I am mildly surprised at the performance of some motorised cyclists. For over three years a friend has cyclemotored 37 miles a day for five, and occasionally, six days a week. The total distance is thus in the region of 30,000 miles. His first engine was pensioned off at 20,000 miles, to be replaced by another of the same type. Time for each 18½ mile trip is approximately 65 minutes. The engine is a Cyclemaster which, of course, drives the rear wheel by chain. Rear tyre mileage is usually about 10,000, which relatively short life may be the result of the tube being slightly under inflated to provide a greater measure of comfort. At the recommended pressure of 40lb/sq.in, the ride is somewhat uncomfortable. Fuel consumption averages a genuine 200mpg. No replacements have been made to the Raleigh bicycle to which the unit is fitted. The first engine required only a new final drive chain, new rubbers in the cush hub, new magneto points and new piston rings during its working life. Cost of the replacements plus one new front tyre, one new rear tyre (each new wheel unit includes a tyre) and the replacement engine totals almost exactly £30. Total cost of fuel and oil works out at about £40 9s 6d for the three years. Tax and insurance for the period total £4 13s. All-in running costs, therefore, work out at 0.6d per mile. When I travel to and from the office by bus and train, the return fare is 4s 8d - or 1.75d per mile of the 32 miles covered. In other words, cyclemotoring need only cost about a third of the expenditure on fares. And, of course, the convenience of having personal transport can hardly be calculated in monetary terms.
This article appeared in Buzzing, Volume 1, Number 2 in Summer
1982;
it was first published in the Motor Cycle, 14 October
1954.
