Peugeot Propeller Bicycle-1920

Peugeot is considered to be the most prestigious French bicycle.  In the early 1920s, a Parisian company named SICAM (“Société Industrielle de Construction Automobile et Motocycliste”) began constructing engines for bicycles.  Marcel Violet (a French specialist in 2-stroke engines) and engineers Charles Benoît (inventor) and Abel Bardin (manager) lead the wave of motorization of bicycles in France.  They designed a 100cc, 2-stroke engine to be mounted in the triangle of a bicycle’s framework.  Although it is unknown why a propeller was added, it is known that France was exploring propeller propulsion about this time.  The rim around the propeller seems to be from a car wheel, the frame to hold the engine to the bicycle appears to be the front fork of a motorcycle, and the gas tank may be an oil tank from a car.  The engine features a hand-pulled starter and the pedals may be used to assist on inclines.

 

Specifications:

 

Manufacturer:  S.A. des Automobiles Peugeot

Country of Origin:  France

Drivetrain Configuration: rear-engine, rear-wheel and/or propeller drive

Engine: 1 cylinder air-cooled SICAM engine

Top Speed: possibly 15 MPH

Years of Production: Early 1920s

Number Produced: Unknown

Original Cost: Unknown