One of the Biggest Flops in Bicycle History is a Collectible Treasure
The futuristic Spacelander bicycle was a dud in 1960. Today, it’s a marvel of postwar industrial design, with one selling for $18,360 at auction.
In 1960, Benjamin G. Bowden’s stylish new bicycle, the futuristic Spacelander, was a marvel of postwar design with its curving lines and amoeba-like voids. Even its name seemed to capture the spirit and excitement of the burgeoning Space Age.
The only problem is Bowden’s bike flopped. The visionary Spacelander was manufactured for just one year, with a little more than 500 bikes produced. The Spacelander may have been a commercial failure in 1960, but today, it’s one of the most sought-after collectible bikes on the market, with a Charcoal Black beauty selling for $18,360 at Carrell Auctions on July 28.
A British industrial designer, Bowden first created a Spacelander prototype for a 1946 exhibition of British industrial design, where it received rave reviews. The highly streamlined prototype, which Bowden named the Classic, was constructed of pressed aluminum and featured a driveshaft and a hub dynamo that stored energy when riding downhill and gave the bike a boost when riding uphill. What’s more, batteries inside the frame powered lights, a horn, and a built-in radio.
Although the bicycle’s unusual appearance created a great deal of public interest initially, British bicycle makers were reluctant to invest in the high degree of re-tooling necessary to manufacture the bicycle. The concept died on the vine in the U.K.
In 1952, Bowden emigrated to Windsor, Ontario, Canada, before moving to the U.S. In 1959, While in Muskegon, Mich., he met with Joe Kaskie of the George Morrell Corporation, a custom molding company. Kaskie suggested molding the bicycle in fiberglass instead of aluminum. Although he retained the Classic's futuristic appearance, Bowden abandoned the hub dynamo, replacing the drivetrain with a more common sprocket-chain assembly. The new name, Spacelander, was chosen to capitalize on the excitement surrounding the Space Race.
The Spacelander was released in 1960 in five colors: Charcoal Black, Cliffs of Dover White, Meadow Green, Outer Space Blue, and Stop Sign Red. The bicycle was priced at $89.50 (with inflation, about $940 today), which made it one of the more expensive bicycles on the market. In addition, the fiberglass frame was relatively fragile, and its unusual design made it difficult to market to established bicycle distributors. Only 522 Spacelander bicycles were shipped before production was halted, making it one of the rarest and most sought-after industrial designs of the mid-20th century.
Bowden (1906-1998) was best known for his car design. In the U.S., Bowden worked on the early Chevrolet Corvette and the Ford Thunderbird. But for collectors, Bowden’s spectacular Spacelander remains his sweetest ride.
The Charcoal Black Spacelander sale was part of the Gary Long Collection of Antique & Vintage Bicycles & Motorbikes event at Carrell Auctions. For more results from that sale, click HERE.
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