Steam Cycle

[filmonger]

Roper Steam Cycle .......Interesting item - how does it work?

 

[thehugheseum]

as far as i know the boiler up top,coal firebox below.......heats boilers water turns out steam.....steam released via piston arrangement ala train style to the rear wheel........ropers story is a classic of antique cyclery........his design was good and faster/more reliable than the gas systems being experimented with......he died racing a bicyclist on it

 

[ABC Services]

 

[catfish]

These were built on Columbia frames I believe.

 

[filmonger]

Must have been a hot ride!

 

[VITAL.SPARK]

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Roper built 2 of these using 1894 Columbia Model 36's. One was for Col. Pope owner of Columbia and one for himself. Roper built about 10 vehicles duing his life time. He built the worlds first motorcycle in 1868-9 which is in the Smithsonium in D.C.. His first car was in around 1860 and the oldest car in the U.S. was his 1865 vehicle which is in the Henry Ford Museum. This vehicle was actually used for around 40 years!

 

[47jchiggins]

Wow!! Absolutely amazing!! How much does it weight?

Todd

 

[VITAL.SPARK]

Wow!! Absolutely amazing!! How much does it weight?

Todd

150 LBS. all up and produced about 8HP

 

[Curtis Washington]

Does it cook clams on the go?

 

[filmonger]

From the Bicycling world 1901 - Interesting addition to the Steam cycle page with the addition of the Austin Steam Velocipede 1868.