the Sting Ray, most desired bike for kids in the 70's

 Getting a photoshoot at the Orange Country dragstrip with a real slingshot dragster... must have made this kids whole year.

found on http://pour15minutesdamour.blogspot.com/2009/10/just-for-fun_29.html

Audrey Hepburn riding a bike, beauty and grace in motion

Found among the great variety of pop culture photos at http://are2.tumblr.com/

San Diego Police Dept bicycle brigade circa 1910's or 20's

"Not in the Bike Lane" another Public Service announcement from Casey

In a nutshell, Casey was ticketed by NYPD for not riding in the bike lane, and he made this video to prove that the bake lane isn't safe, because NYPD doesn't enforce the laws that are in place to keep the bike lane free of obstructions, constructions, cop cars, trash cans, etc etc. Bravo Casey!

Found on http://bikerscafeblog.com/

No chain. An exercise in expensive rolling art, not really comfortable to ride, or affordable.. but it's eyecatching

different seats and tire sizes

photos from http://www.core77.com/blog/object_culture/jruiter_studios_super-minimal_city_bike_15092.asp

The inner city bike was designed by JRUITER + studio as a project asking questions about ultra short inner city travel. What is needed, who is riding, and how far are they going.

As it evolved, the design triggered a shift in time, spurring the questions, “Is there an opportunity to change a timeless product?” “Can we go back and try something new?”

The inner city bike rethinks what a “frame” is, getting rid of basic key components, and creating a new type of urban bicycling.

The positives are easy quick turns, huge power to the rear wheel to go over curbs and up hills, and great start / stopping / sitting situations.

http://bikerscafeblog.com/2010/10/27/inner-city-bikes-icb-36/

the 1948 Bowden Spacelander bicycle, made of fiberglass when it was a big fad, but less than a thousand were made, they were too expensive

The Spacelander is a marvel of postwar biomorphic design. Its curving lines and amoeba-like voids represent the mutation of the prewar streamlined style into a new expression based on organic, rather than machine-made, forms. “Britain Can Make It” exhibition in 1946. Conceived in aluminum, the dynamic form featured a direct drive hub dynamo that stored the downhill energy and released it on uphill runs. The originally prototype for the exhibit was hand-made by the MG Auto Company. Due to the expense of manufacture, the bike did not go into production until 1960, when Bomard Industries of Grand Haven, Michigan contracted with Bowden to create the finished product. The final design was produced in fiberglass and built-in headlight and taillights were added. Ultimately, Bomard Industries went of business and only 522 examples were ever produced.”

http://www.howtobearetronaut.com/2010/08/spacelander-electric-bicycle-1946/ and
http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/2587/Spacelander_Bicycle

According to a Yahoo Answer contributor:

Strangely, the Spacelander was designed about 1946 in aluminum but not placed into production until 1960, so if he has the original 1951 fiberglas prototype it's value is inestimable. A mint 1960 version has seen pricing in the $10,000 to $12,000 range.

The Spacelander, as you probably already know, was reproduced in the 1990s, and I think they are still available today, these can be had for less than a couple of thousand dollars.

above 3 images are from http://www.nostalgic.net/bicycle206.htm

this may be the one I just saw on TV last night on "It's Worth What?", as Case just took this photo in Burbank, and the sign shows that the bike is from the Vintage Cyclery of Pasadena. (Thanks Case!)

Iverson Drag Stripper bicycle

Stupid idea, biking across China in 1892-1893... without roads mostly

After close to eight months of biking across China from Shanghai to the Burmese border in 1892/3 (during which time he was stoned, beaten, robbed, and forced to walk most of the way since the roads weren’t bike-ready), Frank Lenz summed up his trip in a letter home: “God help the unfortunate cycler or traveller who crosses China. I could never do it again.”

from http://bikesintheguo.tumblr.com/post/4547282462/after-close-to-eight-months-of-biking-across-china which is chronicling the bicyle in China, via http://formicarius.tumblr.com/

A variety of unsual vehicles from hippo pulling carts to tanks running Pike's Peak and nuns in bumper cars via formicarus.tumblr

 Milk and butter delivery

All found on http://formicarus.tumblr.com/

Vim tires don't slip

found on http://questionableadvice.tumblr.com/

H A Testard's Bicycle and Cadillac dealership (odd combination) 1910 New Orleans

from http://www.shorpy.com/node/9691

Mirror rims

It's art by Olafur Eliasson found on http://tywkiwdbi.blogspot.com/2011/06/bicycle-with-mirror-wheels.html

Betty Grable, Lawrence Olivier, and Bob Hope riding bikes

http://ridesabike.tumblr.com/ has these and many many more

How did he manage this? And do any young bmx types have a clue they bike in his 80 year old shadow?

Director of the "Our Gang/Little Rascals" and many other films at the Hal Roach studios and both directed and produced Three Stooges films, performed in vaudeville as a kid.

Do you see the stantion tops that are making his trick even harder? That is just nuts. How he rides on the top of a pipe? Insane.

found on http://michiganswampmonkey.tumblr.com/

I found a Dayton, a Cyclone 60, and a Huffy Bluebeard were in the swap meet area at the Bugorama

Stuff that caught my eye at the Irvine Bugorama this past weekend

I've posted about In and Out coming to events before http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2010/10/in-and-out-burger-mobile-restaurant-was.html

But didn't find out that they charge 7.50 a burger with these mobile jobbers... I want you to know that a doubel cheeseburger and a coke are less than 5 bucks at the restaurant. It's a damn good deal.





Didn't know what this was, but Steve came through again! It's a Mexican-built Volkswagen "Hormiga" (means ant). They are known in Germany as the EA489 Basistransporter. Between 1976 and 1977, 3,600 of them were built in Puebla, Mexico. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_EA489_Basistransporter has more info, and in the Philipines it is called a Trakbayan








Nice clever way of mounting the portable Coleman stove
Lots of vintage coolers in the swap meet area



Above is a very early bug deflector, below is a tag I've never seen before... don't know what it's about. Maybe a customizer? Or a dealership?


Lots of matched luggage sets

Interesting and cool top




When the new Beetle was first sold about 6 years ago, it was instantly the best way to advertise your company... because everyone looked at it. I never see those advertising Beetles anymore



Above is the electric motor that the many batteries up front were connected to