Somerset Barn Find

[User42423]

I bought this off Ebay, from a young farmer based in Somerset. When I asked him about it's history, he told me it had belonged to his ex-girlfriends antiques dealer father. Apparently he couldn't sell it, so simply left it in the barn. That was back in 1990.

 

[Ian H]

I remember those as one of those "the future of cycling" ideas that sank (almost) without trace. Apparently it combines the attributes of both weight and flexibility.

 

[biggs682]

Were they not designed by Volvo?

 

[Ian H]

Were they not designed by Volvo?

Here you go (wiki).

 

[classic33]

Where's the battery go?

 

[mikeymustard]

As plastic bikes go,at least it looks different - unlike modern ones

 

[woodbutcher]

Such a strange machine....its almost as though the design brief was cover up all the parts of a bicycle that define the object as a bicycle !

 

[MichaelW2]

Such a strange machine....its almost as though the design brief was cover up all the parts of a bicycle that define the object as a bicycle !

So not a Bicycle Shaped Object.

 

[woodbutcher]

So not a Bicycle Shaped Object.

You have put your finger on it, "Bicycle Shaped" .. in the same way that "Fish Finger" contains fish .

 

[steveindenmark]

They come up on e bay occasionally. They are not as rare as you would expect. I am not surprised the other guy couldn't sell it.

 

[wonderdog]

Reminds me of an LE Velocette ... possibly a bit quieter. Tho' the Velo did have its own peculiar charm

 

[Dirk]

I had a ride on one of those in 1981.
I was selling stuff into the cycle trade at the time and one of my customers (Stechford Cycles in Birmingham) had one.
He was saying how awful they were to ride and nagged me into having a go.
He was right.

 

[Arjimlad]

You truly are @User42423 to splash cash on that monstrosity !

I guess it is an intriguing part of history though. No way would l get on that on the road today though.

 

[mikeymustard]

You truly are @User42423 to splash cash on that monstrosity !

I guess it is an intriguing part of history though. No way would l get on that on the road today though.

Yes it's a very important footnote in the history of the bicycle, and we'll be thanking User42423 in a few years for archiving such gems.
And no, I wouldn't ride it either

 

[Drago]

Proof that it takes more than age alone to make a classic.