Weirdo vintage warehouse find!
 

I am not familiar with this one, but I spotted it at the back of a warehouse full of architectural antiques. I asked the business owner about it, and he said he’d take $150 for it.

It is a Velo Apache from the early 1970s. It is an adult sized bike with 26” wheels, but has a Banana Seat, 3-speed stick shifter, period generator and lights, and drum brakes front and rear.
Near mint condition.
Any info would be appreciated! :)
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...6487da980.jpeg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...278626799.jpeg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...3d4326e82.jpeg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...51a91e8c3.jpeg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8a53a3cd6.jpeg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...f5df0b217.jpeg

Talk about your bells and whistles...

;)

Different strokes for different folks. That generator would scare me away. The thing is powered by Lucifer!

I didn't notice that, until I was gonna post, & saw your post. Scary stuff there. 😳
It's still worth at least $150. I bet that Sturmey Archer stick-shift is worth about that, alone. 😎

The original 'Prince of Darkness' no matter what they say about Lucas electronics!

That is SIICCCKKK...

Thanks for your input guys! It does stand out, doesn’t it?
for some reason, when I spun the generator it smelled like sulphur. ;)

If I'd seen this bike I would have bought it as well, super cool!

PS: The only photos or information of this bike I can find is from a handful of sites from Norway.

Full-on dorkly awesomeness! I would have a hard time passing that thing up myself. Even though I probably would hate myself later.

BTW, what's attached to that other wheel, in the first pic? 🤔

these types of bikes with that car-like shifter and the banana seat were popular here (=gernamy) around ~1978-1980. They were called either "Bonanzarad" or "Highriser". The popularity was short-lived when buyers found out they looked cool but were a pain to ride for more than 5 minutes - too heavy, awkard seating position. (have i heard someone yell "Fatbike"? thought so). I got one ~1980 as a confirmation gift and sold it on a few weeks later.

Some 70% of bikes here in Switzerland had those back in the day. Same goes for lights.

Took us at least a decade to figure this out, heck I regularly see adults on BMX bikes who have still not gotten the memo. The only 2 good things about those bikes were 1.) Wheelies, and 2.) Evel Knievel-style jumps. Good thing I was too poor as a kid to afford a "sissy bar", those things turn an already dangerous bike, into a Death Trap.

Are the seat stays bolted to the seat tube? I mean, with the banana seat like that, I imagine that a lot of the rider's load is carried by those rear ... seat ... struts(?), but I don't think I've ever seen seat stays that appear to bolt to the frame like that. It looks like one long carriage bolt that runs through the seat tube (and seat post?) and seat stay joint.

This is the bike to have to ensure your bike ride is a solo one. :-)

"Kids, I'm going on a bike ride!"

"Can we come, too?"

"Sure, but I'm riding my bonazarad bike."

"Oh...no thanks."

I'd have to have that bike, for the "wow" factor alone!

Spin it backwards....

No photo of the headbadge?

The seat stays are indeed bolted to the seat tube, not sure why since everything else appears to be welded. I’ve seen a few old photos of this bike showing a huge horseshoe shaped metal object bolted in that spot. No clue as to what it is.
I didn’t get a shot of the head badge but I’ll take some more details when I pick up the bike. ;)
The other bike is also a “Vello”, also with drum brakes, but it is has a folding frame with a simple single down tube.
There is little to no information on this brand. I assume they were never sold in the US, so I’m curious about how they got here. ;)
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...ec0d2d673.jpeg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...b6a2048b9.jpeg

PS: I thought the mismatching tires were replacements, but the old photos I’m seeing also show a knobby Rear with a Schwinn style ribbed fromt road tire.
Im guessing this bike is all original and seemingly never or barely ridden.

Yeah, that's kinda how I have my tires, for road riding on a MTB. I carry panniers & a rack on the back, so want a fat-ish tire there (using a 1.95 for now), but it steers much better with a 1.5 on the front. Obviously, the back wants to be tougher, to handle the extra weight. 👌

It's a lock, like this. https://www.amazon.com/Abus-Tectic-4...a-455280572867

Common on dutch bikes and now bike-share bikes.

Probably common for that time; our '69 Sears Spyder (single-speed cousin to this muscle bike) was spec'ed with 24 x 1 3/4 rear, 24 x 1 3/8 front, albeit both with "street" tread. The rims are even different widths, to accomodate.

Just like on trucks and busses! Drive tires (rear) are generally different (with a more aggressive and open tread) than steer tires. I've never seen it on a bike.

It's sort of backwards what you see on a MTB where you want less rolling resistance in the rear and more braking / cornering power in the front

I'm wondering what size of 26" tires are on that. Could be weird.

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A second thread on the machine and a similar companion has been posted here -

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...llo-today.html


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Norway, huh? With a Lucifer generator, right?
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c19a0a2a5.jpeg

I would give that bike a WIDE berth!