A cycling story.
About 120 years ago, bicycling was the pastime of only the most courageous men who had the bravado to ride a 'high wheel' "Penny farthing" bicycle.
Onlookers would gaze in amazement as the sturdy young men rode past.
Then, a man in Coventry had an idea. To make this pastime more accessible, and sell a load of his invention, he designed a bicycle that had a smaller wheel which was driven by a low crank axle via a leather belt. It's saddle was closer to the ground making it 'safer' to start, stop, dismount; and it wouldn't pitch the rider off the front at a sudden stop.
He looked at the Penny farthings and saw 52" was the most common. With a 26" drive wheel and a 2:1 ratio, the 52" gear could be accomplished.
There was an initial craze. The public bought the new style bicycle. But alas, this 'cycling' game was not as easy as they thought, because when the new cyclists came to a steepish hill, they stopped dead.
A 52" single gear was far too high and the people soon gave up this stupid pastime and threw the ridiculous contraptions on the rubbish tip because they didn't have the muscular strength to ride these bloody useless bicycle things, and couldn't be bothered to put in some 'hard work'.
Cycling never caught on as a 'popular' hobby and only serious, strong, sportsmen type athletes continued to ride 'bicycles' in competitive events.
Stop Jimbo… you're talking crap again. This is NOT what happened.
Cycling became VERY popular.
What really happened is the people DIDN'T give up. They persevered to increase their strength so they COULD ride their bicycles up the hills.
About 120 years ago, bicycling was the pastime of only the most courageous men who had the bravado to ride a 'high wheel' "Penny farthing" bicycle.
Onlookers would gaze in amazement as the sturdy young men rode past.
Then, a man in Coventry had an idea. To make this pastime more accessible, and sell a load of his invention, he designed a bicycle that had a smaller wheel which was driven by a low crank axle via a leather belt. It's saddle was closer to the ground making it 'safer' to start, stop, dismount; and it wouldn't pitch the rider off the front at a sudden stop.
He looked at the Penny farthings and saw 52" was the most common. With a 26" drive wheel and a 2:1 ratio, the 52" gear could be accomplished.
There was an initial craze. The public bought the new style bicycle. But alas, this 'cycling' game was not as easy as they thought, because when the new cyclists came to a steepish hill, they stopped dead.
A 52" single gear was far too high and the people soon gave up this stupid pastime and threw the ridiculous contraptions on the rubbish tip because they didn't have the muscular strength to ride these bloody useless bicycle things, and couldn't be bothered to put in some 'hard work'.
Cycling never caught on as a 'popular' hobby and only serious, strong, sportsmen type athletes continued to ride 'bicycles' in competitive events.
Stop Jimbo… you're talking crap again. This is NOT what happened.
Cycling became VERY popular.
What really happened is the people DIDN'T give up. They persevered to increase their strength so they COULD ride their bicycles up the hills.
