1914 La Vigne cyclecar advertisement.

Cyclecars were small, generally inexpensive cars manufactured mainly between 1910 and the late 1920s.

General description

Cyclecars were propelled by single cylinder, V-twin or more rarely four cylinder engines, often air cooled. Sometimes these had been originally used in motorcycles and other components from this source such as gearboxes were also employed. Cyclecars were half way between motorcycles and cars and were fitted with lightweight bodies, sometimes in a tandem two-seater configuration and could be primitive with minimal comfort and weather protection. They used various layouts and means of transmitting the engine power to the wheels, such as belt drive or chain drive often to one rear wheel only to avoid having to provide a differential. A scooter and a motorcycle Mika Kallios KTM125 racing motorcycle A motorcycle or motorbike is a single-track, two-wheeled motor-vehicle powered by an engine. ... v-belt flat belt Belts are used to mechanically link two or more rotating items. ... Roller chain and sprocket Mack AC delivery truck at the Petersen Automotive Museum with chain drive visible Chain drive was a popular power transmission system from the earliest days of the automobile. ... A differential can mean one of several things: Differential (mathematics) Differential (mechanics) Differential signaling is used to carry high speed digital signals. ...

The rise of cyclecars was a direct result of reduced taxation both for registration and annual licences of lightweight small engined cars. In France, for example, a car classed for reduced rates if it weighed less than 350 kg.

On 14 December 1912, at a meeting of the Federation Internationale des Clubs Moto Cycliste, it was formally decided that there should be an international classification of cyclecars to be accepted by the United Kingdom, Canada, United States, France, Holland, Belgium, Italy, Austria and Germany. It was also decided to establish two classes of cyclecars, as follows; December 14 is the 348th day of the year (349th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1912 (MCMXII) was a leap year starting on Monday in the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday in the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ...

• (i) Large class
  • Maximum weight 350 kg
  • Maximum engine capacity 1100 cc
  • Minimum tyre section 60 mm.
• (ii) Small class
  • Minimum weight 150 kg
  • Maximum weight 300 kg
  • Maximum engine capacity 750 cc
  • Minimum tyre section 55 mm.

All cyclecars were to have clutches and change-speed gears. This requirement could be fulfilled by even the simplest devices such as provision for slipping the belt on the pulley to act as a clutch, and varying of the pulley diameter to change the gear ratio.

The cyclecars appear

From 1898 to 1910, automobile production quickly expanded. Light cars of that era were commonly known as voiturettes. The smaller cyclecars appeared around 1910 with a boom shortly before the outbreak of World War I. Karl Benzs Velo (vélo means bicycle in French) model (1894) - entered into the first automobile race 2005 MINI CooperS. An automobile (also motor car or simply car) is a wheeled passenger vehicle that carries its own motor. ... Voiturettes are small three-wheeled cars produced in France, most notably in the years following World War II. Categories: Stub | Automobiles ... Combatants Allied Powers: Russian Empire France British Empire Italy United States Central Powers: Austria-Hungary German Empire Ottoman Empire Bulgaria Commanders Nicholas II Aleksei Brusilov Georges Clemenceau Joseph Joffre Ferdinand Foch Robert Nivelle Herbert Henry Asquith Sir Douglas Haig Sir John Jellicoe Victor Emmanuel III Luigi Cadorna Armando Diaz Woodrow...

The first successful cyclecars were Bédélia of France and G.N. from Britain. Bédélia (in English usually written as Bedelia) was the archetype of the French cyclecars. ...

Sporting cars and cyclecar races

Some cyclecars such as Amilcar, Major or Salmson of France had good enough performance and handling to be regrded as sports cars. The Amilcar was a French automobile manufactured from 1921 to 1939. ...

Races dedicated for cyclecars were also run with the first event of this kind organised by the Automobile Club de France in 1913 and a Cyclecar GP at Le Mans in 1920. The Automobile Club of France (French : Automobile Club de France) (ACF) is a prestigious mens club founded on November 12, 1895 by Albert de Dion, Paul Meyan, and its first president, the Dutch-born Baron, Etienne van Zuylen van Nijevelt. ... Le Mans is a city in France, located at the Sarthe River. ...

The decline of cyclecars

By the early 1920's the days of the cyclecar were numbered. Mass producers, such as Ford, were able to reduce their prices to undercut those of the usually small cyclecar makers. Similar affordable cars were offered in Europe such as the Citroën 5CV, Austin 7 or Morris Cowley. It has been suggested that this article be split into articles entitled Ford Motor Company and Ford (vehicles). ... Production ran from 1922 - 1926 with almost 81,000 units being made. ... The Austin 7 was a vintage car produced from 1922 through 1939 in the United Kingdom. ... The 1950s Morris Cowley was a four-cylinder midsize car from the Morris Motor Company produced from 1954 to 1959. ...

The cyclecar boom was over. The majority of cyclecar manufacturers closed down. Some companies such as Chater-Lea survived by returning to the manufacture of motorcycles.

After World War II small, economic cars were again in demand and a new set of manufacturers appeared. The cyclecar name did not reappear however and the cars were called microcars by enthusiasts and bubble cars by the general population. Combatants Allied Powers Axis Powers Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000,000 Total dead: 50,000,000 Military dead: 8,000,000 Civilian dead: 4,000,000 Total dead 12,000,000 World War II (abbreviated WWII), or the Second World War, was a worldwide conflict... This Smart car is now considered an example of a microcar, in spite of weighing as much as a Volkswagen Beetle A microcar is an extremely small automobile. ... A microcar is a particularly and extremely small automobile. ...

Cyclecars by countries

Twombly was a cyclecar manufactured in the US by Driggs-Seabury between 1913 and 1915. ...

Argentina

• Viglione

Austria

• Grofri

Grofri was the brand of cars manufactured in Austria from 1924 to 1927 under the licence of the French Amilcar. ...

Belgium

• SCH

Canada

• Dart Cycle Car Co
• Glen Motor Company
• Gramm

Czechoslovakia

• Vaja

France

The Ajams was a French automobile, built in Neuilly by M. Ajams in 1920. ... The Alcyon was a French automobile, manufactured between 1906 and 1928. ... The Amilcar was a French automobile manufactured from 1921 to 1939. ... Ardex A small French automobile manufacturer. ... The Astatic was a French automobile manufactured from 1920 to 1922. ... Bédélia (in English usually written as Bedelia) was the archetype of the French cyclecars. ... The Bucciali was a French automobile manufactured from 1922 until 1933. ... Mullahs in the court of a Qajar monarch, Iran. ... The Quo Vadis was a French cyclecar manufactured in Courbevoie from 1921 until 1923. ... A seneschal was an officer in the houses of important nobles in the Middle Ages. ...

Germany

• Arimofa
• Koco
• Pluto
• Spinell
• Staiger

The Arimofa was a German automobile manufactured between 1921 and 1922 by Ari-Motorfahrzeugbau GmbH of Plauen, Vogtland. ...

Italy

• Amilcar Italiana
• Anzani

Amilcar Italiana manufactured some French Amilcar automobile models in Italy from 1925 to 1928 under licence granted in 1925 to . ... The Anzani was an Italian automobile manufactured from 1923 to 1924 by a company, founded by Alessandro Anzani. ...

Spain

• Alvarez
• David
• Izaro
• JBR
• Salvador

Alvarez may refer to: // Surname Alvarez is a common Patronymic surname in the Spanish language, meaning Son of Álvar (old Castillian name, contemporary Álvaro). ... David Torpedo 2 S David was a Spanish company manufacturing cars. ...

Sweden

• Mascot
• Self

Mascot was a car made by AB Rååverken in Helsingborg around 1920. ...

United Kingdom

The Adamson was an English car manufactured from 1914 to 1925. ... The Aero Car was an English 5/7 hp (533 W) flat twin_engine cyclecar manufactured from 1919 to 1920. ... The Allwyn, or Allwin (sources show differing spellings) was a British cyclecar manufactured by Allwyn Cyclecars in Bournemouth, Hampshire in 1920. ... The Alvechurch was a British cyclecar manufactured by the Alvechurch Light Car Company in Alvechurch, near Birmingham in 1921. ... The Amazon was a cyclecar produced by Amazon Cars Ltdin London, England from 1921 to 1922. ... The Archer was a British cyclecar designed by M Archer and made in 1920. ... The Armstrong was an English automobile manufactured from 1902 to 1904; claimed to be the best hill-climber extant, the car featured an 8hp International engine. ... Athmac This short-lived cyclecar was manufactured by Athmac Motor Company of Leyton, Essex in 1913. ... The Atomette was a British three wheeled cyclecar manufactured by Allan Thomas in Cleveland Street, Wolverhampton in 1922. ... The Autotrix was a British three wheeled cyclecar manufactured by Edmunds and Wadden in Weybridge, Surrey between 1911 and 1914. ... The AV was a British cyclecar manufactured by Ward and Avey in Somerset Road, Teddington Middlesex between 1919 and 1924. ... Coventry-Victor Morton & Weaver, a proprietary engine manufacturer in Hillfields, Coventry, used the name Coventry-Victor as a trademark from 1911. ... Dew on a spider web Dew is water in the form of droplets that appears on thin, exposed objects in the morning or evening. ... The GN was a British cyclecar made in Hendon, North London, between 1910 and 1920, then moving to Wandsworth, London. ... Imperial was the name used for three separate makes of British car. ... The Lambert was a British 3 wheeled cyclecar made between 1911 and 1912 by Lamberts Carriage, Cycle and Motor Works of Thetford, Norfolk. ... Tiny was a British cyclecar manufactured by Norman, Barker & Co at Elsholt, Yorkshire before the World War I. After the war, the same company produced cars under Airedale brand. ... Wherwell is a village in Hampshire, England. ...

United States

The Coey was an American automobile manufactured from 1913 to 1917. ... The Malcolm Jones was an American automobile manufactured in Detroit from 1914 to 1915. ... The Motor Bob was an American cyclecar manufactured in Buffalo, New York, only in 1914. ... The O-We-Go was an American cyclecar manufactured in 1914. ... Twombly was a cyclecar manufactured in the US by Driggs-Seabury between 1913 and 1915. ... The Xenia was an American cyclecar designed by P. E. Hawkins and manufactured in 1914. ...

See also

• List of automobile manufacturers
• Kei car

// The following data show the automobile manufacturers which produce or have produced automobiles, and some data on their relative sizes. ... Silver and white Mitsubishi i Daihatsu Copen Daihatsu Cuore Suzuki Cappuccino Subaru R1 Kei car (K-car), also called keijidōsha (in Japanese: 軽自動車 light motor vehicle), is a Japanese category of small automobiles, including passenger cars, vans and pickup trucks. ...

Books

• 'From Cyclecar to Microcar - The Story of the Cyclecar Movement'. Author - Michael Worthington-Williams. Publisher Beaulieu Books 1981.
• 'Minimal Motoring - From Cyclecar to Microcar'. Author - David Thirlby. Publisher Tempus Publishing Ltd ISBN 0-7524-2367-3, 2002.

External links

• Modern Mechanics Cyclecar Plans
• North American Cyclecars
• Cyclecar rivals to the Morgan 3 wheeler