1950s Circus Bicycle with Eccentric hubs

 

TO SEE A SHORT VIDEO

PLEASE CLICK BELOW

1950s CADILLAC CIRCUS BICYCLE

 

1950s Circus Bicycle with Cadillac badge

Eccentric hubs, 33″ Extra-wide Handlebar, Largest Saddle, 1920s Car Horn, Wide whitewall tyres, 1950-51 License Plate.

19″ Frame

24″ Wheels

LENGTH: 68″

HEIGHT: 43″

WIDTH: 33″ (Handlebar)

(Now sold)

Whereas performers adapted bicycles for trick riding, clowns usually used bicycles as a prop or foil, so they required bicycles with features that made them look unusual. A grown man on a small bicycle presented a humorous image, so they often used small bikes. This example has a 19″ frame and 24″ wheels, meaning it’s the size of bicycle used by teenagers in 1950s America.

Other popular tricks of the time used on this machine are wide handlebars, a large saddle and an oversize honking car horn to add to its disproportionate appearance. Its parts come from various sources, The headbadge is a Cadillac.

The essential feature of this machine is its off-centre hubs – when the bicycle is ridden the wheels bounce up and down to create a dynamic comic effect, with the designs on the full-width metal wheel covers adding to the presentation as the wheels revolve.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1950s BSA ALL-CHROME PERFORMER’S BICYCLE

TO SEE THE 

1950s BSA ALL-CHROME PERFORMER’S BICYCLE 

PLEASE CLICK HERE