Age of the autocycle
Simple to operate, and boasting more of an old-fashioned, dignified presence than the 50cc mopeds that superseded them in the 1950s, 98cc autocycles remained the popular choice for commuters for many years. With the invaluable help of archivist Jane Skaym
The mid-to-late 1930s, 1940s and early 1950s were the heyday of the autocycle. Built mostly around stiffened ladies’-type bicycle frames, with large-diameter wheels, these simple ride-to-work machines were powered generally by single-speed 98cc two-stroke Villiers engines (or, in a few notable instances, those of other manufacturers) and offered much more of an old-fashioned, dignified presence than the 50cc mopeds that superseded them in the 1950s.
When I was a schoolboy, autocycles buzzed around everywhere, but I never recall anyone riding one in full motorcycle gear. To the civil servants, adventurous ladies, vicars and midwives who rode them, they represented an agreeable step up from the fully chaincased Sunbeam and Raleigh bicycles that had probably preceded them.
I have fond memories of a late uncle who lived in Runcorn, Cheshire, arriving home on his autocycle one tea-time around 1952. After placing it on its stand in the back garden, he lifted me on to its lovely sprung saddle. Being only eight years old at the time, I have no idea what make it was, but to me it was quite magnificent and has remained in my memory ever since.
Six years ago, in a Readers’
Queries spread sponsored by Castrol in an issue of sister title The
Classic MotorCycle, esteemed columnist Richard Rosenthal went to great pains to list the best-known makers of autocycles, and the Villiers engines that powered most of them, and I can do no better than repeat his words here.
The first Villiers engine to be fitted to an autocycle was the horizontal 98cc 50mm bore and stroke Junior, featuring an iron barrel and head cast as one and angled cooling fins, which was produced from 1934 until 1939. It was followed by the Junior De Luxe (1940-1948) which had a separate aluminium alloy cylinder head mounted to a cast iron barrel, and finally came the 99cc 2F unit (1949-58), with a forward-sloping barrel and detachable aluminium alloy head, and a bore and stroke of 47 x 57mm.
All these engines were of a singlespeed design with clutch, flywheel magneto and lighting coils, and of the three, spares are more plentiful for the 2F. For readers lucky enough to own an old autocycle, such parts can be supplied by Villiers Services, of No. 3 Merry Hill, Quarry Bank, Brierley Hill, West Midlands, DY5 1SD (01384 265797).
Among the best-remembered models listed by Richard (all Villierspowered unless stated) were the Aberdale Autocycle, Bown Auto Roadster, Cyc-Auto (engines by various makers), Excelsior Autobyk (Excelsior Goblin engine from 1947), Francis-Barnett Powerbike 50 and
56, HEC Power Cycle (Levis engines), James Standard, De-Luxe and Superlux, New Hudson (acquired by BSA in 1946), Norman Motobyk, DeLuxe, Carrier and Model C, Raynal Auto De-Luxe, Rudge Autocycle and Sun De-Luxe and Autocycle.
A wonderful source of information and companionship for those who love pottering around on autocycles, cyclemotors, mopeds and very small scooters is The National Autocycle and Cyclemotor Club, which has several branches in the UK and a wonderful members’ magazine called Buzzing. Although activities are currently curtailed because of the coronavirus crisis, you can find out more by going to www. thebuzzingclub.co.uk .
Mortons’ irreplaceable archive turned up a treasure trove of autocycle photos, advertisements, sales pamphlets and original road tests to support this feature, and I am indebted to our archivist Jane Skayman for all the hard work put into she emailing all the images over to me at home during the coronavirus lockdown.
The first of this month’s road tests relates to the sophisticated (by autocycle standards) 98cc twospeed Excelsior ‘Autobyk’, which appeared under the heading ‘Road Tests of 1947 models’ in the October 17, 1946 issue of Motor Cycling ,and such was the importance of these simple machines at the time that it ran to a full two pages.
From the outset in the 1930s, the appeal of the autocycle was its sheer simplicity – no gears to worry about, bicycle-style pedals to get the engine started, small but ‘adequate’ brakes, sometimes of the back-pedalling type, a simple handlebar lever throttle control and maybe a rear carrier, bulb horn and bicycle pump – and any progress from such a basic idea was absolute anathema to many autocycle devotees.
Fully aware of this view, the ‘Green ‘Un’s’ report began: “Protagonists of the autocycle, always eager to point to the universal appeal of a machine so simple and easily handled, have felt compelled to protest frequently against possible complication.
“Their argument is that any additional features, even a gearbox, would tend to create prejudice in the minds of prospective purchasers – especially workaday cyclists and elderly people who can no longer face the strain of pedalling but who will not countenance the use of anything approaching a conventional motorcycle.
An elegantly dressed lady with her hat in her hand poses pointedly on the cover of this 1940s’ sales brochure for a Francis-Barnett ‘Powerbike’ autocycle.
The popular male ‘riding gear’ for an autocycle entailed a long coat, a trilby hat and perhaps even a pipe full of sweet tobacco as he buzzed along. The traffic around this Francis-Barnett looks interesting, too!
’ silencer showing the resonance damper.
Listed at £50 3s 4d including purchase tax (although a speedometer cost an extra £3 3s 6d) the 1947 Excelsior ‘Autobyk’, tested in October 1946, had outstanding performance for a machine of its type.