MAKE: Blog: Steam bicycles

Steam bicycles

Stbike1A
There is something in the air, and it's steam... A few Makers sent in some steam powered bicycles, here's a round up... know of others? Post in the comments.

Lffull
The Roper Steam motorcycle "Bob Jorgensen of Memphis took "Motocycles 1899" and immediately fabricated the engine that Sylvester H Roper used on his steam motorcycle. The original boiler which Bob has yet to build provided 160 to 225 psi of steam. Roper died while racing his motorcycle at the age of 73!"- Link.

Arc0373A
The Hudspith Steam Bicycle, by Geoff Hudspith The engine is a horizontai single-cylinder, double-acting one of my own design. The bore is 1 3/8" and the stroke is 1 1/4", giving about 1/4hp, depending on the pressure of the steam. I ran and exhibited the engine and boiler for several years as a stationary unit driving a 12V dynamo. During this period I made several improvements to the engine, eg: making a boiler feed pump driven by an eccentric on the crankshaft, and controlled by a by-pass valve to the right of the engine. - Link.

Michauxvelocipede
Michaux-Perreaux steam bicycle - This is normally considered to be the first motorcycle. Built in France, 1868-1869. The engine is mounted at 45 degrees on the main frame member; behind it is the boiler, with what appear to be fuel and water tanks. Note that this is a velocipede, not a Safety Bicycle, and the pedals are mounted directly on the front wheel. - Link.

Genevasteamlrg-1
1896 Geneva steam bicycle "This authentically restored bicycle, manufactured by the Geneva Bicycle and Steam Carriage Co. in Geneva Ohio, is fitted with a steam engine built on the design of Lucius Copeland, who built his first steam vehicle based on a Star high wheeled bicycle in 1886. It will travel at 12 miles per hour, although maintaining a head of steam at that speed is difficult." - Link.

Related:

Comments

Oldest comments listed first.

Posted by: Stokes on September 22, 2006 at 1:21 PM

Personally, I don't think I'd want to ride the bikes depicted in images 1, 2 and 4. External combustion engines are cool, but the idea of straddling a pressure-cooker makes me a bit nervous. :)

Posted by: jenming on September 22, 2006 at 9:09 PM

, which he built by himself. It obviously wasn't nearly as early as some of the bikes pictured above. If you'd like more information on it, reply here or send me a message.

Posted by: philliptorrone on September 22, 2006 at 9:14 PM

jenming - email more details! pt at makezine dot com

Posted by: jenming on September 22, 2006 at 9:26 PM

(apologies for the first typo-killed post)
Here's a pic of my uncle's Steam-powered bike, which he built by himself. It obviously wasn't nearly as early as some of the bikes pictured above. If you'd like more information on it, reply here or send me a message.

Posted by: Crabfu on September 22, 2006 at 10:09 PM

Wow jenming, I'd love to see / hear more about your uncle's bike. Any detail that you can provide would be greatly appriciated :) Now that's a giant of a piston... double? holly cow... did he ever find and fitted a boiler big enough to power it?

Posted by: judyofthewoods on September 24, 2006 at 2:33 PM

I love to see crankshafts being driven by eccentrics. Eccentrics make the world a more colourful place - speaking from experience, of course ;)

Posted by: Pekar on September 24, 2006 at 6:40 PM

http://www.flickr.com/photos/47642593@N00/251919239/
one more.

Posted by: dvaidj2k8 on September 21, 2008 at 1:49 AM

jenming's uncle's steam bike

jenming i would love to hear more about & see phots of your uncle's steam bike, also sum info on how to go about building a good steam bike be very helpfull as i would love to make a steam bike, e-mail me at djohnson@f2s.com
Thanks

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