A Retro-Future in Rust

In the 70s, Japanese bicycle company Bridgestone marketed their youth bicycles as vehicles of the Space Age. Advertisements depicted lasers, robots, and the wondrous marvels of beyond. Of course, certain limitations existed when it came to incorporating aerospace components into terrestrial two-wheelers, but with a little imagination one could surely take these bikes into orbit. 

While pop-up headlights, throttle-style shifting, and on-board “computers” were largely superfluous to the operation of the bicycle, they added a bit of sci-fi magic to the ordinary bike ride to school. Additionally, there were other design choices that were made to increase the overall futuristic-ness of these bikes: disc brakes, turn signals, and an oval (or elliptical) chain ring.

When the Mrs. and I lived in Japan, we would frequently visit the local second-hand stores to look for records, collectibles, and other things. One day, I noticed behind one of the stores were a rusted heap of bikes in various states of disrepair. I asked the owner if I could peruse the bikes and he said it was fine. Carefully walking amongst the twisted wheels and entangled frames, I spotted a Bridgestone Astro G, one of such bicycles from the 70s. A brief struggle to retrieve it from the pile and 5,000 Yen later, it was mine.

Unfortunately, it was in no condition to ride. The tires were rotted, the pedals were rusted to the crank, and any trace of lubrication or grease had long since vanished. It was going to be quite an undertaking to restore it, but I figured it would give me something to work on in my spare time.

That spare time has come and gone. I disassembled as much as I could, labeled the components in Ziploc bags, and in that state it has remained ever since. The more I dived into it, the more I realized this thing needed attention beyond what I could give. The rust spots would be easy to deal with if it were just a matter of steel wool and WD-40, but that would destroy the original decals that are still intact. The handlebars have a faux-chrome coating that has all but peeled away, but the grips are immovable, so they won’t separate from the stem. I was able to free one of the stuck pedals but the other won’t budge. I gave it the ol’ college try, but just couldn’t get to a point where it’s in any better condition than the way I found it.

So what am I going to do with it? I don’t know. If anyone is handier about these sorts of things, I’d be willing to let it go for the 5,000 Yen ($50 USD) I paid for it. While attempting to haggle down the price, the previous owner said that was a good deal, because it would be worth much more in the hands of someone that can restore it. He’s probably right, but that person wasn’t me.

- Bicyclist Abroad

 

Progress and Flight

Spurred by the amount of pageviews Bicyclist Abroad has garnered to date, (1883 as of yesterday), the occasion of it being National Bike Month in the States, and the lack of notable bicycling ventures lately, I took a look around the various internet archives for insight into what the status of American cycling was in the year 1883. Now, I’ve read a few publications on the history of bicycles, most notably David Herlihy’s monolithic Bicycle: The History, but my remembrance of things past is easily overwritten, so a reminder every so often is helpful to frame the timeline of historical progress. All of that to say: I forget exactly when stuff happened.

What I came across via Google Scholar was a nifty essay in the Journal of Social History entitled “Progress And Flight: An Interpretation of the American Cycle Craze of the 1890s”. The piece describes the transition from the boneshaker to the ordinary, more commonly known as the penny farthing, to the emergence of the safety bicycle, and the respective ebb and flow of American acceptance thereof.

What was most notable, in my opinion, (you can read the essay for yourself here) was the idea that the bicycle was both a product of, and a means of departure from, the breakneck technological progress of the time. People were being overwhelmed by the industrial expanse around them and turned to the bicycle to deliver them from the hectic lives they now found themselves in. This made me think about how that era parallels the one we live in now, where everything is digital and increasingly interconnected; new appliances are being made every day that interface with the internet or cell phones, sending messages and alerts and its just as overwhelming, if not more so. So does the bicycle still offer that simplistic respite from the complications of living in the modern age? In some respects, I think it does, but not as an end in itself. You can see from this kickstarter or this one, that there is a market for people who would like their bicycle to be more connected. It’s probably the last bastion of pure mechanical technology in most of our lives, and there are plenty of initiatives to get it to move beyond into full internet integration, too. So in that regard, the bicycle is not the answer itself, though it never really was; even in the 1880s, the technology that spawned the bicycle was still churning and developing into new things, ultimately what would become the automobile and the airplane. But what it allowed people to do at the time, and still allows today, is to escape under our own power, to pedal away from technological dependence and discover, if just for a moment, the refreshment of nature or the novelty of an unfamiliar city, and then having satisfied our desire for removal, return to the comfort of our homes. The bicycle was, and still is, the perfect balance of innovation where technology and humanity meet half way.

- Bicyclist Abroad

Up, Up, & Away!

Flying. Ugh. I’ve been doing a lot of it lately, and while part of me is thankful I’m not having to sojourn across vast wastelands (read: Texas) in a car or bus, I do get tired of the airport scene. Let’s get positive for a minute though, and look at the perks of flying the friendly skies:

- Free catalogs and magazines to peruse. Sure, you can also enjoy these at the dentist office while you’re waiting for your personal nightmare to commence, but does the dentist have Sky Mall? Absolutely not. You’re not going to be able to purchase a cat litter box that doubles as a night stand just anywhere. And for the serious reader, forget Reader’s Digest- that hullaballoo is for the birds! When you’re flying AA, you have access to  American Way in-flight magazine. I hear that the articles are written at cruising altitude to better resonate with passengers who feel like they’ve lost touch with terrestrial-based publications.

[Editor’s note: This month’s American Way highlights Portlandia’s Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisan. Carrie says, “We haven’t explored nature too much on Portlandia, whereas Portland is brimming with it. I spend a lot of time hiking, walking, and bicycling in and around the city. Mount Tabor is stunning.” A new life goal of mine: meet Carrie Brownstein on a bicycle.]

- Checked luggage. I walked up to the ticket counter earlier today and handed over one generic suitcase and one Dahon folding bicycle. Are both of those items aboard this flight with me? It’s definitely within the realm of possibility; and if so, how neat is that!?

- Beverage service. Thirsty? Flag down a flight attendant who will first make you feel guilty about bothering them, and then provide you with a cup of tepid water. For free! And if you’re lucky, you’ll get a complimentary napkin. There is literally no where else on planet Earth I can think of right now where you can drink airplane water for free.

- Social stratification. I don’t know about you, but sometimes I feel like upper-class Americans spend way too much time rubbing elbows with us common folk, and aside from generally being in bad taste, it just sends the wrong message to the kids, you know? Not on an airplane! You will know exactly where you stand in terms of accumulated wealth, because it will be on either side of a sliding curtain. Are you sitting in a seat that rivals Inspector Gadget? You’re doing well for yourself! Are you sitting between two sweaty, uncomfortable strangers? You’re not quite as affluent!

All kidding aside, modern technology is terrific. And flying, as monotonous as it can get, really makes it easy to travel the world without getting scurvy. I’m very happy to be living in an age where I can write this on a computer, inside an airplane flying at 30,000 feet, then send it to the internet over radio waves for all six of you to read. And lucky you, dear reader, for being able to read it wherever you are. Unless you’re also aboard an airplane, in which case you need to turn off all electronic devices as we prepare for departure.

- Bicyclist Abroad  Aboard American Airlines