"Quadricycle".
Quadricycle (also spelled quadracycle or quadrocycle) is a four-wheeled vehicle. The most common layout is when the wheels are placed at the angles of a rectangle. The alternative layout is when wheels are placed at the angles of a rhombus (or, more generally, at the angles of a geometric kite). The rhombus layout is not very convenient, because such vehicles are less stable and leave three tracks instead of two.
Quadricycles were one solution to the problem of low-speed stability in early cycles, typically multi-seat models (as seen in the picture). Both tandem (in line, as depicted) and sociable (side-by-side) seating configurations were used.
The first experimental steam cars were sometimes called steam quadricycles, and a few very early internal combustion cars were called motor quadricycles. The terms automobile and car rapidly became universal, supplanting this usage.
In modern quadricycles, an open cycle seating two and more riders in a sociable configuration is most common and popularly referred to as a surrey. The surrey's design is reminiscent of 20th century automobiles with a bench seat, rack-and-pinion steering and canopy top. Surreys are used internationally for personal recreation and are rented at popular tourist destinations.
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
It uses material from the "Quadricycle".
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