On the road, 120 years ago

Commuting, Day rides, Audax, Incidents, etc.
Nearholmer
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Re: On the road, 120 years ago

Post by Nearholmer »

I think it’s an optical illusion.

Look carefully and you will see that both sides are as you would expect, there being two separate crank shafts and drive-chains, plus I think foot rest pegs for not pedalling. I can’t recall whether you can do it on this one, but on some you can spin the whole thing round by the two riders pedalling in opposite directions, I think they either have no free-wheel or lockable free-wheel. Others have a single crankshaft shared by both riders and only one drive chain, and yet others again have the riders seated fore and aft.

They have differential gearing too, the chap who invented it invented these, James Starley IIRC.

But, this would probably have been considered an outdated curiosity by 120 years ago.
Bmblbzzz
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Re: On the road, 120 years ago

Post by Bmblbzzz »

A lot to answer for that Starley chap!
rjb
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Re: On the road, 120 years ago

Post by rjb »

Jon Lucas wrote: 12 Aug 2022, 8:29am I have dipped into several books by Charles G. Harper over the years, and have just read one right through, his treatise of the Somerset Coast, published in 1909. He wrote many Road books describing the old main routes across Britain at the turn of the 19th to 20th centuries, and also wrote a lot of books about specific parts of England, especially the south-west. As far as I can tell, his main (perhaps only) means of travel was by bike, and he certainly didn't approve of the increasing dominance of roads by motorists that he was witnessing at the time.

His writing style is obviously very old fashioned, and can be very annoying, not to mention straying over the line of what would now be seen as culturally acceptable. But amidst that, they are usually fascinating reads, and give a perspective of a time now lost.

I came across this piece in his description of Minehead, which I found fascinating. At that time, it was just beginning to be developed into a seaside resort, having been up to that time a small fishing village and port.

"Among other up-to-date doings is the covering of the roads with asphalte, so that visitant motor-cars shall not stir up the dust; the result being that the roads so treated have an evilly dirty appearance and a worse stink. They look, and probably are, dangerous to health."
Thanks for posting this. I have just dipped into it and as I lived in Cannington for 30 odd years and cycled every road in the area I know it well and enjoyed the description of this neck of the woods.
It's available as a free eBook as it has been recognised as being significantly important.
"The Somerset Coast, by Charles G. Harper--A Project Gutenberg eBook" https://www.gutenberg.org/files/58934/5 ... 8934-h.htm
At the last count:- Peugeot 531 pro, Dawes Discovery Tandem, Dawes Kingpin X3, Raleigh 20 stowaway, 1965 Moulton deluxe, Falcon K2 MTB dropped bar tourer, Rudge Bi frame folder, Longstaff trike conversion on a Giant XTC 840 :D
Nearholmer
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Re: On the road, 120 years ago

Post by Nearholmer »

A lot to answer for that Starley chap!
There were three of them, all as clever as a bucket of clever things: James, his son, who invented the safety bicycle, and a nephew/cousin.
Bmblbzzz
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Re: On the road, 120 years ago

Post by Bmblbzzz »

Oh, I'd assumed it was the safety bike man. Didn't realise this was his father.
cycle tramp
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Re: On the road, 120 years ago

Post by cycle tramp »

Bmblbzzz wrote: 12 Aug 2022, 3:39pm How odd that the boy-side has the pedals arranged normally at 180 degrees to each other, whereas on the girl-side they appear to be side by side, kangaroo style. What was the point of that, I wonder?

Clearly the person on the girl side is a lady and as such she should not pedal, lest the sudden bout of activity cause her brain to overheat, causing her to demand things like equal rights and the vote and other thoughts which should not trouble decent society... :-D
It's time to go :-)
Nearholmer
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Re: On the road, 120 years ago

Post by Nearholmer »

If you knew the young lady concerned, you’d be in no doubt that equality is only a starting point in the negotiation.

I think it has foot-rest pegs (on both sides) because, having thought about it a bit more, I’m pretty sure it doesn’t have free-wheel.

If you look at pictures of the very earliest Rover (I.e. Starley) safety bicycles some of them seem to have pegs too, I think for the same reason.

But, I’m no expert on all this 1880s bike stuff. There must be one here present, surely?
Nearholmer
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Re: On the road, 120 years ago

Post by Nearholmer »

This isn’t a great video, but right at the end you can see the Starley quadricycle being ridden, which makes the crank action easier to understand.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KLDcpHuyJPo
Galactic
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Re: On the road, 120 years ago

Post by Galactic »

I do remember reading a book many, many years ago, of the same genre and era as "Three Men In a Boat" by Jerome K. Jerome describing the outings of three (self-described) lazy young Londoners who thought nothing of doing 100 miles a day on roads that they considered normal, but the descriptions of which would suit the poorer sections of the Pennine Way, all with the iron boneshakers of the time (one even on a penny-farthing, which was going out of fashion at the time of writing) and heading down long, steep hills at great speeds with only the benefit of carbide lamps. Stern stuff.

Wish I could remember the book, would love to read it again.
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Chris Jeggo
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Re: On the road, 120 years ago

Post by Chris Jeggo »

'Three Men on the Bummel' by JKJ.
Jon Lucas
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Re: On the road, 120 years ago

Post by Jon Lucas »

Galactic wrote: 13 Aug 2022, 8:00am I do remember reading a book many, many years ago, of the same genre and era as "Three Men In a Boat" by Jerome K. Jerome describing the outings of three (self-described) lazy young Londoners who thought nothing of doing 100 miles a day on roads that they considered normal, but the descriptions of which would suit the poorer sections of the Pennine Way, all with the iron boneshakers of the time (one even on a penny-farthing, which was going out of fashion at the time of writing) and heading down long, steep hills at great speeds with only the benefit of carbide lamps. Stern stuff.

Wish I could remember the book, would love to read it again.
I've also read that book, and like you can't remember its title or author, but it was a good read..
Stoneybatter
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Re: On the road, 120 years ago

Post by Stoneybatter »

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Last edited by Stoneybatter on 20 Aug 2022, 1:15pm, edited 1 time in total.
Nearholmer
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Re: On the road, 120 years ago

Post by Nearholmer »

Brilliant source!

I’d never heard of this one, and it had me chuckling on a quick skim of the first page. To be read properly!
Nearholmer
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Re: On the road, 120 years ago

Post by Nearholmer »

Read both as a way of whiling time as it’s been far too hot over the past 24hrs.

Both have good cycling atmosphere, but Wells is head and shoulders above in terms of reading material, even if JKJ is funny in places, and quite perceptive about the Germans in others.

Multiple times Wells mentions the whiteness of the roads, that will be water-bound macadam under bright sun, but nowhere does he mention poor surface being an obstacle, and the way the cyclists have no need to worry about other traffic is so massively envy-inducing.

Wells was a keen cyclist himself, and given the date I think he’s woven himself and his second wife into this, cleverly splitting himself into the two opposing male characters. He was one jolly clever chap!

Here’s what he said:

“I learnt to ride my bicycle upon sandy tracks with none but God to help me; he chastened me considerably in the process, and after a fall one day I wrote down a description of the state of my legs which became the opening chapter of the Wheels of Chance … The bicycle in those days was still very primitive. The diamond frame had appeared but there was no free-wheel. You could only stop and jump off when the treadle was at its lowest point, and the brake was an uncertain plunger upon the front wheel. Consequently you were often carried on beyond your intentions. The bicycle was the swiftest thing upon the roads in those days, there were as yet no automobiles and the cyclist had a lordliness, a sense of masterful adventure, that has gone from him altogether now.”

PS: what was a “screw hammer”? Both authors mention it several times as a tool essential to the cyclist.

PPS: “An adjustable spanner with a heavy hammer-like head.” So, it must be that squared-off looking thing that used to be part of standard SA tool kits.
Jon Lucas
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Re: On the road, 120 years ago

Post by Jon Lucas »

Yes it has been far too hot to go out cycling recently, so reading is a far more pleasurable option. I must take the opportunity of reading Wells' book, as I haven't previously.

The thing I found most fascinating about Harper's book was that he was writing right at the beginning of the 20th century, and was already describing the roads as being dominated by motor-cars. My image has always been that real dominance didn't occur until much later (I grew up in the 50s and roads were far less dominated by cars then than they are now). I wonder just how many cars were being driven around in those days, and whether Harper's reactions were because he remembered the roads before any cars drove around at all, so were free of their noise and pollution.
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