50 Years Ago: December 1971 in Bicycling! magazine
12-05-21, 04:16 PM
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50 Years Ago: December 1971 in Bicycling! magazine
Included articles are:
"The FIRST Tour of California"
"The Sun and the Rain"
"The Hub of the Matter" introducing the Phil Wood hub was posted previously (Equipment/Product Review (1971) Phil Wood Hubs)
"TECHNICAL - Your Custom Frame (Selecting Wheel and Tire Sizes) was from a series of custom frame articles posted previously (Frames and Framebuilding -- 1970 - 1979 (Part 2)).
As usual, let me know if you'd like to see something else listed in the ToC and I'll add it in a reply to this post or send you a pdf.
If the latter, just send me a PM that includes your email address.
"The FIRST Tour of California"
"The Sun and the Rain"
"The Hub of the Matter" introducing the Phil Wood hub was posted previously (Equipment/Product Review (1971) Phil Wood Hubs)
"TECHNICAL - Your Custom Frame (Selecting Wheel and Tire Sizes) was from a series of custom frame articles posted previously (Frames and Framebuilding -- 1970 - 1979 (Part 2)).
As usual, let me know if you'd like to see something else listed in the ToC and I'll add it in a reply to this post or send you a pdf.
If the latter, just send me a PM that includes your email address.
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12-05-21, 04:38 PM
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Not a surprise to see John Howard placing high in the race results!
It is a bit of a surprise to see the kid perched high in some sort of backpack on his father's back while on the bike. Even with the lower concern for safety in that era, how did anyone think that was a good idea?
Steve in Peoria
It is a bit of a surprise to see the kid perched high in some sort of backpack on his father's back while on the bike. Even with the lower concern for safety in that era, how did anyone think that was a good idea?
Steve in Peoria
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12-05-21, 07:21 PM
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WOW, I do remember reading "The Sun and The Rain" when this issue was first out. I think my only thoughts at that time seeing that photograph 50 years ago was that if you did that in much daily journey riding in the Deep South anytime between mid April & mid Oct with sunshine, you'd have been sunburnt unless you wore a boonie type hat, or roll up bucket type Amana hat like then golfer Don January would wear, or the Peggy Lipton mod squad style floppy hippy hat, and a very thin perma-press 70%poly30% cotton White, Arrow button down dress shirt, like a jacket, completely unbuttoned but just as light sun covering for arms to keep from getting an extreme sunburn.
Folks under 50 today, don't realize that that there wasn't any effective sunblock (sunscreen) until around 1981, about a decade later than this.
You could spray the thin white Arrow perma-press dress shirt, with a child's plastic squirt gun (water pistol) to keep it slightly wet and benefit from evaporative cooling.
Heck, I did not think it was anything unusual with the child being strapped to the dad's back when I saw and read the article in 1971. That was very normal to see at that time. You'd see that alot on motorcycles back then, with another adult passenger behind them (the adults would be wearing DOT motorcycle helmets and typically the child would not ....although when on motorcycle the child would not be perched that high but would be in a back strapped rack-pack carrier thingy somewhat like that).
Folks would transport passengers in the back of a pick-up truck (the open, uncovered pick-truck bed) even on the highways and Interstates in those days. Heck, in those days, you'd still see all kinds of Grapes of Wrath, rolling shambles, going down the highways in the Clampetts' cruising style as seen on the weekly opening credits of the Beverly Hillbillies tv show.
It would be nice if the Haugens were still around to provide further commentary and other life stories.
Stay thin, ride a Schwinn. While, I am not arguing that there aren't lighter better alternatives today, but as you can see thousands of folks did in fact make long journeys on a Schwinn. That "The Sun and The Rain" feature article from 1971 is one of the young Haugen family's 1000 mile journey aboard Schwinns.
Folks under 50 today, don't realize that that there wasn't any effective sunblock (sunscreen) until around 1981, about a decade later than this.
You could spray the thin white Arrow perma-press dress shirt, with a child's plastic squirt gun (water pistol) to keep it slightly wet and benefit from evaporative cooling.
Heck, I did not think it was anything unusual with the child being strapped to the dad's back when I saw and read the article in 1971. That was very normal to see at that time. You'd see that alot on motorcycles back then, with another adult passenger behind them (the adults would be wearing DOT motorcycle helmets and typically the child would not ....although when on motorcycle the child would not be perched that high but would be in a back strapped rack-pack carrier thingy somewhat like that).
Folks would transport passengers in the back of a pick-up truck (the open, uncovered pick-truck bed) even on the highways and Interstates in those days. Heck, in those days, you'd still see all kinds of Grapes of Wrath, rolling shambles, going down the highways in the Clampetts' cruising style as seen on the weekly opening credits of the Beverly Hillbillies tv show.
It would be nice if the Haugens were still around to provide further commentary and other life stories.
Stay thin, ride a Schwinn. While, I am not arguing that there aren't lighter better alternatives today, but as you can see thousands of folks did in fact make long journeys on a Schwinn. That "The Sun and The Rain" feature article from 1971 is one of the young Haugen family's 1000 mile journey aboard Schwinns.
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12-06-21, 03:15 PM
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That touring article was quite inspiring. Did you notice the one piece crank in the pic?
12-07-21, 12:52 AM
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@SpeedofLite Thanks so much for posting these articles! The Tour of California was before my time, but I had the fortune to talk with Peter Rich, owner of Velo Sport and organizer of the Tour of CA, about the tour. I also know some of the locals who were a part of the scene, too. Fun read. Much appreciated.
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12-07-21, 06:10 AM
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May thanks for these, @SpeedofLite. Like Gaucho777, the Tour of California was a little before my time, but it was still spoken of in hushed tones in my circle.
Didn't Peter Rich just about go bankrupt putting this race on? And weren't there issues with the CHP and the race organizers having differing opinions about what the racers were supposed to do at stop signs? Or am I misremembering stuff I thought I heard close to 50 years ago?
Didn't Peter Rich just about go bankrupt putting this race on? And weren't there issues with the CHP and the race organizers having differing opinions about what the racers were supposed to do at stop signs? Or am I misremembering stuff I thought I heard close to 50 years ago?
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12-07-21, 06:10 AM
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Thoroughly enjoyed "The Sun and The Rain" article.
I am familiar with some of the towns mentioned in the story.
I am familiar with some of the towns mentioned in the story.
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12-07-21, 10:03 AM
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Originally Posted by 52telecaster
That touring article was quite inspiring. Did you notice the one piece crank in the pic?
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WTB: Slingshot road model (1990s era; 18" L or 20" XL frame size)
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WTB: Bike World issue Jun 1974.
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WTB: Slingshot promotional documents (catalog, pamphlets, etc).
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12-07-21, 12:01 PM
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Originally Posted by SpeedofLite
Ha! No, and now that only humbles me more.
12-07-21, 03:00 PM
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Originally Posted by steelbikeguy
Not a surprise to see John Howard placing high in the race results!
It is a bit of a surprise to see the kid perched high in some sort of backpack on his father's back while on the bike. Even with the lower concern for safety in that era, how did anyone think that was a good idea?
Steve in Peoria
It is a bit of a surprise to see the kid perched high in some sort of backpack on his father's back while on the bike. Even with the lower concern for safety in that era, how did anyone think that was a good idea?
Steve in Peoria
12-07-21, 05:33 PM
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Originally Posted by Calsun
No different today. I see parents with todlers in seats mounted on the back of the bike and even with a helmet there is a good chance of serious injury and permanent damage to the child with a bike crash of any sort.
12-08-21, 08:17 AM
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December issue reporting on a race from Aug-Sept. Bicycling and Bike World had quite a delay when reporting on racing events. In the midwest we had a publication, "Midwest Bicycle Review". It covered all the local races and posted results. I think it was a monthly "in season". We all craved getting the next issue and it kept you up to date. It was in Midwest Bicycle Review I first heard of some young intermediate racer from Nevada, that seemed to have a promising future.
Last edited by big chainring; 12-08-21 at 12:59 PM.
