Our Quadricycles

Henry Fords Quadracycle and mine.

You may not think there are any similarities, but at one time Ford motor and American Speedster had the same number of employees, ONE. Well he did have over a hundred year head start. The year was 1896 Henry’s entry into the automotive market, make that horseless carriage market, was what he called a Quadricycle. In later years when asked if he invented the automobile his answer was no, but he did claim the first garage door when it required an ax to liberate the vehicle from his work shed. The Quadracycle labeled as such because of four wheels not four cylinders, it had two. The size of the vehicle was very similar to our Side Kick.

So why 4 wheels? Other inventors were experimenting with two and 3 wheels with some success. Two wheels are stable enough but can be dangerous on wet pavement. A tricycle is the most unstable of the three configurations and neither is suitable in inclement weather. With a four wheel configuration some provision must be made to insure all wheels are in contact with the pavement at all times. The Side Kick accomplishes this through the flex built into the PVC frame. There are several reasons for using PVC pipe for frame construction it is easily customized to fit multiple design changes it will not rust and is easy to paint. Did I mention readily available and requires no welding. Our frame is strengthened by adding the steel top rail of a chain-link fence inside the lower frame rails. our unique design with a large shared pedal in the center of the crank allows both driver and passenger to pedal but on a narrower frame so it can be used on most bike paths. Both Side kicks classic and Side Kick 2 lend them selves to customizing with additional power. Electric hub motors are the most practical, because they are very easy to install, even after the bike has been in service for some time. A 48-volt electric wheel can easily power two riders up a very steep hill, and deliver up to 20 miles range at 20 MPH. Electric wheels are silent making for a pleasant ride. A 3hp gas motor will achieve similar speed without the need to recharge. Most small gas engines have except-able noise levels, but may be forbidden on bike paths. So there you have it my cycle is lite, easy to construct, easy to customize to fit your needs. About a third the cost of some prebuilt bikes. Very durable uses common 7-speed derailleur system built to last for years. Contact me with any further questions, from bottom of this page.

Regards Dan Fleischman