Further to yesterday’s post, once I start poking around in the past I can’t stop, and as I was perusing old articles I began to wonder about the origins of the e-bike.
Well, the earliest mention I found was from November 12th, 1882, though that was an e-trike:
And more interesting than the “electro-motor” was the adorable term “treadles” for pedals:
So I asked the AI to do this:
Gadsen flag but with slogan “Don’t Treadle On Me” and image of a bicycle pedal instead of a snake
But I wound up with this:
I guess that will have to do.
Anyway, clearly the idea had treadles, because by January 5th, 1896, inventor and fixie edit godfather Thomas Edison was all over it:
He too felt the tricycle was the ideal application for an electric motor:
That’s because it wasn’t practical to electrify a safety bicycle:
Which, according to him, was “very nearly perfect:”
Balderdash!
The man would not have lasted five minutes at Specialized.
Anyway, he did eventually build an electric tricycle in 1889, and here it is:
Though arguably it’s more automobile than bicycle.
Regardless, the Edison story also ran alongside this useful advice for winter bicycle storage:
Both of which were apparently part of a special cycling supplement:
Yes, that’s how popular cycling was at the time:
Today what remains of the newspaper industry courts the automobile industry, but back then it was bike companies:
And these two ads ran opposite each other:
Here’s a Liberty from around this time:
By golly, Edison was right! Apart from the rod brake that baby’s perfect.
Still, we’ve come a long way since then, for not only can you get an electrified safety bicycle that would probably have impressed even Thomas Edison, but soon you’ll be able to choose between than or riding a regular bike while wearing an exoskeleton:
In his case, results were mixed:
Though an exoskeleton could breathe new life into that old Colnago you haven’t ridden in 20 years:
What seems clear is that, regardless of metrics or training, if you’re not an athlete and you want to bike more, an e-bike will be the path of least resistance. But if you’re a former cyclist with a great bike and want to get back into it, the Hypershell X Ultra S might be a good option. It can help you when you need it and get you back out on the bike.
It could also do the same thing for your marriage, because nothing says “date night” like lighting a candle, opening a bottle of wine, and gently whispering the words, “Honey, I’m putting the exoskeleton in Hyper mode” into your spouse’s ear.
Finally, speaking of riding fast and aging, after watching the following video I’m afraid I must express an old guy opinion:
I’m certainly sorry riders were hurt, and yes, dog owners can be infuriating. (Most dog owners handle their dogs about as well as most people on expensive bicycles handle their bikes.) However, unless it’s a sanctioned race and there are marshals stationed along the course, I don’t think it’s reasonable or responsible to ride in a paceline in Central Park. Yes, maybe 20 or 30 years ago when the parks were less crowded you could, but in post-Bloomberg New York where they’re teeming with people and their pets from dawn to dusk and beyond, it’s simply not reasonable for a group like this to expect to be able to ride laps in the park on racing bicycles at speed. Even if they were following the letter of the law and doing everything right (which I doubt they were, because there’s no way they were stopping at the crosswalks, sorry), they’re simply going too fast to account for the sorts of things that happen in busy places where people are recreating, as this video shows. (And yes, dogs should be on leases, but there are designated off-leash hours in Central Park, and judging from the video’s description that’s when this crash occurred.) Certainly any time I’ve found myself in Central Park on a bike in the last 10 or so years it’s been pretty obvious to me that the era when you could go there and expect to ride briskly without bothering anybody or risking serious injury to them or to yourself is long gone.
I mean sure, I still go there once in awhile:
But I can assure you I’m not riding fast, and it kind of astounds me that other people are.