In a period when rideability sometimes seemed less important than bulk and accessories, the Dial-a-Ride provided a small feature reputed to enhance functionality: A knob atop the front suspension could soften or stiffen the spring depending upon the neighborhood terrain or the personal riding style of the operator.

English auto designer Ben Bowden conceived the Spacelander in metal. After its introduction at a prestigious design exhibit in London, it was produced in fiberglass. The Spacelander had a lot going for it: It was lighter than most balloon-tire bikes, and it had the sealed and aerodynamic look of interplanetary travel. But 1960 was smack in the middle of the age of conformity, and Spacelander didn't lok like a normal bike. So much the better for today's collectors who believe only about 500 were made. Very rare.

The only PERFECT vintage Bowden we have seen is at the Smithsonian on loan from the owner.

Tthe Spacelander was designed about 1946 in aluminum but not placed into production until 1960.

The Spacelander, as you probably already know, was reproduced in the 1990s, and I think they are still available today, these can be had for less than a couple of thousand dollars.

When it comes to pricing bicycles, even the smallest imperfection detracts from value unless the bike is hopelessly rare (the Spacelander may fall into this category). However, value is enhanced with original bills of sale and original literature and hangtags, etc.

Whizzers had a wartime permit to manufacture home-front consumer products because they could provide transportation with minimal gas and rubber. By the late, 1940s, the Whizzer was producing the full bike with special frames and mounts. Whizzers were big until the mid-1950s when accidents started taking their toll and state governments ruled that this was driving, not riding.