and neither of us knew what it was, I thought maybe there was a motorcycle or a helicopter somewhere behind us. Later when I got home my wife had a bigger moan at me than usual: "I called your cycing phone; didn't you hear me?"

I've changed the ringtone now to the William Patel Overture, in the hope that I might recognise the noise.

Was William Patel the one who shot a mango off his son's head?

 

[Ern1e]

Was William Patel the one who shot a mango off his son's head?

I do belive that to be correct perhaps the OP may know more lol.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

On my ride today, I could hear a noise coming from behind me. When it overtook me, I was treated to a strange sight indeed. It was an old fashioned, tall bicycle ridden by a man who was not pedalling at all but was using a petrol engine to propulse him. It had a small, square petrol tank under his seat and the back wheel was driven by a belt. it also had a number plate dating from the 50's or early 60's I would guess.
Never seen anything like that before!

I remember them, I'm sure my Dad or one of his mates had one.

http://freespace.virgin.net/stones.ukp/trojan_minimotor.htm

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I remember them, I'm sure my Dad or one of his mates had one.

http://freespace.virgin.net/stones.ukp/trojan_minimotor.htm

That looks like it's not belt driven. It looks like the motor works directly on the tyre, like the opposite of a turbo trainer. And it's not what I recognise as a ''tall bike'' either. I had visions of an extraordinary ''Ordinary'' but I'm sure it can't have been one of those either.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

That looks like it's not belt driven. It looks like the motor works directly on the tyre, like the opposite of a turbo trainer. And it's not what I recognise as a ''tall bike'' either. I had visions of an extraordinary ''Ordinary'' but I'm sure it can't have been one of those either.

There were a number of variations of that design, that one was the one of a number that came up when I did a search. I think that was one of the popular ones, they were often fitted by the bike owners themselves.

 

[matthat]

I always hear noises behind me. Normally it is from cyclists that I have just overtaken though.

Are you sure its not people shouting at you saying your not putting me on you tube!!

 

[old bell]

I remember seeing many of them in France in the sixties. The rider usually wearing a beret and had onions hanging from the handlebars

 

[Deleted member 26715]

I always hear noises behind me. Normally it is from cyclists that I have just overtaken though.

Me too, but in my case it's as they pass me & leave me behind, but then again I never hear them coming anyway with the music playing so loud in my earphones.

Alan...

 

[gavroche]

I remember seeing many of them in France in the sixties. The rider usually wearing a beret and had onions hanging from the handlebars

That was a "solex" which was driven on the front wheel by a little jockey wheel. The motor was on top of the front wheel and engaged with a lever. The top speed was about 30 kph and very economical on fuel.

 

[byegad]

You can elsewhere in the world still buy a self fit conversion that adds this to the rear wheel of any upright bike. As it is illegal here, unless type approved and the bike confirms to Moped C&U regulations and you wear a helmet, have paid the VED duty and have insurance.

So they are not, officially, sold here.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I wondered if what gavroche had seen was a more modern conversion rather than a restored 50's bike, I wonder at what point the regs were changed to make these things illegal in this country? or was it a gradual process.