Sinclair C5

[mike killay]

This afternoon, whilst riding along the sea front in Swansea, I saw what I took to be a recumbent with a fairing, rather like those Dutch ones coming towards me.
It was only as it passed that I recognised it as a Sinclair C5. Unfortunately, I did not have a chance to turn around and speak to the rider, so I have no idea whether its engine etc. are original or he had modernised it.

 

[RoadieRoger]

The seafront is the safest place for those machines .I can remember when they first came out , an ex Motorcycle TT Rider used to drive one from Ogmore-by-Sea to Cardiff every day , must be a round trip of 40 miles . On another occasion I went on the Hovercraft Service from Barry to Minehead for the day and there were dozens on the seafront there , as they were hiring them out . They were manufactured at the Hoover Factory at Merthyr Tydfil . They reasoned washing machine motors and C5 motors had commonality .

 

[Deleted member 4366]

It would be nice to get hold of one and put a proper motor and a 20aH 48v battery in it.

 

[lemmy]

They are just too low to the ground to be safe in traffic - they used to be fitted with little flags on poles to mark them out!

 

[eddieo]

i dropped my son of at Swansea Uni last week, he brought his sports bike with him (C boardman) and really enjoying cycling there....The hill back up to student village not such fun though! (he refuses to go electric!)

 

[mike killay]

i dropped my son of at Swansea Uni last week, he brought his sports bike with him (C boardman) and really enjoying cycling there....The hill back up to student village not such fun though! (he refuses to go electric!)

Tell him to try the Clyne cycle path from Blackpill to Killay. The only steep bit is from the Railway Inn to Killay

 

[Mitch1960]

The seafront is the safest place for those machines .I can remember when they first came out , an ex Motorcycle TT Rider used to drive one from Ogmore-by-Sea to Cardiff every day , must be a round trip of 40 miles . On another occasion I went on the Hovercraft Service from Barry to Minehead for the day and there were dozens on the seafront there , as they were hiring them out . They were manufactured at the Hoover Factory at Merthyr Tydfil . They reasoned washing machine motors and C5 motors had commonality .

I think that I used to see the c5 guy, Roger. I was doing an electrical course at St. Athan around '85 '86 and I used to drive each morning from g/f flat in Barry to east camp. 'often saw the C5 looney in those murky winding lanes! M