Three Storeyed Life'Cycle' : The vintage elevation in to the past

Three Storeyed Life'Cycle' : The vintage elevation in to the past

Cycling is increasingly seen as a simple and healthiest solution for a wide range of complex urban problems, and yes, in its 200 years of existence, the bicycle has evolved into one of the simplest forms of transportation, some even call it the perfect human machine hybrid.

In this hybrid, the human component dominates unlike in planes, trains, or driving in a car, for that matter. This means, however, that if we want to really understand cycling, engineering, or technical transportation studies can only tell us one part of the story. We also need to understand human decision-making, attitudes, cultural priorities, the functioning of society, and even the inner working mechanisms of our cities. This is the contradiction towards the view to cycling. Although it is a simple tool, it is both the cause and effect of various complex social, and technical fact. Nevertheless, most of the cities like Amsterdam, London is putting their efforts to make it possible along with some popular universities and we Indians are also not behind to follow.

Bicycles has an interesting connection with Indian history, the two-wheeled mode of transport made its long way to India, much before in the 1890s—almost 70 years after Karl Drais invented the cycle in 1817. Brought in by the British, they were in common use by the 1900s. By the 1960s, cycles would often be seen in towns and villages across India. While initially their use was restricted to European authority, they soon seeped down to the Indian middle class, becoming a symbol of a self-reliant lifestyle.

(Karl Drais invention in1817)

Bicycles created more socio-economic opportunities for people by making transportation easier for people like potters, milkmen, vegetable sellers, etc., to carry their ware, and, thus, contributing to the overall economy. This was not only the case in India, but the world. Recognizing the bicycle as a tool of development and not just transportation, worldwide, the United Nations marked June 3, as World Bicycle Day in 2018, too late 😁.

While there is much more to the history of bicycles and their journey in India, not much has been documented. However, one can take a nostalgic walk through the many galleries that house over 200 vintage bicycles and other bike curios at the country’s only privately owned bicycle museum... Lets peep inside the museum quickly..

This 'Private' three-storeyed India's one of a kind museum in Pune’s Karve Nagar adds the colorful feather in the crown of the historical City of forts. The museum includes more than 200 cycles with the wide range of geared, non-geared, army cycles, ferry cycles, tandems cycles, beach cycles, different types of children’s cycles and tricycles, pedal cars which were used within more than last 100 years and a lot more to the evolution of the bicycle.

The Owner, Mr. Vikram Pendse who runs an automobile garage with his friend Mr. Pandurang Gaikwad as a small business. Initially, Mr. Pendse being an automobile enthusiast, had a fond of preserving the vintage bikes and cars. Eventually this was converted to the Cycles with lot of constraints with the space and local authorities’ taxes to keep the fuel-based machines good and running on the road.

Vikram Pendse a commerce graduate polite gentleman, talked about the story of journey of his bicycles collection. The pebbles of the great museum laid in the garage itself in 1990's. The BSA paratrooper of the 1940's which was used in the World War II was his first pick for the commencement of the precious journey.

From then onwards, he started collecting old two-wheeled and three-wheeled bicycles of different types and different companies and their spare parts. Pandurang Gaikwad is a cyclist himself and has participated in various national and international cycling competitions. ‘It would not have been possible to restore the old bicycles to their former glory without Pandurang Gaikwad’ mentioned Mr. Pendse.

Mr. Pendse has searched most of the old bicycles in the local scrap merchants’ shops and with the help of his friend Mr. Gaikwad, he renewed and preserved well in the precious collection. On top of that most of the time, he purchased some of the bicycles from the owners. He got couple of cycles in the donation as well as he mentioned.

With an enhancing collection the garage was fallen short and decided to convert his Three Storeyed bungalow into the MUSEUM. The best part of his hobby is his daughter Aditi and family supporting him to run and maintain the precious collection.

While visiting the museum, you can understand Vikram Pendse's hard work in collecting the old bicycles and its spare parts. This wide collection ranges from children’s bicycles, tricycles 1914's Golden Sunbeam (Manufactured in England), 1924's Royal Enfield, 1940's BSA Paratrooper (Collapsible cycle that dates back to the Second World War), 1973's Huffman (A US military's bicycle), and many more Bicycle tax badges (which were used to pay the tax to the municipal corporation)

While climbing the stairs of artefacts collections, you can see bicycle accessories such as gears, seats, dynamos, air pumps, lamps, etc., that Pendse would collect from his travels and visits to antique stores around the world.

There is a prototype of a cycle shop, inspired from the early 1950s. While cycles and cycle-related curios form the main theme of the place, there is also a collection of vintage household items, ranging from kerosene-operated fans, iron boxes and paan boxes to gramophones for people to delight in. Making sure they’re technologically updated; each display has a QR code that allows visitors access information about it on the spot.

This portrayed cycle shop is exclusively designed analogous to the old day’s street shops. Folding wooden doors, storage cabinets made of wood, tyres, tubes, tools and rims and everything that is found in a repair shop is exactly displayed here. This shop is located on the third floor of the museum which is one of the highlights of the collection.

Bicycles not used as the preferred mode of transport in a war zone, but during the Second World War, over 60,000 Airborne Paratrooper Bicycles were made just for war use. Manufactured by Birmingham Small Arms (BSA), a popular bicycle brand today, these bicycles were used extensively by British and Indian paratroopers. These special cycles could be folded into half and carried in a backpack as the soldiers were air dropped in a war zone and were ideal modes of stealth transport.

Soldier jumps from aero plane with help of parachute with folded paratrooper bicycle. After reaching on the land, soldier can assemble the bicycle and use it for travelling. In the photo below, we can see a folded paratrooper bicycle on left side and assembled bicycle on right side. That was until 1944, when they were overtaken by military jeeps.

(Paratrooper 1914)

(Huffman 1943)

(Royal Enfield 1924)

Self-Oiling Bicycle: The oldest bicycle in the collection is a 1914 Golden Sunbeam. This 28-inch gentlemen’s cycle is functional, with its original paint, decals, and parts intact. The cycle was incorporated with a version of Harrison Carter’s ‘little oil-bath chain case’. From this case, the cycle oils itself. The driving gear and bearings run are dunked in oil, inside a dust proof case. Mr. Pendse claims that the cycle is the only one of its kind and was meant to last the lifetime of its owner from whom he bought.

Recounting the many stories associated with the elements he’s collected over the decades, over the phone, Pendse talks about how some bicycles were considered status symbols as well. While the Hercules machines were considered “labors” or workers’ cycles, expensive ones like Raleighs were thought to be an elite class cycle, write David Arnold and Erich DeWald in their article ‘Cycles of Empowerment? The Bicycle and Everyday Technology in Colonial India and Vietnam.’

“The museum has a gent’s tricycle manufactured by James Cycle Co. Ltd in 1925. This cycle was owned by many doctors, lawyers and engineers, and was seen as a status symbol in those days,” says Pendse.

Bicycle Tax Badge: Use of bicycle license was common during the British rule in India. Pune, once known to be India’s cycling city had a high population who made frequent use of bicycles for transportation. Use of bicycles was regulated by the Government and Pune Cantonment Board – a military base of the British Indian army and cyclist were required to pay tax and acquire licenses which were permanently displayed on the head tube.

(Bicycle Tax badges)

On the ground floor, he has the collection of various Vintage cars and bikes. He talked about the huge taxes he is paying to the corporation to keep these cars and bikes up and running on the road.

This is a fully private museum and there is no commercial intent and earnings out of his hobby. Its really very hard earned expenditure to showcase the history to the generations like us which are very unfortunate with the fueled engines and fighting for the sustainable future. Please respect the hard work behind it and do not touch to the collection if you get a chance to be fortunate enough 😁 .

If you’re interested in self fueled machined wonders, then the Vikram Pendse Cycles Museum gives an opportunity to take quite a ride through history specially for the growing kids. And and .... dont forget to give my regards to him 😁.

Visit Information:

Address: 22, Harsh Sahawas Co-Operative Housing Society, Karvenagar, Pune – 411052, Maharashtra, India.

Entry fee is INR 100/- and free for children 5 year’s age and below.

Timings: Only Saturday and Sunday 11:00 Am to 7:00 Pm

Contact Number: +91 8530418517

Google Coordinates: https://www.google.co.in/maps/place/Vikram+Pendse+Cycles+Private+Museum/@18.4957331,73.8179615,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x3bc2bfe9b9c804c9:0xebe1c304d989e908!8m2!3d18.4956699!4d73.8201436