I rated this, but it didn't go through, still reads,
No ratings, so why not be the first? even though it registered the rating.
By crashryan
A fascinating booklet! Likely a privately-published affair, with cartooning not the best. I was surprised by the back cover. After 27 pages of cartoons about the miseries of bicycling, we get an ad for a bicycle!
Can someone with a knowledge of bicycle engineering explain why they made these early bikes so tall one couldn't mount up without standing on a wall or a ladder? Not to mention that the rider couldn't touch the ground with his feet, so the easiest way to stop was to fall off the bicycle. I realize they hadn't worked out the sprocket-and-chain system yet, but surely even on a direct-drive bike it would have been easier and safer to ride if the wheel diameter were more human-centric.
By lyons
crash - there are two main reasons for high wheel bikes: Speed - Old-fashioned bikes didn’t use gears, so the only way to go faster was to have a bigger wheel. Since pedals were directly attached to the front wheel, the bigger the wheel, the further a single pedal push propelled you. In bike races, speed was a crucial advantage worth the absurd size.
Comfort - High wheel bikes were more dangerous, but they had advantages. Old roads were in poor condition, and the large wheel could roll over potholes and small rocks. It led to a smoother ride than smaller-wheel bikes, which were often called bone-shakers.
As for mounting an old-fashioned bike, The Wheelmen society has a useful guide. They write:
“It is much simpler than you think. On the lower part of the “backbone” (the part that goes down to the small wheel) there is a small step. The rider stands in back of the bike, with his hands holding the handlebar grips, with a foot up on the step. Pushing forward to get enough momentum to steer and balance (like a scooter), he steps up, settles into the seat, puts his feet on the pedals, and rides on.”
By Operator99
The original company still exists today. http://columbiabicycles.com/heritage/
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