Bicycle War, New York Times Published: September 30, 1894

SimonAH

Lovely lovely stuff..

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-fr ... 5B8485F0D3

kelsen

The feet of the front ranks would at once become entangled in the spokes of the wheels, and, as everyone who is familiar with the bicycle knows, a man who once becomes entangled in a bicycle wheel can rarely free himself under half an hour

So true, many a times I've lain at the side of Croydon flyover entangled in my spokes and desperately trying to flag down passing motorists for help

rjsterry

Am slowly making my way through a history of the CTC. cyclist-motorist or earlier on cyclist-horsedrawnvehicleist agro is nothing new.

SimonAH

rjsterry wrote:

Am slowly making my way through a history of the CTC. cyclist-motorist or earlier on cyclist-horsedrawnvehicleist agro is nothing new.

Didja click the link RJS? Didja?

This is a vintage newspaper article (apparently) seriously discussing the pros and cons of using bicycles on the battlefield as opposed to foot soldiers and cavalry.

I say apparently seriously as it discusses the unwillingness of the enemy to engage on nice smooth flat land and also that a corps could be disabled with some tacks....

rjsterry

Well...no, clearly not. :oops:

Interesting that they are mainly comparing the bicycle to a cavalry horse - something which in 20 years' time would rendered obsolete. Bicycles did however go on to be used in WWII fairly extensively, although mainly as a means of transport, rather than a portable anti-personell obstacle.

The CTC history is very interesting too. Apparently, we have the cycling boom of the late 19th century to thank for a halfway decent road network.