Rocket cyclists

Pedal power meets rocket power

Chris Wild

1930s

German engineer Herr Richter and his Raketenrad (rocket bicycle) with 12 rockets mounted on the back wheel, enabling him to reach a speed of 90 kph before the machine exploded. Richter was thrown off but not seriously hurt. Credit: Topical Press Agency/Getty Images

Rocket propulsion was all the rage in pre-war Germany. People attached rockets, with varying degree of success and danger, to skates (both roller and ice), cars, boats and bicycles. In 1931, German engineer Herr Richter added 12 rockets to his bicycle to create his "Raketenrad." The white box on the frame contained the battery used to ignite the rockets, all solid fuel. Richter tested it on the Avus racetrack in Berlin. When he reached a speed of 55 mph, he lost control and was thrown off as the rockets exploded. Richter was not seriously injured.
The 1930s also saw the first rocket bicycle race, held in Berlin Stadium. 

German engineer Richter with his assistant adjusting the rockets on his cycle before a test drive. Credit: opical Press Agency/Getty Images

German engineer Richter with his assistant adjusting the rockets on his cycle before a test drive. Credit: Topical Press Agency/Getty Images

Rocket cyclists pedalling away in a cloud of smoke. Credit: General Photographic Agency/Getty Images