The Wright Cycle Co. path racer (the Wright brothers)

stickman

I bought 'The Wright Brothers' a biography by Ian Mackersey so i'm reading about their whole life but i've been having a look on the net for cycling stuff and it's interesting. They invented a self lubricating hub and they were the first ones to fit a left pedal with a reverse thread to stop it coming loose. There are only 5 known bikes made by them still existing, here is one http://www.nasm.si.edu/wrightbrothers/a ... ry.cfm?Q=5

bagpusscp

Excellent link stickman.Interesting history.

stickman

Thanks.

I read that there is a book about them from just a cycling viewpoint, don't know the title though.

Orville rode races and won medals.

As an experiment they turned two penny farthing bikes into a tandem which only they had the skill to ride!

stickman

In the book I am up to where they are building their first engined plane, the drive shaft was connected to the two propellers using bicycle chains and sprockets, the sprockets were secured with glue for gluing tyres to rims, I don't know if that would have been for solid tyres at that time or all tyres as about a year before they built a balloon tyre low geared bike for getting across the sand at Kitty Hawk.

stickman

Over in early 20th century france champion cyclist henri farman was breaking most of their early aviation records.