Vintage Original 1960 Ben Bowden Spacelander Retro Bicycle Bike Blue Classic USA

You could be the proud owner of this vintage one-of-a-kind used Bowden Spacelander bicycle.  Originally designed by the famed Ben Bowden; the MG manufactured Spacelander made it's debut at  the "Britain Can Make It" trade exhibition of 1946. After years of searching for a manufacturer the Spacelander finally reached a very limited production run in 1960, executed by Bomard Industries of Muskegon MI of 522 bikes (this number is unconfirmed but frequently sourced as the total production run).  It is rumored that Bomard was forced out of business in this year by a lady who claimed she was injured on one of their vibrating chairs (a couple of sources site this as the cause, but there is no documentation; either way it's a fun story).  The bicycles frame was entirely manufactured of fiberglass, with a silky smooth finish showing off the fibers used in construction.  A marvel of mid-century post war aerospace design, this bicycle is a must-have for any collector.

From the New York Times Obituary of Benjamin Bowden on March 23, 1998:

"The original model included an electric motor that gathered energy on downhill and flat terrain and helped the rider climb hills. A number of bicycle manufacturers rejected the Spacelander as too exotic for mass marketing. 

The automobile designs he worked on included the Healey sports car, a forerunner of the Austin-Healey, and an armored car used by Winston Churchill and King George VI in World War II.

In 1952, he moved to Windsor, Ontario, where he had a hand in making the Ford Thunderbird perform smoothly, his daughter said. ''His fingerprints are on a ton of things,'' she said. His design work also extended to objects like bathroom fixtures and gasoline station pumps.

His last job was coordinating designs for military tanks at General Dynamics, his daughter said. He was 79 when he retired and moved to Florida in 1986."

Regarding aesthetic and mechanical Condition:

This Spacelander is in overall decent condition.  The fiberglass frame remains mostly intact, the notable exceptions are at the non-driveside axle drop out where a portion of the fiberglass has cracked of where a metal bracket formerly was.  The drive side axle drop out is also missing the metal bracket however there is no apparent damage to the frame of the bike.  There is some cracking and scratching present at the mounting point of the rear tail lamps.  The front head lamps and fender are in good shape although in regards to all lights we are uncertain if they are still functional.  The "Outer Space Blue" color isn't too heavily faded (very common in the "Stop Sign Red") but does have some light brown discoloration to it.  The handlebars are not original although we have seen vintage photos of Bowdens with this style of handlebars and grips (both grips are cracked and will need replacement if you intend to ride this bike).  We're uncertain if the Troxel saddle is original or not.  The whitewall tires, rear rack and pedals are original.  Serial plate is present beneath the saddle along the uppermost chromed ridge of the frame and reads "Bomard Industries, Inc...Kansas City, Missouri...U.S. Patent No., 2,537,325 Canadian Patent No. 1951...Serial No. B  010218".  Finally, one of the mounting bolts around the crankset is missing.  This bicycle has not been tuned by our shops mechanics but appears to be operational as is.

This bike is being sold as is, please see photographs for details.

This bicycle is conveniently located at the largest used bike store in the world at 930 Regent St here in Madison WI.

Serial #B010218

Reference #40316-JL

We do not purchase bicycles outright, we do however take trade-ins toward the purchase of a new or used bicycle at any of our retail locations, all assessments and evaluations must be handled on site.

We only do bicycle assessments and evaluations through our retail locations, fees vary depending on the depth of assesment necessary.

This bicycle is available for local pick-up at no cost (WI sales tax apply to all in state purchases, local pick-up or shipped).

International buyers are responsible for all duties and fees.  We will not falsify customs information; if you request such it will be reported to Ebay.

All bikes are professionally boxed and will be partially broken down to fit size requirements for shipping, some assembly and tuning may be required upon receiving.

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