Velosolex

Last weekend a friend was kind enough to let me pootle around a car park on his Velosolex.

A Velosolex is a quirky french thing made from the 40s onwards - effectively they are a bicycle with a tiny little petrol motor which can lowered on to the front wheel, driving the wheel via a rubber roller. It has pedals, which you use to start the bike moving before lowering the motor - also it's kind to the motor to pedal a bit to help it up really big hills.

I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to ride (much lighter and more nimble than a motorbike or scooter) - and most of all how quiet it was. The motor gives off the gentlest of purrs, like a contented little metal cat. Lovely.

I am now cursed with an aching need for one to use in my daily commute.