The Retroist

The Retroist

Share this post

The Retroist
The Retroist
Who wants to go 35 MPH on their Bicycle?
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More

Who wants to go 35 MPH on their Bicycle?

Retroist's avatar
Retroist
Feb 06, 2015
1

Share this post

The Retroist
The Retroist
Who wants to go 35 MPH on their Bicycle?
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More
Share

Call me overly cautious, but the idea of strapping an engine on my bike and reaching car-like speed never really appealed to me. I had friends though who were real speed demons and saved their money and begged their parents until they finally got an engine like this Bumble Bike one they always sold in the back of comics and magazines.

Here is what I remember about it, it did not deliver on the promised speed and it was so loud that everyone on the block complained to his parents about it. They complained enough that his father got tired of hearing them complain, and he took the motor off one night, and we never saw it again. I never climbed on his bike to give it a try because at an earlier age I was traumatized in a dirt bike accident and was fearful of anything with a motor, but I don’t think I was missing anything.

Maybe it was hooked up wrong or the technology just wasn’t up to snuff, but in the 1980s, this sort of thing was just 200 bucks worth of sound and fury.


Subscribe to The Retroist

Launched 4 years ago
A Retro Podcast, Blog, and Newsletter.
1

Share this post

The Retroist
The Retroist
Who wants to go 35 MPH on their Bicycle?
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More
Share

Discussion about this post

User's avatar
The Mystery Of The Red Quarters…Solved!
Did you ever find a quarter painted red and wonder if that red served a purpose? It does.
Feb 11, 2017 â€¢ 
Retroist
45

Share this post

The Retroist
The Retroist
The Mystery Of The Red Quarters…Solved!
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More
6
Remember when Mickey Mouse decided to commit suicide?
Unless you lived in the 1930s or are a fan of vintage comic strips you might not be aware of the attempted Mickey Mouse suicide.
Aug 30, 2017 â€¢ 
Retroist
9

Share this post

The Retroist
The Retroist
Remember when Mickey Mouse decided to commit suicide?
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More
Monkey’s Blood (Mercurochrome) for those boo-boos
Remember when you were a kid, and you would were out roughhousing with your friends.
Oct 23, 2019 â€¢ 
Retroist
4

Share this post

The Retroist
The Retroist
Monkey’s Blood (Mercurochrome) for those boo-boos
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More
2

Ready for more?

© 2025 Retroist
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture

Share

Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More

Create your profile

User's avatar

Only paid subscribers can comment on this post

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in

Check your email

For your security, we need to re-authenticate you.

Click the link we sent to , or click here to sign in.