Guardian- The 1970's Cycling Boom

[verticaldoug]

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/jun/16/pedal-ins-patchouli-bikeology-americas-forgotten-1970s-cycle-boom

No paywall, longform, weekend reading.

I guess in retrospect, Breaking Away was the end. (1979)

[ultraman6970]

A lot less traffic back in the 70s.

[Jgrooms]

Like many Boomers they sold out & moved on.


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[Mr. Pink]

A lot less traffic back in the 70s.

I picked up cycling at a late age, and rode with a few guys who started in the 70s, big time. They always tell me that it was a lot less lease the to ride back then. Generally lousy surfaces, and a violent driving public that would throw things at them a lot.

[DrSpoke]

That's when I started - in 1969 as I headed off to college w/a Schwinn Varsity for campus transportation. In '71, I upgraded to a European "10-speed" - a Follis. In '76, after moving to CO, it was my first pro bike - an Alan Super Record w/Nuovo Record "12-speed". Now it's a garage full of bikes including a Ducati (Bianchi)/Record10 (soon to be SR11), Cinelli Supercorsa/Daytona10 & Serotta Atlanta/Chorus9 road bikes, a Pivot Mach4209 mtn bike and Ridley X-Trail & Niner RLT 9 Steel gravel bikes. That list doesn't include the Alan, a vintage Bontrager Race Lite, a couple Bontrager Race frames, a few Schwinn Collegiates & a Schwinn Sierra "10-speed." Up until a couple of years ago, I still had all the bikes I've aowned along the way except for the Follis. A couple of years ago I sold a few - a Serotta Concours, Bontrager Privateer, Santa Cruz Superlight and a Scott Cx Team - in order to buy the Ridley.

I still laugh as I took the Varsity apart in order to paint it - black. And then I couldn't put it together again and had to take it to the Schwinn shop. Later I went through another learning curve trying to maintain the Follis. I remember trying to get the crank off w/a gear puller - unsuccessfully of course. In CO, I worked in a bike shop for a time and, for the most part, still do all by assembly, repair and maintenance. And, of course, am still riding.

[mcteague]

I bought my first "10 speed", a Raleigh Grand Prix (http://www.kurtkaminer.com/1971raleighcarcat_us_02_lg.jpg), when I was in high school in 1970-71. I remember having a tough time finding bikes in stock.

That first bike got me hooked and I have not stopped riding since.

Tim

[jumphigher]

The bike boom to me has always been an example of society's - that is the US' - goofy habit of going crazy for a few years over something and then all but abandoning it, after consumers lose interest for something new. So many examples of that over the years, like CB radios, lowered cars/trucks, etc. Along with many political movements as well. Seems like every generation comes up with something new to latch onto that's gonna 'change the world'. :)

[johnmdesigner]

In 1970 my parents bought me a Taiwan Concorde from Lazarus in Columbus, Ohio for 99 bucks.
At that time the League of American Wheelmen had rides in the area.
I remember that the members were pretty nasty and condescending. One of them had a Bottecchia from Stuyvesant Bikes in NYC that I lusted after.The leader decided that my seat was too high, pulled the seatpost out and then couldn't get it back in (cheap bike). He threw it at me and rode off.
Oh, and the drivers would run you off the road no problem.
A brave soul opened a Raleigh dealership in my town. The racing bikes were glorious.

[verticaldoug]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-R_vc5BEJYIn 1970 my parents bought me a Taiwan Concorde from Lazarus in Columbus, Ohio for 99 bucks.
At that time the League of American Wheelmen had rides in the area.
I remember that the members were pretty nasty and condescending. One of them had a Bottecchia from Stuyvesant Bikes in NYC that I lusted after.The leader decided that my seat was too high, pulled the seatpost out and then couldn't get it back in (cheap bike). He threw it at me and rode off.
Oh, and the drivers would run you off the road no problem.
A brave soul opened a Raleigh dealership in my town. The racing bikes were glorious.

Slightly off topic and don't know if it was posted here before, but BBC on Raleigh. "Pedaling Dreams"

[jlwdm]

I bought my first 10 speed bicycle in 1970 from Gregg's Greenlake in Seattle. Nothing was in stock in Seattle so you had to wait for the next boat to come in with a load of Peugeot UO-8s and PX-10s - all in white.

First day I rode 100 miles and woke up sore, but I was young so I rode another 90 miles the next day.

Jeff

[kingpin75s]

I guess in retrospect, Breaking Away was the end. (1979)

After the boom but a ripple of its own. I was 9 years old when that movie came out and it was the catalyst for me moving on from BMX only to wanting a made in WI Trek 10 speed like my father. Within a couple years I had joined the Sunday morning old man rides on my new Trek 613. Still riding the Sunday morning old man rides with dad and his buddies after 35 years. Time to watch this again and see how it hold up.

[Hindmost]

"Consumerist kids...drop-out baby boomers...suburban-conformists..."

Sheesh, when is it our turn to be the greatest generation?

[Jgrooms]

"Consumerist kids...drop-out baby boomers...suburban-conformists..."



Sheesh, when is it our turn to be the greatest generation?



Never. You missed the 'good' war & botched everything that was handed to you.


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[Jgrooms]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-R_vc5BEJY

Slightly off topic and don't know if it was posted here before, but BBC on Raleigh. "Pedaling Dreams"



That Raleigh doc was super! Thanks for posting it.


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[Mr. Pink]

Never. You missed the 'good' war & botched everything that was handed to you.


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Don't tell me. You're young and bitter. Living in a flat place.

[Jgrooms]

Don't tell me. You're young and bitter. Living in a flat place.



Fall in between. Young & happy as can be. No sure what "flat" has to do w it? You need a hill to inspire?


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[Mr. Pink]

Hey, for one thing, you should be happy we abolished the draft. You wouldn't be so smug if they made you go off to a far off jungle at age 18, or else.

[Hindmost]

Hey, for one thing, you should be happy we abolished the draft...

Weird you should mention this. Last week I stopped off for a couple of hours at the base where I took basic training. What a long, strange trip it has been.

[Jgrooms]

Hey, for one thing, you should be happy we abolished the draft. You wouldn't be so smug if they made you go off to a far off jungle at age 18, or else.



Pink, I'm just gonna let this go w you make a lot of assumptions. If your'e a boomer who didn't care for the easy observation in comparison to the previous gen, I'm sure none of those blanket comparisons apply to you.


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