Bicycling magazine September 1978...
09-12-23, 09:56 AM
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Bicycling magazine September 1978...
...and they put a folding bike on the cover!
It's 1978 and that's the state-of-the-art folding bicycle and state-of-the-art bicycle helmet that multimodal commuter has there. In 1978 there were two prototype Bromptons in the world and no more than a handful of prototype Dahon Classic IIIs. There were bikes like the Raleigh 20, Puch Pic-Nic and Graziella: they folded, but neither small nor conveniently. The di Blasi Avia, debuting in 1974, was pretty innovative. The Mobikyy Genius, Strida and Birdy were all in the future.
The Bickerton infamously left a lot to be desired, but its weight (20 lbs - 9 kg) and folded size (30x20x10in, 76x51x25cm) are competitive to this day.
It's 1978 and that's the state-of-the-art folding bicycle and state-of-the-art bicycle helmet that multimodal commuter has there. In 1978 there were two prototype Bromptons in the world and no more than a handful of prototype Dahon Classic IIIs. There were bikes like the Raleigh 20, Puch Pic-Nic and Graziella: they folded, but neither small nor conveniently. The di Blasi Avia, debuting in 1974, was pretty innovative. The Mobikyy Genius, Strida and Birdy were all in the future.
The Bickerton infamously left a lot to be desired, but its weight (20 lbs - 9 kg) and folded size (30x20x10in, 76x51x25cm) are competitive to this day.
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09-13-23, 04:30 PM
#2
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Reading that review, the Bickerton sounds like just about the best folding bike ever.
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09-14-23, 08:20 AM
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09-14-23, 12:57 PM
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So uncommon to find passenger rail in the USA. Where was the photo taken, anyone know ? I'm just guessing USA because she has on a TOSRV safety triangle (Tour of the Scioto River Valley). Amtrak around Cleveland ?
09-16-23, 09:42 AM
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My mother had a folding bike in the 1970s, 20 inch tires, single speed with coaster brake. She almost never used it, it was stored at a vacation cottage. Hers was very similar to a Raleigh 20, but hers was a different make. I think it had a single piece steel crank, not a cottered crank like the Raleigh. And hers was probably as heavy as the Raleigh.
