…Welcome to the World’s first Online Cyclemaster Museum
(This was my first online museum, from 2007. My collecting ‘disease’ subsequently evolved into early vintage bicycles and, though I still have a few Cyclemotors, my primary focus is now bicycles from 1869-1920. You can see them at
My friends think I’m crazy enough anyway riding a cyclemotor; so they’re not particularly surprised about this Online Cyclemaster Museum. But as I’ve already received a few emails asking about it, here’s a brief explanation.
…I’m a photographer/ web designer/ vintage car & motorcycle dealer by day. I restore many old vehicles each year, and collect vintage cyclemotors as my hobby. I decided to combine hobby and work; so after months of slaving away over a hot computer, free internet magazines started to appear [more details on page 63]
The early days of the internet were about sharing information on a non-commercial basis. Though business is always bound to intervene, I feel there has been a welcome renaissance of these fine original ideals. Cyclemotor enthusiasts share a similar outlook, so the two interests seem most compatible.
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Q. What’s the purpose of http://www.Cyclemaster.co.uk?
A. …To bring together enthusiasts from around the world.
A. …To contribute to the internet database of information about cyclemotors, cycle attachments and clip-ons.
A. …To encourage new blood into the vintage vehicle hobby – 1950’s cyclemotors and mopeds are the ideal place to start.
A. …To learn more about the various short periods of time in the 20th century when bicycle engine attachments were manufactured and sold.
A. …And an online museum is much easier than you trudging across our back garden to view the cyclemotors in the garden shed, in the garage, in the conservatory or browsing the ephemera and automobilia in boxes in the attic, on the bookshelves, in the hall, and under the bed.
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The Early 1950s
I’m particularly interested in the early 1950s. Not only was it when I was born, but it was a time of great optimism (nothing necessarily to do with my birth). We’d recently been through the worst time ever with the 2nd World War. We’d all done our bit and mucked in together to get through it. And now, in peacetime, we expected great things…
But life was still very austere in Geat Britain. There was still petrol rationing. Not many people could afford the new cars and motorcycles being manufactured in increasing quantities – and most of them were not available anyway because they had to exported to bring in desperately-needed foreign exchange. The American Government had us over a barrel because of the war loans, and the days of the British Empire were numbered.
So what did we do? We bought silly little engine attachments to fit onto our bicycles. Bicycles were the only thing we had to get us around. Cycle attachment engines were supposed to help them go faster so we could use them to commute to work. But they didn’t. They were so under-powered that we still had to pedal uphill.
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The 21st Century: Why not Recycle a Cycle Attachment?
50 or so years down the road though …the whole idea of an engine attachment to fit into or onto your bicycle seems very quaint. And it’s a cheap way to get into vintage vehicles and ‘time travel’ into the fifties.
That brings us back to these websites. My friends and I encourage you to do just that. Look at adverts in your local paper or scour local boot sales – and buy yourself a vintage bicycle. Fit an engine attachment to it. And relive the early fifties in style.
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Not About Speed
This is obviously not about speed. These engines are the opposite of speed. Maybe that’s why we love them so?
A Cyclemaster or similar engine attachment cocks a snook (try translating that into French) at the latest sexy powerbike. Anyway, why buy new vehicles? There are already too many new vehicles on the road and our cities and motorways can’t cope with the traffic. Older, pre-computerized vehicles are much easier to maintain yourself …and if a cyclemotor breaks down, you can always pedal to your destination.
So why not recycle a cycle?
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Q. What can I see in this online Cyclemaster Museum?
A. …As well as covering the Cyclemaster and its model variations, there are reviews of other cycle attachments that competed with Cyclemaster; and also motorcycle exhibitions of the early 1950’s and general articles of interest to get a feel for the era.
A. …When you purchased a Cyclemaster wheel in the 1950’s to attach to your trusty old bicycle, Cyclemaster Ltd invited you to subscribe to their quarterly magazine, the ‘Magic Wheel.’
In order to create a primary online database for Cyclemaster enthusiasts around the world, these magazines are reproduced here on this Cyclemaster Museum website.
So …why not put the clock back right now? Imagine you’ve just been to the shop to buy your new Cyclemaster wheel. You’ve carried it home on the bus. You are now starting to unpack it from its wrappings. Various paperwork is put to one side as the machine is revealed in all its glory, bright and shiny, staring out at you from its wheel, as if it is daring you to install it right this minute into your battered old bicycle which is leaning against the wall at the front of the house.
But before you respond to that urge, a brochure among the pile of documents on the floor catches your eye. It invites you to subscribe to the ‘Magic Wheel.’ You put down your new Cyclemaster wheel for a minute, and fill in the form.
Now off you go to the post office to get a postal order for 2/- 6d and send off the form. Hey – why not fit the wheel, mix some petrol and oil, and motor to the post office on your new machine?
Enjoy…
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As well as British cyclemotors that competed with the Cyclemaster in the early fifties, you’ll also find some French, Italian and German models reviewed in these pages. I hope you get a good idea of what models the average 1950’s cyclemotor enthusiast might have examined before deciding what to buy.
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Happy Cyclemotoring 🙂
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Copyright – The Cyclemaster Museum 2007
Q. Can I copy anything from this website?
A. …This is a database created for YOU, the enthusiast. All the information is a freely available public resource. Although I do sell some vintage vehicles and I’ve added a link to my sales website (and to my web design website), the Cyclemaster Museum has no commercial intention. It was inspired by the ‘Moped Archive’ which represents years of research and work by its creators.
If you do use anything from the Cyclemaster Museum on your own website, it would be appreciated if you add a link to the appropriate page by way of acknowledgement.
www.Cyclemaster.co.uk 
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