Exotic bike on the National Mall

I went down to the Mall thinking I was going to see some 1880s or so "ordinary" bikes (large front wheel, small rear wheel) but they were nowhere to be seen - instead, found this guy. Well, he was kind of amusing to talk to.



It's the kind of bike described in the Atomic Zombie's Bicycle Builder's Bonanza which has some interesting designs and advocates building wacky rather than useful bikes, which seems a bit unusual.

1890 Booklet from Columbia Bicycle Manufacturer

A booklet from 1890, Suggestions for the Choice, Care and Repair of Cycles is from a prominent bicycle manufacturer of the day (probably the most significant one at the time, actually). I find it particularly curious that a guide of this sort would not include even one illustration - one is left to divine what is meant by the instructions for "how to glue a tire" (as one example) by reading their description of the process with no reference to what the bits and pieces look like.

Washington Post article - history of bicycles

Article in Kids' Post about the history of bicycles which is linked to a short item that there will be historic "ordinary" bikes being ridden on the Mall this Saturday.

An American (CA) Delegation Learns from the Dutch

Worldchanging: Bright Green: A Week of Biking Joyously: An American Delegation Learns from the Dutch - notes that it took the Dutch 35 years to build their present bicycle friendly infrastructure.

First "safety" bicycle

There were bicycles with wheels of approximately the same size before this - the main innovation of this bicycle was the use of chain drive to power the rear wheel rather than direct use of the front wheel with pedals on the front wheel's hub.

From the book published in 1945 (but in the public domain), Fifty years of Schwinn-built bicycles.

Cycling for Health and Pleasure

How to mount a bicycle as understood 115 years ago - I had never seen this approach. From the rear of the bike? Really?



Then there is this overly complex (given that it is intuitive) explanation of how to pedal a bike.

In the early days, even for a general audience there was detailed explanation of the mathematics of gearing -nowadays we probably err the other direction with too little.

There is the inevitable guidance on attire, for women in particular.



All from Cycling for Health and Pleasure, published in 1895.

Lynskey Performance Bike site

The Lynskey Performance Bike site is quite interesting stuff, if you like Titanium.