Bowden Spacelander............Can we talk?

[Obi-Wan Schwinnobi]

Did you see that Pawn Stars where Chumlee was cruising through some neighborhood and came upon a guy who had a nice Spacelander sitting outside? I think he paid $8000 for it, and it was in great shape, maybe the original owner, but I don't remember.....I always think I want one, but then I think that it is a middleweight and will not be a good rider, and if it is not a good rider, then I am usually out. If one came along at a good price I would pick it up, I do like the look! Can anyone confirm the ride?

Did you see the episode that all of them find whatever is rare?

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[37fleetwood]

there's a guy out here who wants one of these in the worst way, and every time he mentions it, everyone tenses up, they don't want to hurt his feelings by expressing their true feelings.
I think if I found one out here for sale, I'd post it here saying how terribly much I wanted it and "accidently" post the GPS coordinates with it and hope it moved to Virginia.

 

[Balloonatic]

I love the Bowden Spacelander for the very same reasons many of you seem to hate it... it's fragile, impractical, and broke easily. The design was was so over-the-top kids wholeheartedly rejected it, and thought it was ugly. It was also reportedly more expensive than Schwinn's best offering, the Phantom, at $89.50.

I like it because it has transcended it's original intention as a bicycle, and has become art. That's right, I said it. Go ahead, get your torches and pitch forks... warm up the tar, and break open the bag of feathers. Personally, I love the reaction it gets. I like when people see my Higgins or Autocycle and say "what a neat old bike", but I LOVE it when people see the Bowden and say "what the HELL is that??!" They want to know all about it. Like good art, it makes you react.... positively, or negatively, there is an emotional reaction. When Picasso went to his abstract style from his early naturalistic style, many people hated it, and didn't get it at all. But with the passage of time, it has not only been accepted, but celebrated as genius. It is often said he was way ahead of his time... like old Ben Bowden, he was ahead of his time too.

The Spacelander may have been ugly, rejected, unpopular and almost an instant failure in 1960 when it came out, but 56 years later it represents a small glimpse into an era of design innovation that likely inspired many other things to come. Without design failures like the Spacelander, you would not have the successes... every design simply cannot be a winner; that contrast is what pushes things forward.

I can totally imagine riding down the block at dusk with dual, built-in head lights and tail lights glowing, looking like an alien spaceship floating along.... nothing like it. In reality, I have never ridden it, nor do I ever plan to, I have many other bikes I can ride; this one is strictly to look at. I'd probably bust this one on the first pedal with my fat arse if I tried to ride it... precisely why so few exist today.

Mine is an original in Cliffs of Dover white, which is cast in the fiberglass, not painted. It's a very low serial number (number 8 off the assembly line), possibly the lowest known. At the moment it's at my shop with several other very well known, and desirable vintage bicycles, but everyone, whether they know vintage bikes or not, goes straight for the Bowden when they see the group, flat out ignoring my Hextube Silver King, my Elgin Robin, my orig. paint JC Higgins batwing Color-flow, and Autocycle.

Since these photos, the seat has been changed out for the correct, original, Mertens saddle. All else is correct & original, including the Carlisle Airflyte tires.

The number of existing, original Spacelanders is said to be quite low, possibly under 50. It is said 522 were produced originally, but many broke or were otherwise destroyed. They have sold privately from $4K up to $20K (one sold at the Schwinn family auction in 2003 for that price). The few I have tracked prices of seem to be in the $12 to $15K range for a complete, correct, and damage free example.

Reproductions do exist, and tend to sell for $2500-$4K. They lack certain refinements of the originals, but are still quite cool, and pretty faithful representations.

Unusual, interesting, and avant garde the Spacelander speaks to a very narrow time in history when designers were pushing the envelope, and trying to show what the future could hold. Love it or hate it, the Bowden Spacelander illicits strong reactions, and that is what makes it iconic, and why it's so valuable.

 

[mike j]

I was 7 when that bike was produced and I can tell you that I wouldn't have given that thing a second look, after I puked. It would have taken a special type person that's impervious to stick beatings or thrown rocks to buy/ride one of those. But hey, there were thousands of Americans that spent their hard earned money on a Yugo when they hit American soil.

I'm of that era too, and after we were done puking, we would have done to that what we did to all are other bikes. Gotten rid of all the unneeded crap on it that slowed us down. Wouldn't have been much left.

 

[37fleetwood]

I love the Bowden Spacelander for the very same reasons many of you seem to hate it... it's fragile, impractical, and broke easily. The design was was so over-the-top kids wholeheartedly rejected it, and thought it was ugly. It was also reportedly more expensive than Schwinn's best offering, the Phantom, at $89.50.

I like it because it has transcended it's original intention as a bicycle, and has become art. That's right, I said it. Go ahead, get your torches and pitch forks... warm up the tar, and break open the bag of feathers. Personally, I love the reaction it gets. I like when people see my Higgins or Autocycle and say "what a neat old bike", but I LOVE it when people see the Bowden and say "what the HELL is that??!" They want to know all about it. Like good art, it makes you react.... positively, or negatively, it makes you react emotionally. When Picasso went to his abstract style from his early naturalistic style, many people hated it, and didn't get it at all. But with the passage of time, it has not only been accepted, but celebrated as genius. It is often said he was way ahead of his time... like old Ben Bowden, he was ahead of his time too.

The Spacelander may have been ugly, rejected, unpopular and almost an instant failure in 1960 when it came out, but 56 years later it represents a small glimpse into an era of design innovation that likely inspired many other things to come. Without design failures like the Spacelander, you would not have the successes... every design simply cannot be a winner; that contrast is what pushes things forward.

I can totally imagine riding down the block at dusk with dual, built-in head lights and tail lights glowing, looking like an alien spaceship floating along.... nothing like it.

Mine is an original in Cliffs of Dover white, which is cast in the fiberglass, not painted. It's a very low serial number (number 8 off the assembly line), possibly the lowest known. At the moment it's at my shop with several other very well known, and desirable vintage bicycles, but everyone, whether they know vintage bikes are not, goes straight for the Bowden when they see the group, flat out ignoring my Hextube Silver King, my Elgin Robin, my orig. paint JC Higgins batwing Color-flow, and Autocycle.

Since these photos, the seat has been changed out for the correct, original, Mertens saddle. All else is correct & original, including the Carlisle Airflyte tires.

The number of existing, original Spacelanders is said to be quite low, possibly under 50. It is said 522 were produced originally, but many broke or were otherwise destroyed. They have sold privately from $4K up to $20K (one sold at the Schwinn family auction in 2003 for that price). The few I have tracked prices of seem to be in the $12 to $15K range for a complete, correct, and damage free example.

Reproductions do exist, and tend to sell for $2500-$4K. They lack certain refinements of the originals, but are still quite cool, and pretty faithful representations.

Unusual, interesting, and avant garde the Spacelander speaks to a very narrow time in history when designers were pushing the envelope, and trying to show what the future could hold.

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you can park it in front of your Dymaxion house!

 

[Evans200]

There are one or two as I understand it at Chesnut Hollow not from you. Maybe it would be a good dual purpose trip?

I've been there a couple of times and I don't remember seeing a Spacelander. They do appear in videos of the place. Either they sold them or I walked past one and don't remember seeing it.

 

[37fleetwood]

I've been there a couple of times and I don't remember seeing a Spacelander. They do appear in videos of the place. Either they sold them or I walked past one and don't remember seeing it.

 

[Balloonatic]

you can park it in front of your Dymaxion house!

Yes! Or next to my Stout Scarab. Actually, I plan to display it at the coffee house I'm building. It was also featured in a book called Blast Off! which doubled as the catalog for a museum show of vintage robots and space toys... it actually hung in a museum as art.

 

[Howard Gordon]

Craig Morrow, Bicycle Heaven Museum, Pittsburgh, PA has the largest collection known of Bowdens. Visit his museum and view his collection, or contact him with questions.

Thank you
Howard Gordon

 

[momo608]

Not too long ago someone here put up a barn find ratty version of one of these and guys were falling all over themselves complimenting the find and the bike. The Bowden is ugly compared to this! something else going on here that has nothing to do with the bike.