![clown bike (4728821963)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/60/Clown_bike_%284728821963%29.jpg)
A clown bicycle or clown bike is a
bicycle
A bicycle, also called a pedal cycle, bike or cycle, is a human-powered or motor-powered assisted, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A is called a cyclist, or bicyclist.
Bic ...
designed for comedic visual effect or stunt riding, typically by
circus clown
Clowns have always been an integral part of the circus, offering a source of amusement for patrons and providing relief from the array of animal acts and performances by acrobats and novelty artistes.
Traditional types
Traditionally, there are t ...
s. It is sometimes called a circus bike.
Types of clown bike
*''
BMX bicycle''
*''bucking bike'' (with one or more
eccentric
Eccentricity or eccentric may refer to:
* Eccentricity (behavior), odd behavior on the part of a person, as opposed to being "normal"
Mathematics, science and technology Mathematics
* Off-center, in geometry
* Eccentricity (graph theory) of a v ...
wheels);
*''Come-apart bike'', (essentially a
unicycle
A unicycle is a vehicle that touches the ground with only one wheel. The most common variation has a bicycle frame, frame with a bicycle saddle, saddle, and has a human-powered vehicle, pedal-driven direct-drive mechanism, direct-drive. A two spee ...
, plus a set of handlebars attached to
forks
In cutlery or kitchenware, a fork (from la, furca 'pitchfork') is a utensil, now usually made of metal, whose long handle terminates in a head that branches into several narrow and often slightly curved tines with which one can spear foods ei ...
and a wheel).
*''
small wheel bicycle
Small may refer to:
Science and technology
* SMALL, an ALGOL-like programming language
* Small (anatomy), the lumbar region of the back
* ''Small'' (journal), a nano-science publication
* <small>, an HTML element that defines smaller text ...
''
*''
tall bike
A tall bike is an unusually tall bicycle often constructed by hobbyists from spare parts. Typically, two conventional bicycle frames are connected, by welding, brazing, or other means, one atop the other. The drive train is reconfigured to connec ...
'' (often called an ''upside down bike'', constructed so that the pedals, seat and handlebars are all higher than normal)
*''tiny bicycle''
Some clown bikes are also
fixed gear
A fixed-gear bicycle (or fixed-wheel bicycle, commonly known in some places as a fixie) is a bicycle that has a Bicycle drivetrain systems, drivetrain with no freewheel mechanism. The freewheel was developed early in the history of bicycle des ...
, with no
freewheeling, so that they may be pedaled either forward or backwards. Some are built very small but are otherwise relatively normal. Pedaling an extremely small bicycle is very difficult and usually much slower than walking, so there is little practical advantage to having a bicycle that will fit in one's purse or pocket.
See also
*
List of bicycle types
This list gives an overview of different types of bicycles, categorized by function (racing, recreation, etc.); number of riders (one, two, or more); by construction or frame type (upright, folding, etc.); by gearing (single speed, derailleur g ...
*
Art bike
An art bike is any bicycle modified for creative purposes while still being ridable. It is a type of kinetic sculpture. The degree of artistic creativity and originality or new functionality of art bikes varies greatly, depending on the artis ...
*
Clown car
A clown car is a prop in a circus clown routine, which involves an implausibly large number of clowns emerging from a very small car. The first performance of this routine was in the Cole Bros. Circus during the 1950s. The effect is produced by ...
External links
The Clown House a house in northeast Portland, Oregon, that is home to many clown bikes.
{{Clowns
Circus equipment
Clowning
Cycle types
Art vehicles
Modified vehicles