Horses of Iron

[Lock]

Not sure if this is the best place for them...

Yes Sir!

Really likin' the gal on the "velocipede" (Sign on bike says "Safety First" but I am suspicious whether those shoes are steel toed...)

These railway bikes regularly turn up while poking around the web for old velocipede stuff - I mean the early road-going bikes. Seems like they're the last of any modern-ish vehicles still being called "velocipedes". Think I've found out why.

Generically they were called "Hand Cars". The Car Builders Dictionary from 1881 had a page to illustrate various configurations...

The_Car_Builders_Dictionary_1881.jpg (51.91 KiB) Viewed 3549 times

But it's interesting that in this same Dictionary while they had pages and pages of adverts from numerous suppliers of parts for rail cars and railway equipment there is only one advert for a company selling hand cars:

Sheffield_1881.jpg (36.94 KiB) Viewed 3549 times

So turns out George Sheffield from Michigan was selling his own design of hand cars by about 1879 and he called his design "velocipede"... Maybe alluding to the fact his were lighter-weight, three-wheeled machines. His patent from 1879:

US213254_Sheffield_1879.jpg (50.71 KiB) Viewed 3549 times

Seen here:
http://www.midcontinent.org/rollingstock/builders/sheffield.htm

The Sheffield Velocipede Car Company had its beginnings about 1877, when George S. Sheffield, a Michigan farmer, invented a three-wheeled railroad hand-car propelled by a combination of hand and foot power used in a push-pull fashion (see illustration above). At about 140 lbs., it was light enough to be swung off the tracks to make way for trains, and made an excellent track inspection car.

In Fairbanks Morse: 100 Years of Engine Technology, C.H. Wendel tells the following story about the origin of Sheffield’s invention. (Take it for whatever it’s worth.)

“George Sheffield lived on a farm about seven miles from Sheffield, Michigan [apparently just a cross-roads town near Three Rivers, as it is not listed in our 1880 atlas of the United States, and the only Sheffield, Michigan, known to the United States Geographic Survey’s Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) was in Kent County, which at its nearest point is 60 miles north of Three Rivers]. The farm was a short distance from the Michigan Central Railroad. Every morning and every evening, George Sheffield walked the tracks to and from work.

“Sheffield conceived the idea of building a small car which could propel him over the railroad tracks. In the winter of 1877 he built a small three-wheeler for this very purpose. After a few experimental models he developed a model which would embody all the salient features of the F-M No. 1 Velocipede car which was sold for many years.

“The homemade Sheffield velocipede had no right to use the rail tracks, so he made his journey in darkness. One night he was headed home and discovered a broken rail. By procuring a lantern and flagging down a train, he prevented a certain disaster. However, Sheffield’s little velocipede was now made manifest to all. In recognition of his valorous act, the company permitted him to run his car between his farm and Three Rivers. Shortly after, a railway company representative called on Mr. Sheffield, asking him to build the velocipede for their own use.”

Sheffield applied for a patent on his hand-car early in 1879, and received Patent No. 213,254 only two months later (11 March 1879).

Looks like George sold a LOT of his velocipedes... Many of the smaller hand cars in museums look like the Sheffield design... One in private hands was up for sale last year:

Some sites claim George was the first. Maybe so but other examples of pretty rustic-looking circa 1870s bikes have been found

Railroad_velocipede_1870s.jpg (85.14 KiB) Viewed 3549 times

There were other builders after George for sure and things got more bicycle-like fast too:

US537497_Teetor_1895.jpg (103.04 KiB) Viewed 3549 times

Kalamazoo_Railroad_Velocipede&Car_Co_1895.jpg (49.75 KiB) Viewed 3549 times

100 Years ago ya could roll-yer-own out of the Sears catalogue...

Harris_20th_Century_Railroad_Attachment.jpg (59.79 KiB) Viewed 3549 times

Nice "Cavalcade" of different styles...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2-_pJVUxfQ


Teetor quad design sold for decades...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJk5vnwSFNQ


So I'm guessing George Sheffield popularized the small hand cars and his Velocipede name just stuck... as Kleenex is to tissues...

Lock

[Lock]

now I'm thinkin' "Gumball Rally" across North America for electric railroad velocipedes... Fully-faired recumbent, super-low rolling resistance aka Wh/km... drafting behind the cho-chos... faster than police radios...

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Looks like Canada still has lots of rail off the beaten path...

Cdn_Railways.jpg (96.88 KiB) Viewed 3534 times

[sk8norcal]

peugeot VLV 1941
http://www.autoconcept-reviews.com/cars ... -1945.html

new version
http://www.greenlaunches.com/transport/ ... ic_car.php

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new version

Peugeot_2012.png (141.92 KiB) Viewed 3343 times

Peugeot_2012a.png (152.98 KiB) Viewed 3343 times

Yeah Baby!

[oatnet]

new version

Peugeot_2012.png

Peugeot_2012a.png

Yeah Baby!

I'd buy it.

[Lock]

Kinda cool to see car companies like Mercedes-Benz and Audi getting into ebikes... Does anybuddy remember the Ford Motor Company and their TH!NK Mobility products... including the TH!NK bike traveler from 2000?

Ford_Think_Mobility_2000.jpg (26.91 KiB) Viewed 2665 times

Immortalized forEVer as a U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Recall Alert:
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml01/01525.html

TH!NK Mobility, LLC, of Carlsbad, Calif. is voluntarily recalling about 200 of its "TH!NK bike traveler" electric bicycles. The TH!NK traveler is an electric, power assisted bike with 20" wheels and a folding frame. The bikes were distributed nationwide from July 2000 through May 2001 by retailers and through TH!NK Mobility's web site.

How the poor folks at TH!NK must have "struggled"... to sell 200 ebikes in ten months...

Different times back then I guess...

Maybe folks like Smart and Audi et al will put more honest effort into their ebikes this time around...

I'm reminded of the collapse in horse trading with the introduction of the bicycle and tricycle, and then folks throwing motors and engines on their bikes and carriages... There were tons of reports back then about folks selling off their horses...

The Electrical World September 7, 1889

Othello's Occupation Gone.

The horse is a noble animal and useful to man, but he is not quite so useful to-day as he once was. If some of our readers doubt this assertion, we beg to refer them to the subjoined fac-simile of the big handbills that have recently been distributed and stuck up on the walls in Cincinnati. One of the street railroads there, the Cincinnati Inclined Plane Railway Company, has adopted the Sprague system, and hence these horses are for sale, their occupation being gone. This is but one instance out of many in which the horse has already been supplanted by the electric motor, and there can be no question that these victims of invention and a higher civilization are only too glad to be released from the toilsome traces of the street car and relegated to the easier and more agreeable tasks of "carriage and family horses." But for this timely release they would doubtless soon have ended their days in the knacker's yard.

Cincinnati_100Horses.jpg (78.73 KiB) Viewed 2665 times

[Lock]

I have no idea why this was considered humourous in 1882...

The_Wheel_World_1882May-Nov.jpg (139.77 KiB) Viewed 2654 times

Caption reads "When the system of working tricycles by electricity is perfected this is how Mazeppa will be played"

????

Volume V of "The Wheel World" compiled issues from May to November 1882 and in the whole book only mentions electric bikes three times... I reprinted the excellent article "The Future of Road Travelling" already, here:
http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=8099&start=344

...and there were two tiny gossipy bits as well:

Edison has been experimenting with a 60in. bicycle and electricity. By storing electricity in the backbone he gets both driving power and light. The process is to be patented, and then will be made public. He expects to "revolutionise" bicycling. Menlo Park will soon have this new industry.

Our wheelmen is not even to have the trouble of treadling his own machine, now! Electricity is to propel his trike, light his road, and give shocks to obstructive urchins, tramps, bobbies, cows, forty-shilling magistrates, and other vermin who interfere with his peaceful progress.

...but the cartoon was just sorta stuck in at random it seems, not referenced by any of the surrounding text...

EDIT: I'm beginning to think the reference is to a Victorian entertainment called "equestrian burlesque"... specifically Mazeppa, an 1856 equestrian burlesque in two acts by F. A. Brady...

Seen here:
http://www.admissionallclasses.com/shows.php?page=2

The BareBack Burlesque troop are Britain's only equestrian burlesque company and usually perform their very unique style of burlesque at exclusive parties up and down the country.

[JennyB]

I have no idea why this was considered humourous in 1882...

The_Wheel_World_1882May-Nov.jpg

Caption reads "When the system of working tricycles by electricity is perfected this is how Mazeppa will be played"

????

EDIT: I'm beginning to think the reference is to a Victorian entertainment called "equestrian burlesque"... specifically Mazeppa, an 1856 equestrian burlesque in two acts by F. A. Brady...

Based on the poem of the same name by Lord Byron, in which the Cossack hero was tied naked to the back of a wild horse. I remember reading about it somewhere: they did that on stage and the horse was sent galloping down the aisle. I think the run of the play was shorter than that of the horse.

[JennyB]

But there is a link:

One figure often cited in the burlesque history books as an important progenitress of cross-dressing performers is actress Adah Isaacs Menken. Many actresses who played male roles would seek to reassure their public by conducting themselves with extreme feminine propriety in their personal lives, but Menken instead chose to embrace the controversy stirred by her performance of male roles and purposefully, as Rachel Shteir puts it in her book Striptease: The Untold History of the Girlie Show, “exploited her androgynous appeal” (26). Menken’s most notorious performance came in 1863, in a lavish production of Mazeppa. Menken, in the role of the titular hero, took a daredevil ride across the stage, strapped to the back of a horse and wearing a form-fitting body stocking which showed off her distinctly feminine shape. Menken loudly defended her onstage near-nudity as an integral part of her theatrical art, inspiring many of the burlesque performers who followed after her.

Which apparently spawned several imitations over the next couple of decades. In fact the only example of a male Mazeppa I have found was a burlesque of the burlesque - he was pushed across the stage on a rocking-horse.

[sk8norcal]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Motorcycle-Card ... 0168858674
http://visforvoltage.org/forum/11775-so ... eview-1936
http://electrifyingrides.blogspot.com/2 ... -1_23.html
http://electrifyingrides.blogspot.com/2 ... ed-by.html
Socovel 1941

Seems that due to fuel rationing in Occupied Europe , an Belgian company, Socovel, developed a small electric motorcycle. Approximately 400 were manufactured. The Limelette brothers decided to get around gas rationing by building an electric motorcycle at the Socovel factory. The first prototype ran in January 1941. Three 6V 45AH batteries carried in a roomy central
trunk gave the Socovel a range of around 30 miles at a speed of 15 to 20 mph. The motor was rated at 1HP, with a total machine weight of 165 lbs. Recharging time was around 10 hours.

Must have been a pretty good machine. Seems the Germans wanted to use them for ferrying vehicles on their airfields, but Socovel's reluctance to supply the army of occupation was so strong that the order was never fulfilled. Hey, those Germans know good engineering when they see it.

Another Electric Motorcycle was born around the same time, for the same reasons. This one was located in the United States however. Seems that a Mr. M. Williams, motivated by a lack of readily available gasoline, developed his first electric vehicle; a two-wheeled electric motorcycle which pulled a single-wheeled trailer. It was used by his wife Peggy for trips to and from the market, Merle’s innovation soon grew in popularity and he began producing vehicles in his garage for sale to neighboring residents in Long Beach, California. This effort grew into the Legend Electric Vehicle company.Another company that built itself upon it's expertise gained from manufacturing electric motorcycles. Deja Vu all over again, as the Legend company is known for it's aircraft tow motors. Exactly what the Germans wanted the Socovel's for.

[thewmatusmoloki]

I wonder how many beers one can fit, in to that "ahead of it's time bike" .

[Lock]

JennyB, thanks for that info on the burlesque stuff! Very funny!

Sk8... that Socovel... 1936? Awesome...

http://visforvoltage.org/forum/11775-socovel-electric-bike-review-1936
Socovel 1941

Just want to copy here that review posted to V4V:

From 'The Motor Cycle' April 18th 1936:

Belgian Machine Tried on the Road: It's Appeal and It's Limitations.

Has the electric motor cycle a future? What are it's advantages and disadvantages? On the Continent the electric motor cycle has made considerable headway. Was that solely owing to lack of petrol during the war or has the machine an appeal of it's own? In Britain electric motor cycles have been made - not many, and nearly all of a home made variety, with car batteries and car starter motors fitting in lightweight motor cycle or even bicycle frames. What of true production-model electric motor cycles?

A Belgian manufacturer, Socovel, has made over 1,000 electric motor cycles. The Motor Cycle decided to import one to examine it, test it, use it and learn all it could about such a machine. Last month the latest Socovel arrived. It is an interesting machine with appealing characteristics. In no way, however, is such a machine a rival to the motor cycle. It's speed and it's range per charge are too limited. On the other hand, thean electric motor cycle might attract many whose needs or desires are not met by motor cycles and autocycles. There are no gears, no clutch, no starting difficulties - merely a twist of the grip on the right handlebar and the brakes. To start the machine the grip is turned and the machine gently and silently glides away, picking up speed in the manner of a trolley-bus. To stop the machine the grip is moved backwards, whereupon the machine free-wheels and is halted by applying the brakes. Could anything be more simple? The Socovel is a machine built on motor cycle lines, and usually has a pillion seat, there is a heavy type of duplex cradle frame of welded construction, central-spring front forks, and generally, a heavyweight motor cycle specification that includes large-section tyres on small diameter rims 3.25 x 14 Englebert tyres - a spring top saddle with a single, adjustable tension spring as the suspension and a normal rear carrier of tubular construction. The machine is longer than a normal motor cycle and unusually wide at the footrests. The wheelbase is approximately 60in, while the total width over the footrests is some 29in; the width of the battery box is 15in. The motor is of 8in diameter and approximately 10-1/2in overall. A tapping off the front battery provides current for the 6v lighting and horn. The brakes are of 6in diameter.

As suggested, the machine is no lightweight - indeed, weight is one of it's main disadvantages. The three 12v batteries total 201lb and the machine, with batteries, 441lb. With such a weight the central stand, which is not of a low-lift type, is very difficult to operate single handed.

The sensation of gliding away, the result of merely moving the right handlebar grip, is enthralling. In short, it is a type of machine anybody can ride straight away; it is not merely as simple as, but more simple than, any pedal cycle. On roads that are approximately level the machine travels at anything from about 16 to 20 m.p.h. It does so with complete silence except for the noise from the chain drive. On the batteries fitted as standard - the three 12-volt "Tudor (Bruxelles)" - the total distance covered on a full charge was 27-1/2 miles. This was on to-and-fro runs over a slightly undulating road on a rather windy day. The speed in one direction was approximately 20 m.p.h. with a current consumption of 24 amperes at a voltage under load of 35-1/2. In the opposite direction the speed was around 16 m.p.h. and the consumption 33amps.

At 21 miles the voltage had dropped to 34; at 22 miles to 33; and at 24 miles to 32. Then there was a rapid drop and, with it, of course, a sudden and big decrease in speed. At 27.4 miles the voltage was but 9 and the the machine would barely crawl along. Leave the machine a short time and the batteries naturally pick up. After the machine had been standing about a quarter of an hour, following stopping at 27-1/2 miles, it covered a further half mile. The speed of the machine at 28 miles was under 10 m.p.h. and the voltage approximately 14. It is possible, therefore to cover an additional distance by switching off for a short time, covering another half-mile or so, and repeating the procedure. Also of course, a greater mileage will result if the machine is not ridden for over 27 miles non-stop, as was the case with the first duration test.

In this country, and with the design of the Socovel, in which there is no inbuilt charging arrangement. It is not a question of the owner merely plugging in to the house circuit when the machine is left overnight.

Normally, a rectifier will be called for and the cost of a suitable charger. At present prices,is in the region of £30. Traction batteries are usually guaranteed for two to three years, but with proper usage can be counted to last almost indefinitely. Weight can no doubt be reduced, but it is inevitably a problem with a battery-electric motor cycle. Mileage per charge is a more material factor. A total distance of 50 miles would appear to be a minimum range to aim at. What of the cost of an electric motor cycle? Naturally, this depends on many factors but it is not impossible to visualise a machine which incorporated a means of battery charging, yet compared in price with lightweight motor cycles. A fact which may not be appreciated is that such a machine can have a very good performance on hills. The Socovel would restart with ease - would even spin it's rear wheel if the twist grip was opened rapidly on a hill with a gradient of 1 in 7.

A novelty the machine may be, but it was not merely with this in mind that The Motor Cycle bought and imported the Socovel electric motor cycle. The object was to learn something about a production model electric motor cycle that has sold in considerable numbers to determine what progress has been made and to assess the possibilities of a two wheeler that is different, a gentlemanly machine if ever there was one.

"...a gentlemanly machine if ever there was one."

[Lock]

Folks(?) have been building this page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_electric_motorcycles_and_scooters

Entry re Socovel appears completely wrong:

1941: Fuel rationing in Occupied Europe encouraged an Austrian company by the name of Socovel to create a small electric motorcycle. Approximately 400 were manufactured.[

Citing a post on El Moto that's not viewable w/out user ID logon
http://www.elmoto.net/album.php?albumid=46&pictureid=549

[sk8norcal]

thx for the wiki list,
didn't know Mike Corbin have a e-drag bike, 171 top speed,
http://www.flickriver.com/photos/go_bagel/tags/corbin/



prototype by Corbin,
http://www.mgmojo.com/corbinmotors/chapter3.html

[sk8norcal]

the ELC10 made by GM in Stockholm during WW2, electric powered

who commented that the electric three wheeler was labeled model ELC10. General Motors Nordiska is name the scandinavian GM branch in Stockholm that built these during wartime, when all other civilian production was halted. They also built a couple of electric truck prototypes.

http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2009/07 ... uff-i.html

[sk8norcal]

found more tidbits about the socovel,
added to my original post...

http://electrifyingrides.blogspot.com/2 ... -1_23.html
http://electrifyingrides.blogspot.com/2 ... ed-by.html

[Lock]

Tks for the pic of the GM Sk8... Had one but not as good... Also didn't have that info about being manufactured in Sweden ie for the European market rather than for North America... found another pic

GM_Nordiska_ELC10_1941.jpg (75.66 KiB) Viewed 1668 times

Described elsewhere as a "delivery vehicle"...

L

[Lock]

Pretty cool thread mostly about cyclecars... Up to 101 pages now since OP in December 2007:
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=226791

Stuff like:








Fun copywrite notice...

Copyright © 1995-2012 Atomic Industry: Steal our stuff, we'll kick your teeth in.

Unfortunately with these long-lived threads, linked info starts to disappear

For this Horses stuff I've always tried to upload as attachments in the hopes of avoiding those broken links...

L

[Lock]

Popular Mechanics magazine is pretty fun... just flipped through a year of these monthly mags, from 1911. A few bits:

Popular_Mechanics_1911Jan.jpg (62.39 KiB) Viewed 1638 times

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Popular_Mechanics_1911March_backrest.jpg (57.53 KiB) Viewed 1638 times

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Popular_Mechanics_1911August_lines.jpg (56.63 KiB) Viewed 1638 times

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Popular_Mechanics_1911Oct_toboggan.jpg (106.44 KiB) Viewed 1638 times

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Popular_Mechanics_1911Nov_backrest.jpg (52.33 KiB) Viewed 1638 times

Popular_Mechanics_1911Nov_pedocycle.jpg (47.64 KiB) Viewed 1638 times

Popular_Mechanics_1911Dec_pedocycle.jpg (106.62 KiB) Viewed 1638 times

Popular_Mechanics_1911Dec_chauffeur.jpg (100.73 KiB) Viewed 1638 times

Popular_Mechanics_1911Dec_gasolinegun.jpg (67.7 KiB) Viewed 1638 times

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Popular_Mechanics_1911Dec_polarity.jpg (61.47 KiB) Viewed 1638 times

[oatnet]

The attachment Popular_Mechanics_1911Nov_pedocycle.jpg is no longer available

The attachment Popular_Mechanics_1911Nov_pedocycle.jpg is no longer available

I like the pedocycle, and want to try one. I hate the name though, it makes me picture something like this:

MJ_BIKE.jpg (44.96 KiB) Viewed 1604 times

[sk8norcal]

With colourful stories, eccentric characters and evocative archive, this timepiece documentary charts the up and down 110 year history of the electric car. Narrated by Kenneth Cranham, the film features vintage electric car collectors, EV designers and EV evangelists as well as dyed-in-the-wool petrol heads.

The film examines the failings of early EVs, the false dawn resulting from the energy crisis of the 70s and the controversial crushing of the GM EV1. Lastly, as mainstream manufacturers such as Renault invest billions in new EVs and governments invest in charging infrastructure, the film examines why it will be different this time.

See more RTV programmes at www.renault.tv or watch on Sky channel 883 or Freesat channel 651

[vax]

She's called the Liberator:
http://liberatorbike.blogspot.com/

[Lock]

She's called the Liberator:
http://liberatorbike.blogspot.com/

And she is a BEAUTIFUL thing Vax!



Tasty bits...


...and Sk8. Thanks for that Renault vid!

Lock

[sk8norcal]

no prob,

lunar mini bike?
http://www.staynehoff.net/0-lunar-minibike.jpg