bikebuddha 

I found this book at the library book sale the other day. It's so sad that in the 70's bicycling was seen as a serious alternative form of transportation, and today it for the most part is not. I made a few scans to share.

https://atlantabybike.blogspot.com/20...ling-1975.html

-=(8)=-

I dont remember that book but I remember cycling in the 70's well.
I think it was our finest moment
From the equipment to the attitudes, just a better time. *sNiFfLe*

alicestrong

How about cycling in the California suburbs in the 70's? All that and year round riding conditions...without the horrible masses of cars we have now.

*boo hoo hoo*

Pig_Chaser

Was the oil crisis a contributing factor?

joeprim

'74 was when I lived where I could commute by bike. I miss that part, but do't want to live in town on a paved road.

Joe

rwp

That equipment in the lower left picture on the cover was nobodies finest hour! Although the 3-speed shifter on the top tube is out-a-sight!

dynodonn 

Yeah, as long as he's wearing his athletic cup. The school picture which has a boy holding his bike, that has half a pedal missing, brings backs some memories of a sore foot after some long rides in my youth.

bikebuddha 

I think at one time or another we all rode our bikes like that. I know my sears chopper suffered that affliction.

-=(8)=-

I think you need to engage all of your powers of regressive-selective though process
Do you remember being a little kid and seeing a bike like that under your X-MAs tree in
1968 or 1969 I do ! So ingrained its probably why I am the kook I am today !
It was weird, where I grew up, riding a bike was soooo natural nobody thought twice
about it, or being a green or counterculture lifestyle. You were a kid or young
adult, you biked from neighborhood to neighborhood. No one cared about carbon fiber,
Campy vs Ultegra and obviously no 'steel vs. alu'
I liked working on hotrod cars ao I always had one in my driveway, but the car sat
for showing off or trying to impress the local gearhead grrrrl, not transportation.
The ole' Crescent or Schwinn was for that. In a more civil, pre-development-run-amok era,
people were much kinder to riders because it was a more accepted mode of transportation
back then. I really miss those uncomplicated times

dynodonn 

I was unfortunately too old to be a proud owner of such bikes, but the top tubes of my Indian Chief and Varsity were sufficient.

genec

Well on this Earth Day 2009, too bad that it will take yet another major oil shortage and high fuel prices to remind us of the efficency that cycling can be.

Yup, back in the '70s, when I learned to love cycling, there were two major periods of gas shortage, with the resultant upsurge in cycling.

But we as a nation failed to embrace that upsurge, failed to recognize the future for what it will be and with the vast leadership of GM et. al., this nation instead took off on the road to such gas guzzling wonders as the Hummer, the Navigator, the Land Cruiser, the Escalade... just to name a few.

Last year when gas peaked at nearly $5.00 a gallon, we were once again reminded of the folly of our addiction to oil... but the declining economy and the resulting lower gas prices have once again relieved us of our need to responsibly use our resources... to plan ahead and plan our cities for people vice machines.

Yup, on this Earth Day, again we continue to plunder the Earth, and act shocked at both the economic and environmental results.

-=(8)=-

I usually always agree with you, but I think the problem is that people are
not shocked anymore. Mad that they are inconvenienced, but not shocked.
I wish they were still shockable. Maybe some of the temporary, "gas = 5.00 Gal"
mindsets would stick around longer than when EXXON feels their quarterly profit
goals are met

slagjumper

Bikebuddha-- Thanks for posting the scans!

I think that the long gas lines where the shocker. Now Exxon allows locals to set retail prices, supposedly to avoid the lines. So that during a "crunch" or shortage of gas the dealers can gouge at a drop iof a hat. Gouging is better than lines I guess.

I was 12 in 1975 and really bummed that my family could not participate in the bi-centenial ride across the US in 1976. Anyone do that must have been something. Would be great to see some pics of folks on 40 lb Schwinns making the trek.

High Roller

I can remember laughing at the motorists in long lines at southern California gas stations while bicyling to UCLA during the early 70s oil embargo.

Coincidentally, the obesity rate was much lower then. Some scientists are now trying to convince us that obesity has genetic causes. I guess there must have been a massive genetic mutation that occurred some time between then and now.

-=(8)=-

Hmmmmmm..........I think our society as it is today makes a good
case for the 'genetic mutation' stuff !!
Accelerated de-evolution !?!!??!

genec

Yeah, the mutation that occured with the TV and video games...