Ok i know a lot of the guys on here are cyclists, and also like there motorbikes, so i was wondering if any of the crowd have ever owned a Velosolex? being a lanky lad i look a bit daft on top of a traditional pedal and pop and i remembered the old french velosolex'es have bigger pushbike style wheels and are at least road legal here unlike those clip on type pushbike engines you can buy from china to stick on a mountain bike. besides i also like the look of them, there quirky... and basically being a pushbike they would be easy to get onto a bike rack on a car.
They also seem to have plenty of cheap spares, and are not that dear to buy, well not compared to a cub, or some of the other mopeds out there (kreidler florett!) the model i was thinking of was a 3800 as its the most powerful at all of 0.75hp!, and last of the french built ones.
I had a very expensive and nice mountain bike, ally frame, proper dual suspension, all the goodies, which i sold to fund my first red C90 5yr or so back, to be honest i was a bit to lazy for the pushbike.. it was like new when sold. but i figure with the little engine to help i might be a bit more inclined to cycle more if i chuck it on the back of the car and i get to some pretty places to do a slow tour on. or use it to potter off to the local shops. besides I'm planning ahead for a winter project. but wanna know if there truly awful, and as much fun as herpes!
If anyone here has one hidden away going cheap.. drop me a pm!
Velosolex... how "fun" are they?
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Cerberus73
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Jon
Re: Velosolex... how "fun" are they?
I had a 3800 a couple of years ago. It was the square framed model...Not the most elegant but reasonably capable. they are rarely registered over here so you have to go through the hoops a bit to get them legal...Because they were classified as mopeds rather than autocycles they were competing against 'proper' mopeds like NSU Quicklies so very few were sold. twiggy had one for a bit mind.
They have a strange fuel system. as the petrol tank is on the motor, and the carb up above they use a primitive fuel pump to lift the fuel up. It's basically a rubber diaphragm with a shuttle valve that is operated via a hole in the crankcase. As the engine turns, crankcase pressure 'blows' through the hole, flaps the diaphragm and pumps the fuel. This wears out and they won't run. the good news is that a lot of them now have dead fuel pumps as the diaphragm is knackered and so can be bought as 'non runners', but you can find diaphragm material and cut your own...I did... Worked a treat!
If i remember rightly, the earlier ones with the inverted brake levers don't have enough equipment to get them type approved for the UK...The last ones with conventional brake levers, twin mirrors and crucially, electric horns, WILL get approval.. But it's a mine field.
Top speed, about 15 mph. Front tyre wear, terrible as the stone drive wheel bears onto it. They have a special tyre too, with a raised centre tread to take the drive wheel and they are quite pricy. Rims rust badly too
Personally, I'd much prefer a PC50 having had both...Or if I had to get a Velo, a 50's round frame tubed one like this;
...the 60's onward 3800's are a bit boxy to my mind...
They have a strange fuel system. as the petrol tank is on the motor, and the carb up above they use a primitive fuel pump to lift the fuel up. It's basically a rubber diaphragm with a shuttle valve that is operated via a hole in the crankcase. As the engine turns, crankcase pressure 'blows' through the hole, flaps the diaphragm and pumps the fuel. This wears out and they won't run. the good news is that a lot of them now have dead fuel pumps as the diaphragm is knackered and so can be bought as 'non runners', but you can find diaphragm material and cut your own...I did... Worked a treat!
If i remember rightly, the earlier ones with the inverted brake levers don't have enough equipment to get them type approved for the UK...The last ones with conventional brake levers, twin mirrors and crucially, electric horns, WILL get approval.. But it's a mine field.
Top speed, about 15 mph. Front tyre wear, terrible as the stone drive wheel bears onto it. They have a special tyre too, with a raised centre tread to take the drive wheel and they are quite pricy. Rims rust badly too
Personally, I'd much prefer a PC50 having had both...Or if I had to get a Velo, a 50's round frame tubed one like this;
...the 60's onward 3800's are a bit boxy to my mind...
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Cerberus73
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Re: Velosolex... how "fun" are they?
Its all to do with wheel size... 34 inside leg here... so most ped's just feel cramped. i would buy one that already had a plate on it and was road legal. to be honest it would be more of a "toy" than serious transport. i do like the look of the older models but there seriously underpowered at about 0.4hp and im 16 stone. the ones i have seen have a drum brake on rear and a beefier version of pushbike block brakes on front. i guess I'm getting nostalgic in my old age, they have that "look" i like. and hey i cant afford to buy a honda cub motorised pushbike... my pockets aint quite that deep!
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Boo
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Jon
Re: Velosolex... how "fun" are they?
If you're after a big wheeled 'ped, look at early NSU Quicklys...The ones with the little peanut tank. Cracking engine, two speed twist grip shift, great looks...Cerberus73 wrote:Its all to do with wheel size... 34 inside leg here... so most ped's just feel cramped. i would buy one that already had a plate on it and was road legal. to be honest it would be more of a "toy" than serious transport. i do like the look of the older models but there seriously underpowered at about 0.4hp and im 16 stone. the ones i have seen have a drum brake on rear and a beefier version of pushbike block brakes on front. i guess I'm getting nostalgic in my old age, they have that "look" i like. and hey i cant afford to buy a honda cub motorised pushbike... my pockets aint quite that deep!
Might be a bit pricey mind...
I sold mine for £400 odd quid, certainly up in PC50 territory.....
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Cerberus73
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Re: Velosolex... how "fun" are they?
Ah the guy i bought my red 90 off has a couple of nsu quicklys and the man i had the NC50 off had a mint restored one. didnt know if they were any good, he also has a camino and a couple of raleigh RM 6's
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Jon
Re: Velosolex... how "fun" are they?
my mate had a later Quickly, the three speed with a more boxy tank and dual seat. Like a lot of those bikes, you could lock the clutch lever in with a clip and pedal it like a bicycle. unlike my Puch though with it's engine speed pedal cranks., the Quickly's cycle gearing worked through the gearbox so you could pedal assist the motor for super quick starts!Cerberus73 wrote:Ah the guy i bought my red 90 off has a couple of nsu quicklys and the man i had the NC50 off had a mint restored one. didnt know if they were any good, he also has a camino and a couple of raleigh RM 6's
The motors famously had chrome plated barrels and were the basis for a lot of 50 cc clubman racers and speed record bikes back in the 60's as they could endure silly amounts of tuning. A favorite trick was to run the speed bikes with bicycle chain as when the stupidly over-tuned motors let go, the chain would instantly snap rather than locking the wheel.....legend had it there was a 100 mph Quickly.....
Good for around 35-40 mph, and very reliable...tyres from http://www.mopedland.ukfsn.org/spares.html
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andyk1k
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Re: Velosolex... how "fun" are they?
While on this subject the cyclemaster is an option !! 300 mpg !!! and I had one up to 20 mph ....also they can be bought for peanuts still, and theres ample spares,paid 80 notes for mine then bought an old butchers style bike from a local scrapyard for a tenner put the two together and made over 300 hundred quid on fleabay !! only downside is wearing a helmit while on a pushbike and getting it all legal ect,but proberly one of the best cyclemotors there is............
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r80rob
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Re: Velosolex... how "fun" are they?
Missed this, I have 2 of them, both in the process of being restored. Great fun for short journeys and as mentioned very easy to get spares for, lots of technical help available through NACC.
As mentioned they don't need plates in France and would need registering in this country, I'm in the process of doing this now.
Looking forward to getting my two up and running as his and hers transport for some of the bigger classic car shows and to take when we go on holiday.
As mentioned they don't need plates in France and would need registering in this country, I'm in the process of doing this now.
Looking forward to getting my two up and running as his and hers transport for some of the bigger classic car shows and to take when we go on holiday.
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Cerberus73
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Re: Velosolex... how "fun" are they?
well i know where theres a pair of peanut tank 2 speed NSU Quickly's and i can get them cheap... but i do love the look of the velosolex. me and a chum fancy building a teardrop mini caravan, fit a bike rack to it and carry a pair of either of those peds on it. but have to be in keeping with the old school looks of the caravan. it has to be light and small enough to tow behind a VW polo.