Magic wheels

During the 1950s, a group of cyclemotorists from Warwickshire and the surrounding area formed The Magic Wheelers. Members proudly wore their club badge that employed the outline of the ubiquitous Cyclemaster as its emblem. At the founding meeting of the VMCC Cyclemotor Section more than 35 years ago, its co-founder, the late Stan Greenway, produced his original badge that was re-created for this non-territorial section. While past or present cyclemotoring activities aren’t at the heart of this feature, magic wheels are.

The concept is simple – take a regular cycle or other appropriate rolling chassis and replace one wheel with a motorised wheel. Does the idea have flaws, and if so, what? Makers thought not, depicting smartly attired young men accompanied by their lady loves gliding through rolling countryside on his and hers’ cyclemotors, district nurses rushing to their next call, businessmen dashing into town, youngsters delivering newspapers and they even implied attaching small sidecars was a reality. And, yes, people have gone on holiday riding a tandem powered by a magic wheel with a toddler thrust into the sidecar and camping kit strapped about the vehicle.

Think of motor wheels and we think of powering cycles, but they’ve been fitted to tandems, scooters, tricycles, governess carts, cyclecars, light commercial vehicles and a few enthusiasts have really let their imagination run wild!

More than 100 years ago, renowned ‘works’ trials rider Muriel Hind started her motorcycling career riding one. They have been raced, set world records and tough souls have endured sheer misery riding huge distances