Some swear they have the power to heal the sick, and others say they are magic.

Although neither of these claims can be proved, it’s a fact that Charlie and Pearl the unicorn bicycles will likely invoke a smile from those who cross their paths.

Huntington Beach resident John Guy, 49, is the creator of Charlie and Pearl, the wooden unicorn bikes that can be seen galloping down Main Street or Pacific Coast Highway several times a week.

“It’s like having a really funny joke that you can tell every day and make people laugh,” Guy said.

Guy and his fiancée, Susan Lund, 49, said they are amazed at the response they get when they ride the unicorns around town.

Children often want to pet the bikes, and one woman said she believed the creations were inspiring enough to cure cancer through laughter, Lund said.

Passersby stopped and smiled as the couple crossed the street on a recent evening at Pier Plaza.

A child yelled out, “I love your unicorn,” and one family stopped and snapped pictures as Guy and Lund circled on the bikes. Teenagers lined up asking for rides.

See slideshow of unicorn bikes here

Guy, manager of hardware design engineering for Broadcom Corp., built Charlie as an entry to the Maker Faire in San Mateo, an event that features creations from inventors and engineering enthusiasts.

He had entered various creations the previous five years, including a margarita machine made out of an Igloo cooler and a stainless steel garbage disposal, and a specialized guitar amplifier.

For last year’s Faire, Guy said he wanted to deviate from his usual electrical projects and create something mechanical, such as a bicycle.

A viral YouTube video featuring the animated character “Charlie the Unicorn” served as the inspiration for the bike. The videos chronicle the adventures of Charlie, a disgruntled unicorn, and his overly-enthusiastic pastel-colored unicorn friends.

The original “Charlie the Unicorn” video has more than 60 million hits on YouTube.

Guy used animation to lay out how Charlie would gallop and be stable enough to hold a rider. He used off-set hubs for the lopsided wheels, which creates the up-and-down galloping motion.

“I mulled over the design for a month or two,” Guy said. “It took about three weekends to build.”

Charlie’s body is cut out of wood and hinged together to be able to maneuver turns. His mane and tail are made of rainbow dusters from the 99 Cent Store and his eyes are painted on.

The bike received the Editor’s Choice blue ribbon at the Maker Faire in May, Guy said.

Pearl was created shortly after for Lund. Both unicorns made their community debut Fourth of July weekend, Guy said.

The unicorns usually stay around Huntington Beach but did take one trip to Balboa Island in Newport Beach this summer.

“They’re hard to ride … and they don’t go very fast,” Guy said.

The couple said they don’t have plans to start marketing the unicorn bikes but they are working on getting their idea patented and are willing to sell the license for the idea.

“I would have to sell them for $900 to $1,000 each to make about $20 an hour; why would I do that?” he said. “It’s better to just have the only ones around.”

Check out Charlie the Unicorn’s Facebook page to see pictures of fans posing with Charlie and Pearl.

Contact the writer: 714-796-7953 or jfletcher@ocregister.com

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