The Stinkwheel Saga
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| The Stinkwheel
Saga - Episode 1 |
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Our first volume
is an in-depth look at the nine most popular makes of cyclemotor sold in
Britain during the post-war period from 1945 to 1959. A wealth of period
archive material has been used to illustrate the long-lost world of
power-assisted cycling.
For decades
cyclemotors were consigned to the back of sheds or garages and left there to
rust into oblivion. Nowadays these machines are sought after, restored and
ridden with pride at historic events throughout Europe.
A book such as this has been long overdue. Three long-standing
members of the National Autocycle & Cyclemotor
Club decided to rectify a lamentable lack of any historical survey
on clip-on cyclemotors by collaborating in researching and producing this book.
It has been written by enthusiasts for enthusiasts - the first modern work of
its kind in English.
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The
Stinkwheel Saga, Episode 1 is available now.
Price: £18 inc. UK postage & packing.
Format: A4, 256pp,
ISBN: 978-0-9547363-0-9 |
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"Should be on the wish list of everyone interested in the
subject" - Nick Devonport in the August 2004 issue of
Buzzing. [Read Nick's complete
review]
"Hard information delivered with an entertaining touch" -
Hugo Wilson, editor, Classic Bike magazine.
"I am truly
staggered by the sheer volume of information ... I am bloody impressed" -
Alan Hummerstone, VMCC Cyclemotor Section.
"What a
splendid publication, well worth the money" - Alan
Birt.
"So much
fascinating material, so many diverting stories ... a complete triumph" -
Howard Bentham.
"A riveting read, I couldn't put it down" -
David Higman, curator, National Cycle
Collection
"What a wonderful book! Thanks for creating this fine piece of work" -
Jeff Radtke, Supersaturated Environments (And if
you want to know what they are, look up www.cloudchambers.com!)
"You deserve the
highest praise for such an erudite, amusing and informative effort" -
Nigel Stennett-Cox
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| The Stinkwheel
Saga - Episode 2 |
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The
second volume of the Stinkwheel Saga continues the story where Episode 1 left
off.
The British
market for cyclemotors, though transitory, was large in the early 1950's. A
number of makers produced the right machine at the right time and were
commercially successful, such as Cyclemaster, Mini-Motor and Power Pak, with
gaps in the market being filled by Continental imports like the Ducati Cucciolo
and Garelli Mosquito- these have already been surveyed at in Episode 1. Many
other makes were launched in a hurry in the hope of making some money, but most
were inadequately developed or of poor-quality, some were imported in
penny-numbers from Europe and some a customer had to build himself. Many were
technically interesting and merit study, regardless of their lack of commercial
success.
Four years in
preparation, Episode 2 covers in great detail the less successful clip-on
cyclemotor makes sold on the British market between 1945 and 1960, as well as
the no-hopers, one offs and "what were they thinking of" machines. Marques
studied include Teagle, ABG VAP, Berini M13 and Itom plus many which never made
it- Cymota, Lohmann, Busy Bee, Bugatti T72, Tailwind, Bantamoto et al.
Exhaustively researched, illustrated with many photos and drawings never before
published and written by enthusiasts for enthusiasts, The Stinkwheel Saga,
Episode 2 aims to inform and entertain, shining light into the darkest corners
of cyclemotor history.
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Episode 2 is
available now, send a cheque for £18.00 made out to Stinkwheel
Publishing.
Price:
£18 inc. UK postage & packing.
Format: A4, pp250
ISBN: 978-0-9547363-1-6 |
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"This large format, well set out book follows a similar pattern to The
Stink-Wheel Saga Episode 1, but this time giving a wealth of fascinating
background, and historic context to some of the less well known Cyclemotors.
David Beare, and Philippa Wheeler have managed to portray the mood of the time
when Britain, and most of Europe were particularly skint, but almost everyone
had access to some sort of bicycle. With petrol rationing, and material
shortages of the time, the clip-on Cyclemotor was going to be a surefire
winner, but not every manufacturer had the commercial prowess to succeed. "
- Alan Hummerstone
VMCC Cyclemotor Section.
"Stinkwheel 2 is a CRACKER! I'm still reading; Huckleberry Finn &
P.G.Wodehouse put aside. "
- HB
"…an interesting read, as informative and enjoyable as Episode 1. Thank
you. " -
PJ
"I had a splendid time
reading the books, they're better researched and illustrated than many upmarket
and expensive works, and they're from time to time very funny. I'm enchanted
with Episode 2, it's great history and also great fun, thank you very
much!" -
SS
"I was thrilled to
receive your book…I do admire all the hard work & research that went
into Episode 2, it is a marvellous history of clip-on cyclemotors. "
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DP
"Congratulations on a
nice piece of work, I have been looking forward to it and have enjoyed reading
the first two chapters and expect the other chapters will be just as good.
" -
JH
"I found it on the
whole to be very tasty indeed."
- Dolly
"You people have gone and produced another classic! I love your
writing style, all the humour and subtlety, but you have also again combined it
with loads of information otherwise unavailable." - NS-C
"You may count the book a rip-roaring success, the
continuous intermingling of factual content, background, images and captions,
almost without separation, draws the reader onwards" - PM
"What a fantastic labour of love! I really
congratulate you on the end product which must have involved vast research,
effort, thought and, no doubt, frustration. What is contained is truly
wonderful! And the production quality is superb, integrating what must have
been a veritable pot pourri of material. A very worthy successor to Episode
1" - NJ
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