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1980s Volvo...the Itera Plastic bicycle


inconsistant

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  • 1 year later...

It's been a while, so here's a little update with some more info on the Itera bikes that I've found on my web trawls:

This link suggests that the project came about after Volvo acquired Daf in the mid 70's. It also has some great photos of the box the bikes came in, the assembly instructions, and Jimmy Carter riding an Itera bike:

https://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.php?436258-Bizarre-Volvo-bicycle&styleid=2

 

I also found this website the other day, it's the site for ex-designer Claes Nordenstam, who claims to have designed the Itera. I can't find much other stuff online attributing names of designers to the project but it's an interesting read anyway as it's got some info about the mini-car project that the bike developed out of, and has an image of an early gold coloured prototype Itera. 

 http://claesnordenstam.com/design.html

 

Edit: One of the academic papers I referenced earlier in the thread cites Claes Nordenstam as being brought onto the team as designer.

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I saw this one at Fraserburgh classic car show a couple of weeks back.

I said to 17-Coffees at the time that I was certain somebody on the forum had one and that they were somehow related to Volvo, now here I am posting this picture.

IMG_3036.thumb.JPG.a9ae35e9cfc7633f80245231c51e7cf0.JPG

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Have you ever ridden yours Rob? Mine has been sat in the garage since whenever it got shitley'd down to me from Billy, I don't think I've ever even sat on it. Needs a service and whatnot before I can ride it and I've just never bothered cos I'm a lazy bastard. I actually prefer the blue ones so if you ever wanna do a beige-for-blue swaps lemme know.

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Barrett, if you're in the South East (I think you are?) you're very welcome to come and have a go of mine. I use it every now and then, mostly for lols.

Supernaut, that's a nice one you spotted, looks almost complete, just missing a metal bit on the rear rack. The mudguards seem to be the first thing that gets damaged or goes missing but those look to be good. Nice bit of bird poo on the saddle too.

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9 hours ago, barrett said:

Have you ever ridden yours Rob?

Holbeck has mine now, and when I had it the most I did was 20 yards or so.  It felt a bit unstable TBH, but that could've been due to a flat tyre and me not riding a bike for a few years.  I used to cycle to work about 10 years ago, but I had two stolen so gave up.

Odd seeing Jimmy 'Peanut' Carter riding an Itera.  So they did sell them across the pond then.

Edit: the plastic handlebars flexing slightly just added to the weirdness.  The later ones with metal probably feel more stable.

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Ooh, another update! This time because I bought a really expensive bit of card and some string on ebay. It looked too good to miss and it has certainly delivered on its promise.

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About this time, 1985, the 15yr old me saved up my pocket money bought a Raleigh Equipe 12 speed racer which was £119.99 and was a fairly decent, well specced bike, so the Itera was a fair bit more expensive than a decent racer. There is NO WAY the self conscious 15 yr old me would have gone any where near an Itera bicycle. 

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I cycled my Raliegh Equipe to Lands End, so unless the Itera is good underwater I very much doubt this claim:

 

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I like the little 'tear off and send back' questionnaire on the inside:

 

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especially this one:

 

IMG_8393.JPG.d4fcabbec71abb43ca59c5878635f232.JPG

 

And I love that the UK distributer was Mr Brown. That’s just awesome.

 

IMG_8392.JPG.82f3b82c4de79b26c28d2e48958c77e7.JPG

 

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  • 1 year later...

with regards to the lights, would a Nokia battery secreted in the frame , and a USB input , be a worthwhile upgrade???

newer tech battery, loads lighter, and rechargeable too..Oh and of course change bulbs to LED's.....

must admit they look very Dutch to me, very sit up n bed.. but have a certain charm to them

My pushbike days are over...well actually ended on Live Aid Day 1985 LOL when my gears decided to explode, and i threw the remains in a nearby skip

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