Bicycles are omnipresent here. It's not just the love affair with Le Tour de France, although that's where a lot of pride is focused, bicycles just seem to be in the DNA. So, if you have no love for bikes, you can stop reading now. I have to admit I am thinking of my cycle-loving son-in-law when I write, though I expect he knows all this.
The Velib system lets even strangers like us rent bikes from many stations scattered throughout the city.
The first half hour is free, so as long as you can figure out the path from
drop-off to drop-off you could ride free all the time. Maybe that’s the Egalité of Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité.
The Musée des Arts et Métiers has delightful examples of bicycles
across time. Here are a few of the earliest.
Dennis, my PhD of all things mechanical, in addition to talking about the lack of rubber or any form of real cushioning for the rider, mentioned that these had no chains. You put your feet on the pedals on the front wheel hub and dragged your weight and everything else behind while peddling in six inch circles - hard work.
More oldies. The British didn't have the exclusive on the
Penny Farthing," though I wonder what they were called in France?
I particularly like this one, I can see how sitting in the middle of the giant wheels would be comfortable, though dangerous with all those spokes spinning by. The Dr. pointed out that the only way you could steer is by squeezing the break on the handle of the direction you want to turn. I wouldn't want to meet any kind of hill on this puppy!
Ah, wooden and steel wheels give way to rubber - somebody must have gotten very tired of having a bruised tush. And finally a chain makes an appearance!
Pretty much up to today's standard which is pretty sweet! There was the time when they flirted with motorized bikes...
Good job they stopped that, I mean who would want a motor bike?
It happens that the day we were at the Musée there was a touring exhibition on the latest innovations in bicycles.
This one is like origami, folding and portable.
With a ton of storage, front and back, this will be great in all those countries where bicycles support a business or family. It allows lots of areas to transport goods, family members or animals.
This little sweetie is electric, I have no idea how you ride it.
And this one doesn't really qualify as a a bicycle, but is the future - who need two wheels anymore? We thought these were just prototypes, until we saw a guy riding one of these down the sidewalk on Rue de Rivoli - I'm sure there is an art to it, but he made it look easy.
This isn't really a bicycle, but an artist's homage to this most important form of transportation and freedom, I especially like the feathers. I know when I got my first two wheeler and the freedom of the neighbourhood I felt like I could fly!
And just because it's my blog and I can, here are two other pictures for my favourite short men.
For Malcolm, who will know exactly what this is.
And for Lucas, check out what part of the floor is made of...
Now, back to all that is wonderful in Paris. I've got crêpes to eat and wine to drink!
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