In his spare time Hedstrom built high-quality bicycles that were lighter and more durable than standard bikes.
He rented a workshop space in Middletown, Connecticut where he designed and cast engines from his own patterns.
He also designed and build a concentric carburetor.
While his reputation as a bicycle designer grew, he started to build tandem bicycles with gasoline engines.
These were called pacers, and were used to split the wind for racing cyclists.
The motorized pacers of that time functioned poorly, but Hedstrom's design quickly gained a reputation as being very reliable.

At this time he came into contact with the former cyclist George M Hendee from Springfield, Massachusetts, who now manufactured bicycles and sponsored contests.
Hendee was dissatisfied with the pacers available, and asked Hedstrom to take one of his to Springfield.
Hendee was so impressed that he asked Hedstrom to develop a prototype for a mass-manufactured motorized bicycle.
In his spare time Hedstrom built high-quality bicycles that were lighter and more durable than standard bikes. He rented a workshop space in Middletown, Connecticut where he designed and cast engines from his own patterns. He also designed and build a concentric carburetor. While his reputation as a bicycle designer grew, he started to build tandem bicycles with gasoline engines. These were called pacers, and were used to split the wind for racing cyclists. The motorized pacers of that time functioned poorly, but Hedstrom's design quickly gained a reputation as being very reliable.
At this time he came into contact with the former cyclist George M Hendee from Springfield, Massachusetts, who now manufactured bicycles and sponsored contests. Hendee was dissatisfied with the pacers available, and asked Hedstrom to take one of his to Springfield. Hendee was so impressed that he asked Hedstrom to develop a prototype for a mass-manufactured motorized bicycle.
Oscar Hedstrom