For Frank Krygowski
carl...@comcast.net
wheelmen, that a man can, on fair roads, make forty to fifty miles a
day on a bicycle, and be no more fatigued at the close than if he had
ridden an easy saddle horse the same distance. Under special
circumstances, a hundred miles a day is no very unusual feat, while
nearly double this distance has been accomplished. The ordinary speed
may be placed at eight miles an hour, though ten is easily made, and
even twelve."
"Light packages such as instrument case, medicine case, umbrella,
rubber coat, etc., can be carried, attached to the handle bar."
"For night riding, the lamp with which they are provided renders their
use entirely free from danger."
--J.F. Baldwin, M.D, "Physicians and the Bicycle," Columbus Medical
Journal, June 1883
http://tinyurl.com/yc844f8
Cheers,
Carl Fogel
Frank Krygowski
> "It may be regarded as settled, by the universal agreement of all
> wheelmen, that a man can, on fair roads, make forty to fifty miles a
> day on a bicycle, and be no more fatigued at the close than if he had
> ridden an easy saddle horse the same distance. Under special
> circumstances, a hundred miles a day is no very unusual feat, while
> nearly double this distance has been accomplished. The ordinary speed
> may be placed at eight miles an hour, though ten is easily made, and
> even twelve."
>
> "Light packages such as instrument case, medicine case, umbrella,
> rubber coat, etc., can be carried, attached to the handle bar."
>
> "For night riding, the lamp with which they are provided renders their
> use entirely free from danger."
And that was before the popularity of the "safety" bike, that weird
thing with two equal-sized wheels and a chain drive.
- Frank Krygowski
Dan O
Also probably preceded the wild popularity of SUV's, shock-talk radio,
cell phones, drive-up mcmuffin and coffee shops.
Frank Krygowski
Yep, it's a dangerous world, all right. Stay home! Watch TV.
- Frank Krygowski
Dan O
Is that your smarmy way of arguing that bicycle use is, in fact,
"entirely free from danger"?
Frank Krygowski
Only a fool would interpret that as such. Surely _you_ wouldn't, not
really - right?
Give it a rest, Dan.
- Frank Krygowski
Dan O
Well, it was your response to my mention of additional risk factors
weighing on the assertion "entirely free from danger" (context that
you've conveniently snipped).
>
> Give it a rest, Dan.
>
Only a fool (and/or a smarmy, supercilious asshole) would interpret my
mention of additional risk factors (which you began) as suggesting
that people should just cower in their homes in front of the TV.
Frank Krygowski
>
>
> Only a fool (and/or a smarmy, supercilious asshole) would interpret my
> mention of additional risk factors (which you began) as suggesting
> that people should just cower in their homes in front of the TV.
Give it a rest, Dan.
- Frank Krygowski
Ozark Bicycle
Physician, heal thyself!
russell...@yahoo.com
> "It may be regarded as settled, by the universal agreement of all
> wheelmen, that a man can, on fair roads, make forty to fifty miles a
> day on a bicycle, and be no more fatigued at the close than if he had
> ridden an easy saddle horse the same distance.
I've had the misfortune to ride a saddle horse 15 miles and was very
uncomfortable at the end of the ride. Long distance horse riding is
for the hardened rider accustomed to pain and misery.
carl...@comcast.net
Dear Russell,
Kind of like long distance bicycling?
:-)
Actually, the riders get used to it. Think of all the posts on RBT
that tell new riders how they'll get used to the hard, narrow bicycle
saddles.
And keep in mind that the medical expert was talking about riding
things like these two examples 40-50 miles on unpaved roads with solid
rubber tires:
http://www.pepcak.webzdarma.cz/vyspan456.JPG
A 50-mile highwheeler ride on a real road in 1883 was no picnic.
Two things worth pointing out about that photo.
First, the photo shows highwheelers in their natural habitat, not in
the usual studio pose.
(Modern highwheelers are almost never ridden on anything but modern
pavement, which is a bit like riding a mountain bike with knobby tires
around a board-track velodrome.)
Second, the photo is reversed, as shown by the mounting step, the
brake levers, and the watch-chain.
Cheers,
Carl Fogel
Frank Krygowski
>
>
> And keep in mind that the medical expert was talking about riding
> things like these two examples 40-50 miles on unpaved roads with solid
> rubber tires:
> http://www.pepcak.webzdarma.cz/vyspan456.JPG
>
> A 50-mile highwheeler ride on a real road in 1883 was no picnic.
To bring the "safety" aspect back into the discussion: Those roads
had potholes, rocks, dogs, and - horrors! - even squirrels. Everybody
understands the tendency of an ordinary* to pitch the rider forward
upon hitting an obstruction or upon braking hard. Yet the good doctor
was not wringing his hands about the dangers. Perhaps even back then,
he felt the health benefits of cycling outweighed the dangers?
(* Of course, "ordinary bicycle" as a name for that machine makes as
much grammatical sense as "clipless pedals.")
>
> Two things worth pointing out about that photo.
>
> First, the photo shows highwheelers in their natural habitat, not in
> the usual studio pose.
>
> (Modern highwheelers are almost never ridden on anything but modern
> pavement, which is a bit like riding a mountain bike with knobby tires
> around a board-track velodrome.)
>
> Second, the photo is reversed, as shown by the mounting step, the
> brake levers, and the watch-chain.
Hmm. Did British ordinaries have the mounting step on the opposite
side? I've only ridden American ones.
- Frank Krygowski
carl...@comcast.net
Dear Frank,
The ordinary was simply the ordinary bicycle, until the new-fangled
dwarf safeties lowered the general level of riding.
A surprising number of early safeties had left-hand chains.
But I've never seen a single right-hand mounting step (as opposed to
double left-right steps) on a UK or US highwheeler, nor a spoon-brake
lever on the left--not in the flesh, not in photos, not in catalogues
or contemporary illustrations.
***
Double mounting steps, left and right, on a UK Bayliss-Thomas:
http://www.eriding.net/media/photos/transport/vintage_bikes/040930_cbr_mp_his_trans_vb_583.jpg
Double mounting steps, left and right, on a German site:
http://www.hochrad.info/hochradseite/hochradbasic/hochrad%20allerlei%20sammlung%20hr3%20english.htm
Adjustable steps could be reversed to the right-hand side, but I've
never seen one in that position, except in a double-step arrangement.
***
Highwheeler spoon brake levers are right-side, though I'd love to see
an exception.
***
A few step-on-left, brake-lever-on-right examples:
UK ~1873 Stassen Nonpareil, step on left:
http://www.oldspokeshome.com/museumdetails.php?bikeid=1
UK 1878 CMC Special club, step on left, brake on right:
http://www.bicyclelogy.com/product/2007319C
UK 1878 Singer Royal Challenge, step on left, brake on right:
http://www.romfi.com/item_pic/Transport-Road/48-royal.jpg
UK 1878 Windsor, step on left, brake on right, nice bell and lamp:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nmsi/2547479231/sizes/o/in/set-72157605170495840/
UK 1883 Hillman, Herbert, & Cooper DHF, step on left:
http://www.oldspokeshome.com/museumdetails.php?bikeid=14
UK 1884 amusingly named CMC American/Russian Club, step on left, brake
on right:
http://www.romfi.com/item_pic/Transport-Road/06-amer.jpg
UK 1885 Singer Challenge, step on left, brake on right:
http://www.jimlangley.net/ride/singerbritishchallenge.html
http://www.romfi.com/item_pic/Transport-Road/06-amer.jpg
UK ~1886 CMC, step on left, brake on right:
http://www.eriding.net/media/photos/transport/vintage_bikes/040930_cbr_mp_his_trans_vb_531.jpg
UK ~1887 St. George New Rapid, step on left, brake on right:
http://www.eriding.net/media/photos/transport/vintage_bikes/040930_cbr_mp_his_trans_vb_536.jpg
UK 1887 Rudge imported to the US, step on left, brake on right:
http://tallbike.com/tall/87rudge.html
US ~1884 Columbia Standard (Rudge imitation), step on left, brake on
right:
http://tinyurl.com/yh9tzy9
US ~1885 Columbia Expert, step on left, brake on right:
http://tinyurl.com/dgu99n
US 1885 Victor, step on left, brake on right:
http://tinyurl.com/yh48wnv
US ~1887 Gormully & Jeffery, step on left, brake on right:
http://tinyurl.com/ydv355q
Cheers,
Carl Fogel
datakoll
works core.
Reads like Greenspan on technology.
RonSonic
wrote:
>On Nov 10, 2:00�pm, carlfo...@comcast.net wrote:
>>
>>
>> And keep in mind that the medical expert was talking about riding
>> things like these two examples 40-50 miles on unpaved roads with solid
>> rubber tires:
>> �http://www.pepcak.webzdarma.cz/vyspan456.JPG
>>
>> A 50-mile highwheeler ride on a real road in 1883 was no picnic.
>
>To bring the "safety" aspect back into the discussion: Those roads
>had potholes, rocks, dogs, and - horrors! - even squirrels. Everybody
>understands the tendency of an ordinary* to pitch the rider forward
>upon hitting an obstruction or upon braking hard. Yet the good doctor
>was not wringing his hands about the dangers. Perhaps even back then,
>he felt the health benefits of cycling outweighed the dangers?
>
>(* Of course, "ordinary bicycle" as a name for that machine makes as
>much grammatical sense as "clipless pedals.")
Probably a retronym. Had to call it something to distinguish it from those new
fangled safety bicycles.
The "clipless" thing is just plain confusing. Back when they first started
hitting the market someone should have tried to do better. "Latching" pedal
maybe.
--
Oh damn. There's that annoying blog. Again. http://dumbbikeblog.blogspot.com
carl...@comcast.net
Dear Ron & Frank,
The term "ordinary bicycle" predated the modern dwarf rear-drive
bicycle, which appeared in late 1884.
An "ordinary" meant a traditional highwheeler, as opposed to the
various dwarf and safety highwheelers, which still used large front
wheel drive, but which reduced the risk of headers by seating riders
lower and further back through smaller wheels, chains, treadles, even
small-front-wheel highwheelers with the big wheel in back.
***
Here's a typical example of the language, which mentions a safety
highwheeler whose name, Xtraordinary, was a play on "ordinary":
"This hill is deceptive and dangerous to riders of the ordinary
bicycle. Many have had narrow escapes of their lives. I am now riding
a safety bicycle, "The Xtraordinary," and can descend it at a rapid
pace."
"English Mechanic," Aug. 6th, 1881, p. 519
http://tinyurl.com/yey3j3b (you have to page up)
***
An 1886 Singer Xtraordinary:
http://tinyurl.com/yavugza
An 1883 sketch of an Xtraordinary next to several ordinaries:
http://tinyurl.com/y93gwz5
An 1887 Xtraordinary:
http://www.metzbicyclemuseum.com/bike1a.html
The safety feature was partly the slightly reduced 50-inch wheel, but
mostly the lower and rearward seating made possible by the treadles.
***
Here's another front-drive safety, the Facile, from around 1885:
http://www.gtj.org.uk/en/large/item/GTJ64171/
The gearing allows the same speed with a smaller front wheel, and the
treadles let the rider sit lower and further back.
***
A side view of a 42-inch facile, emphasizing the seating:
http://www.wuk.at/hochrad/historisch/bilder/altmuenster_003.jpg
***
Another treadle safety, the American:
http://www.pepcak.webzdarma.cz/vyspan538.jpg
The Kangaroo, whose double-chain design achieved the same effect as
treadles, seating the rider lower and farther back while preserving
speed through gearing:
http://books.google.com/books?id=vVNhAAAAIAAJ&printsec=titlepage#v=onepage&q=&f=false
A side view of a Kangaroo, emphasizing the coasting pegs sticking out
front:
http://www.pepcak.webzdarma.cz/vyspan548.jpg
A similar double-chain Rudge dwarf safety highwheeler:
http://www.metzbicyclemuseum.com/Bike4a.html
Another double-chain dwarf, the Regent:
http://www.wuk.at/hochrad/index_eng.php
***
A ~1885 Springfield Roadster, with what look like pedals, but which
are actually treadles engaging gears:
http://www.pepcak.webzdarma.cz/vyspan143.jpg
***
An 1885 Eagle small-front wheel, which used traditional pedals:
http://www.copakeauction.com/bicycles/2003-bicycles/496.jpg
***
An 1884 Star ad, showing the small-front wheel with treadles instead
of pedals:
The famous photo of a treadle Star safely descending the Capitol
steps:
http://i11.tinypic.com/8ak80wj.jpg
Despite the claims of stability, the small-front-wheel highwheelers
had a nasty habit of washing out the small front wheel.
***
A ~1885 Springfield Roadster, with what look like pedals, but which
are actually treadles engaging gears:
http://www.pepcak.webzdarma.cz/vyspan143.jpg
***
A nice old book with several of the safety highwheelers and dates:
http://books.google.com/books?id=604oAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA203#v=onepage&q=&f=false
Cheers,
Carl Fogel
thirty-six
Where can I purchase the 'lamp of invulnerability', must be pricey?
thirty-six
> On Nov 10, 2:00 pm, carlfo...@comcast.net wrote:
>
>
>
> > And keep in mind that the medical expert was talking about riding
> > things like these two examples 40-50 miles on unpaved roads with solid
> > rubber tires:
> > http://www.pepcak.webzdarma.cz/vyspan456.JPG
>
> > A 50-mile highwheeler ride on a real road in 1883 was no picnic.
>
> To bring the "safety" aspect back into the discussion: Those roads
> had potholes, rocks, dogs, and - horrors! - even squirrels. Everybody
> understands the tendency of an ordinary* to pitch the rider forward
> upon hitting an obstruction or upon braking hard. Yet the good doctor
> was not wringing his hands about the dangers. Perhaps even back then,
> he felt the health benefits of cycling outweighed the dangers?
Bicycles don't kick quite as hard as horses.
>
> (* Of course, "ordinary bicycle" as a name for that machine makes as
> much grammatical sense as "clipless pedals.")
High wheel, or euphemistically 'Penny-farthing'. It only became
ordinary in comparison to the new-fangled and complex safety bicycle
with its multitude of adjustment.
thirty-six
> On Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:39:51 -0800 (PST), Frank Krygowski <frkry...@gmail.com>
'snapping' ;-)
carl...@comcast.net
As an aside, here's the only powered highwheeler, Copeland's 1885
treadle Star and its steam engine:
http://www.smokstak.com/gallery/files/3/2/4/6/CopelandSteamBicycle.jpg
The safety highwheeler proved to be a better platform for a motor than
the ordinary:
"In 1881, Lucius Copeland from Phoenix, Arizona had been experimenting
with steam powered bicycles, using a high wheel or 'Ordinary' Columbia
bicycle. Add a heavy steam engine and you have a dangerous combination
which eventually led Copeland to scrap his own creation following a
crash. Further experimentation by Copeland led to a Star high wheel
bicycle, combined with his steam engine. The steam powered bicycle
could develop a boiler pressure of 80psi and carried sufficient fuel
and water to allow the machine to operate for an hour. The 1/4
horsepower engine allowed the Copeland to ride along at a heady 12mph.
It was also reported that he rode his contraption a mile distance in 4
minutes. Following several exhibition appearances across the country,
the Copeland simply disappeared while its inventor advanced to other
intellectual projects."
http://www.landroverbase.com/auctionlot/by-id/251071618/
Cheers,
Carl Fogel
Norman
I believe there's a shop in Hyrule. Shouldn't be more
than 5 or 6 gold, though the name is misleading: it only
gives you an extra saving roll from falling damage.
carl...@comcast.net
Back to etymology:
http://i37.tinypic.com/28ivuw6.jpg
The 1880 Singer ad for the "Xtraordinary" (note the play on words)
highlights the differences between the safety highwheeler and what was
beginning to be called the "ordinary" bicycle.
Sadly, that particular treadle design precluded the snazzy coasting
pegs ("footrests") common on high-class touring ordinaries.
The catalogue also featured a folding locomotive-drive tadpole
tricycle. Tricycles were popular because they were easy to learn to
ride, they didn't crash like the highwheelers, and they could outclimb
the highwheelers.
Folding tricycles became popular because they would travel easily by
train--think of folding wheelchairs.
Cheers,
Carl Fogel
datakoll
The Sheriff sells one variety
Michael Press
RonSonic <rons...@tampabay.rr.com> wrote:
Not too late. `Latching' is good. I've been saying "click in pedals".
--
Michael Press