So after goodness knows how long procrastinating, I've finally got around to picking up a C5.

Having just moved into Milton Keynes where we've got cycle paths all over the place may well have been a deciding factor there as well!

In fact, I've not ended up with one C5, but a pair of them. Both pretty rough around the edges but seeming to be pretty much complete and original.

Haven't had a chance to do much too far with them, but have replaced two knackered inner tubes, re-greased all the wheel bearings and replaced the chain. This was the greatest chunk of rust on the whole thing and having tried to de-rust one on a bike before I just decided it wasn't worth the hassle given how little they cost. Tomorrow hopefully we'll have the first pedal powered test run around the drive and do the first check-over of the electrics.

One has a far better body than the other, so that one will be getting returned to as close to its original appearance as possible. The other is a visual mess, so we'll have to see where that goes cosmetically.

Here they are having just come out of the back of the car yesterday evening and shuffled into the corner.



Turns out that you can actually fit a pair of C5s in the back of a Saab 900, even if you can't quite get the boot closed!

Welcome! how did you get hold of two! quite an achievement for a newbie! Welcome! I am in Oxford so not far from you and i know of at least one other C5 owner in MK!

Hello and Welcome to the website  They look good, should be able to make 1 great C5 out of those and have the other for spares or maybe pedal only

Thanks folks for the warm response. Not really new to oddball modes of transport...especially from the 80s given that my garage also includes an 89 Saab 900i and a Skoda 120LX from 86...The C5 seemed an obvious addition living in MK really. The place is made for them!

Had considered one many times before, but limited cycleways in my previous home of Aberdeen limited their appeal given the heavy traffic. Plus most seemed to be down south.

This pair were an ebay find that was pretty nearby so I took a punt on them.

Both will be fully functional in time, the second may end up wearing none original paint though so as to hide a few of the battle scars. Thinking black with blue retroreflective striping ala Automan just now...taking inspiration from an 80s TV show seems appropriate.

They will look nice next to the Saab and Skoda at classic car shows too.

Hi there welcome to the forum any help/info you want just ask ....
bye Chas

Well things seem to be well underway. Pedalling works, though the chain seems to enjoy jumping off the tensioner. Not sure how firmly fixed in place that should be really. Know there is one slightly tight link in the chain so will see if we can sort that before scratching my head too much.

After a bit of fiddling around I managed to bodge together a power pack (will make it more elegant later) and plugged it in after checking for any obvious major faults.

First shock...the pod seems to work.

Next test was pushing the go button. Cue moment of hilarity when it turned out I had lifted the wrong wheel and the C5 proceeded to launch itself into the garage at an alarming rate of knots with me bodily hanging off the back of it.

This also revealed that while it was plenty happy to go, it wasn't so fond of stopping. This gremlin arose again a couple of hours later when it was taken on the first manned test and then went from being sluggish to come off the power to refusing to stop altogether. My other half got a rather good photo of my approach back into the drive very nearly on two wheels while I fumbled frantically for the kill button. This was labelled C5 at mach five...which is about what it felt like!

Investigation today revealed what I had expected, the motor relay having been turned into basically a block of rust due to water ingress. The arcing that had resulted also appears to have cooked D1 which if memory serves is there to minimise contact arcing isn't it?

The relay in the second C5s controller isn't perfect, but is in a lot better shape. Will get a new one on order soon and get D1 changed to make sure that the new relay isn't cooked in short order. This does appear to have solved the issue with it being reluctant to stop though and has stopped the controller making strange squeaking noises. This is nice as it's a bit unnerving working on a vehicle that seems determined to kill you!

Sounds like you had a close shave  Replacing the relay in a restoration c5 is always a good idea and you're right about D1 being there to supress back EMF

Here are a few photos from yesterday which I hadn't had the opportunity to transfer onto the computer when I put the post up.

The front end of "Scruffy" apparently attempting to demonstrate that C5's can indeed withstand atmospheric re-entry from orbit. This is going to need a bit of cosmetic attention I think!



The other one in contrast is relatively clean, though does still have a few scuffs here and there. Attention was first centred on the scruffy one though as it is the most complete of the two and the electrics are in better condition. I'll drag it out for a better photo at some point, but currently it only has one wheel that's actually attached so it's a bit of a pain to move...



Wasn't expecting to see this when I first applied power given how common reports I've heard of dead pods seem to be.



Then of course there's the now seemingly infamous "C5 at Mach 5" incident my other half managed to snap just as I careered into the garden prior to stopping it by beaching in the flower bed when it decided that stopping wasn't a good idea.



Not surprising really when you consider that this is what I found inside the relay's case. Surprising that it was working at all to be honest!



Finally is just a snap of the C5 currently being worked on parked up next to the other trike in the family. Will be interesting to see which of these actually gets the most attention when they're both taken out together!

For no reason other than I thought to take note of it, the serial numbers of these two are 10051001389 (Scruffy) and 100051001381 (Wobbly). Not sure whether C5 serial numbers were sequential and where they started so if these can give any indication of where in the production run this pair came from.

V100050302778
V1000 = Model reference for C5
5 =1985
03 = March
02778 = 2778th produced that month