27 October 2009

Slow Bicycle Inspiration


Slow Bicycles are nothing new. Period. It's interesting when you view this video from Copenhagen in 1937, above, and the one from Holland in the 1950's, below, that there is no bobbing movement when they're riding. No exertion. Just easy transport.

Consider the fact that the bicycles were massive and heavy back then, too.


The Slow Bicycle Movement. We never went away and now we're back.

8 comments:

Jonathan Dickerson said...

These films are beautiful! How long does it take to get used to that kind of riding congestion?

Jim Avery said...

I overtook a couple of cyclists on my way home this evening - a very rare occurance but a sure sign I need to slow down!

Lovely to see the variety of bicycles in those films.

Chas said...

Consider the fact that the bicycles were massive and heavy back then, too.

........ and so were the clogs!!
did you see the chap riding with one hand in his pocket? Pure class.

Slow Factory said...

Wow, great stuff.

Mikael, perhaps I mentioned this before, but about ten years ago I saw a World War II film which had as its main story a group of British paratroopers or Central European, German or something people who were being helped to escape Germany, via Copenhagen. It's probably sometime between 1940 and 43.

There is a great scene where the group is spotted by some German soldiers but then they get on bikes and a lot of the locals in the bike traffic see what is going and let the group get absorbed into the cycling mass so that they can escape.

Any idea?

***

Such a modern scene in this clip from MGM. In 1937 my father was in what is now Slovakia experiencing his last happy days as a child before the Nazis split the country...

John said...

Hmm, I noticed in the 1937 video, around 1:04, the comment about "people who have contributed much to the stability and progress of the white race." I'm not criticizing the bloggers for the dated attitude (to put it perhaps too nicely) in one small part of the video, but I just felt the need to say I noticed that statement and it kind of gave me pause. Resume bike talk now.

Matt said...

The bicycle part is awesome and inspiring, but wow...talk about going back in the depths of historical fact. Vikings a courageous, carrying civilization with them. References to the "white race." A nice stroll down through the weird reality of the past.

Bicycling Monterey said...

Well, my IT guy did an upgrade for me and temporarily lost the sound on my computer, so I was spared the thankfully passe comments. As for the visuals, I enjoyed the pace and style, thanks for sharing these!

I love the feeling of zipping along on my bike, feeling the power in my legs. And at other times, I also love to saunter by bike. Now instead of feeling like a slug alongside zippy racers when I'm in slow mode, I'll just smile and know I'm part of the slow cycling movement. Cool.

scott eustis said...

I know people are trying to gloss over the "white race" thing, but realize that, even without that prize nugget, black slow cyclists might not dig on this video, or see Europe of 1937 / 195x as a nostalgic place and time.

conservatives might also be offended at the blatant promotion of social welfare for poor fishmongers, but i think we're on the right track there.