# Strange type of bicycle **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 24, 2002, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-type-of-bicycle/115688 "2002-06-24T11:59:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2002, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-type-of-bicycle/115688/1 "2002-06-24T11:59:57Z")
When I was in high school I saw a documentary on TV about bicycles over the ages. They talked about several novel types and one of them made a huge impression on me and I’ve wanted one ever since. Problem is, I’ve never ever seen anything about them again or know what they were called or anything. They didn’t have a seat–you stood on them. The back wheel attached to the frame like any bike does, but the front wheel was attached more like train wheels. The axle was sort of U shaped. The platform (sort of skateboard size/shape) was between the two wheels, attached to each axle. You rode the thing by sort of bobbing up and down on the platform. The front part went up and down as the U went around the wheel… it sort of reminded me of the old sewing machines that had the rocker thing underneath that you worked with your foot to make the belt turn the mechanisms. Anyone seen/heard/whatever anything about a bike like this? ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2002, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-type-of-bicycle/115688/2 "2002-06-24T12:40:14Z")
This is similar, but it really doesn’t look like what I remembered… [http://www.ohtm.org/1935ingo.html](http://www.ohtm.org/1935ingo.html) How hard would it be to make something like this out of old bike parts? ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2002, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-type-of-bicycle/115688/3 "2002-06-24T18:25:28Z")
It would seem like some kind of treadle machine, but it would have to be either very early at least pre 1870 or even sooner, or a later novelty item. There is a distinction drawn between vintage bicycles and antique bicycles, I believe antique must be at least 100 years old and vintages must be over 20 years old. From around 1870 you had penny farthings, or high wheelers as they are also known, so I’d imagine this device to be from befoer this period. It could also be a childs toy, like a cross between a scooter and a bicycle or an experimental ladies machine, since riding other machines entailed the wearing of bloomers and was not considered to be very ladylike. By 1890 the true forrunner of modern machine with chain and diamond frame had begun to appear, this was the safety bicycle. My guess is that it might be something built by Willard Sawyer in the mid 1800’s, he built some frankly strange devices better descrpibed as velocipedes rather than bicycles but he was very innovative and it could be one of his outtakes. Something about him [http://www.dover.gov.uk/museum/resource/articles/sawyer.htm](http://www.dover.gov.uk/museum/resource/articles/sawyer.htm) I’ve been through a couple of hundred websites but I cannot find anything you describe, so it must be a bit of an oddball ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2002, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-type-of-bicycle/115688/4 "2002-06-24T23:46:28Z")
Well the Ingo-Bike in my previous post is from 1935 and seems to be the same principal as the one I saw… and my memory may be inaccurate and it is the same. I want one so bad! Not an old one, but a new one made with the same principles (like something that I could find someone to build custom) ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2002, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-type-of-bicycle/115688/5 "2002-06-25T00:59:54Z")
Well, it would certainly be possible to custom-build one, given enough information. There’s a guy around here I’ve seen who rides a bicycle that one sits on sideways. I have no idea what the use for such a thing might be, as he has to turn his head to the side to see where he’s going, but he seems happy with it. And way back in college, I and a few others built a tricycle sort of thing powered by a rowing machine for a class project (grrr… 200 hours of work outside class for three measley free elective credits). Unfortunately, I have no idea who you would see to get such a thing custom built, only that such people do in fact exist. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2002, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-type-of-bicycle/115688/6 "2002-06-25T01:21:48Z")
[Here](http://users.rcn.com/eye/bicycles.html) are some cool old bikes, but not like you describe. Lot’s more cool ones at the [Bicycle Museum of America](http://www.bicyclemuseum.com/Html/main.html), but again no cigar. Here’s an [Australian bike museum](http://canberrabicyclemuseum.info/images.htm). If you can’t be with the one you love, love the one you’re with. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2002, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-type-of-bicycle/115688/7 "2002-06-25T01:35:00Z")
Since I’m intrigued, I’m still looking. The treadle bike [on his page](http://www.pennyfarthingtours.com.au/pennyfarthings.html) is kind of close. ---
**Author:** ![Motog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85e7bf/32.png) [@Motog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motog)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2002, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-type-of-bicycle/115688/8 "2002-06-25T03:31:55Z")
I’ve definitely seen something like what you describe. From my recollection it had one treadle for each foot. Here’s a modern version [http://www.stepngo.com/jennifer.htm](http://www.stepngo.com/jennifer.htm) I’ll see if I can’t find domething else ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2002, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-type-of-bicycle/115688/9 "2002-06-25T10:42:38Z")
Here’s another modern version: [http://www.bouncerbike.com/index.html](http://www.bouncerbike.com/index.html) They say it’s the “the world’s first front-wheel-drive bouncing scooter” but it’s exactly the same as the one described in the OP. I found it in the Links section of [this homepage](http://www.the-spa.com/rcgilmore/). Its [companion site](http://www.geocities.com/rcgilmore3/index.html) has a lot more photos, but the above link isn’t there. ---
**Author:** ![Dijon\_Warlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9a28c/32.png) [@Dijon\_Warlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dijon_Warlock)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2002, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-type-of-bicycle/115688/10 "2002-06-25T10:44:23Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by waterj2 \* > \*\* And way back in college, I and a few others built a tricycle sort of thing powered by a rowing machine for a class project (grrr… 200 hours of work outside class for three measley free elective credits)._\* [Shoulda marketed it](http://www.rowbike.com/threewheeler.html). ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2002, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-type-of-bicycle/115688/11 "2002-06-25T10:50:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dijon Warlock \* > \*\*[Shoulda marketed it](http://www.rowbike.com/threewheeler.html). \*\* [This one](http://www.rowingbike.com/) is much better. I just got one myself. It’s a great way to excercise. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2002, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-type-of-bicycle/115688/12 "2002-06-25T15:38:30Z")
I think I saw the kind of bike you were describing. The drive wheel had an off-center hub: bouncing up and down on the foot plate acted upon the hub like a crank-shaft. Is that what you saw? ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2002, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-type-of-bicycle/115688/13 "2002-06-27T00:25:48Z")
> [@](#): > > Shoulda marketed it. Well, it wasn’t really possible to steer it at all accurately. Or left. Another group did the same thing, which manœuvred much better, but was only capable of being propelled through massive effort. And I remembered that the Museum of Transportation has a big bicycle event where people bring all sorts of strange things from yesteryear to sell. If you’re in the vicinity of Brookline, Mass. on August 18th, it’ll be all day at Larz Anderson field. I’m planning on attending, and I’ll try to keep an eye out for that sort of thing. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2002, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-type-of-bicycle/115688/14 "2002-06-27T17:18:55Z")
Enola: yes. It looked like so much fun! Just bouncing up and down … la la la… ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2002, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-type-of-bicycle/115688/15 "2002-06-27T18:13:16Z")
So it is exactly the same design as the[Bouncer Bike](http://www.bouncerbike.com/index.html) which I mentioned above. You can get your own for $200. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2002, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-type-of-bicycle/115688/16 "2002-06-28T00:22:13Z")
Err, yes I saw your link the first time and bookmarked it.