In my book The Automobile and American Life, I make a big deal in chapter 1 about the bicycle as a precursor of the automobile, in terms of technology, production methods, the need for good roads, and freedom.
But what I never thought about is how today, many of us who call ourselves auto enthusiasts started out as young people who loved their bicycles. Ed Garten pointed this out to me recently, and I copy his email below:
But what I never thought about is how today, many of us who call ourselves auto enthusiasts started out as young people who loved their bicycles. Ed Garten pointed this out to me recently, and I copy his email below:
John, found this photo of me taken at what I believe to be age 6 and a couple of years prior to my parents divorce. This is the bicycle, with training wheels attached, that I was given for Christmas circa 1954. Note at how much pride in my new ride is on my face and how well I'm dressed (creases in my pants), and the shine on the shoes.
Each year as a child my parents had a professional photographer take a photo of me and my sister. Typically the photos were taken around or shortly after Christmas each year. The photographer -- the only one in Hinton -- was a Black man with the most curious name of Saint Elmo Conway. He was hugely obese and would bring his cameras and lights to people's homes to take photos.
But just like my cars today, it would have pained me to get even a little scratch on this new bicycle. I have no idea what may have happened to the bike (although I know the trainer wheels were taken off quickly), I still can remember using a rag to clean every part of the bike each and every time I would ride it.
How many of today's old car guys love of cars started with the love of their first bicycle?
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