Even more so. Add climate, obesity, transport capacity, and cost of living to the crisis list. It won't magically make everything better, but it will certainly help.
1973: BIKES - the Perfect Solution to the FUEL CRISIS? | Wheelbase | Retro Transport | BBC Archive 0041am 30.12.24 unlike mr x's ex girlfriend who was deemed a bike. just sayin'....
Yes, was definitely thinking the same thing!!! Especially towards the end when he spoke about the saddle.. I do prefer a flat harder seat than one of them huge coach seat like saddles!! Haha
@@the_trooper_72 Comments on ‘1973: BIKES - the Perfect Solution to the FUEL CRISIS? | Wheelbase | Retro Transport | BBC Archive’ 1.1.25 1241pm i wonder if the preponderance of car accidents re: cyclists (over the last few years) is due to the car and it's owner realising it is on to a loser, in the long run, and the cyclist will win out?
This is already the norm in the Netherlands since 1970... But what do you expect with a country that has double the amount of bikes than it has humans.
@@spidyman88531,300,000 people die every year in car accidents. Each day 500 children die in car accidents. Cars are not safe, they are the exact opposite.
5:52 that's often underestimated, the feeling of cycling. As teenagers in The Netherlands on the way to the beach or some party, riding in a group was such a good feeling.
In my 60s. I cycle everyday, indoor, outdoor and commute on an eBike. I cannot imagine what my life would have been without a bike. It has been my saviour more than once.
Where I cycle regularly, around 90% are middle aged men, most between the ages of 45-65. Only the occasional woman or younger rider. We call them "MAMILs" 😅
'Cheaper than driving, faster than walking' is what I remind myself when struggling up a hill, the rest of the time I'm enjoying myself far too much to think
The narrow saddle was quite revolutionary in those days, talking about sit-bone. It is now accepted in road bikes for most people. The wide, cushy saddles are still preferred by those heavy riders, riding on e bikes.
Just clear enunciation with no "trendy" expressions and, thank God, no lycra, no gazillion mega-whatever flashing lights, and a no thousand gear carbon nonsense. Just good steel bikes, with sufficient gears and clearly spoken gentlemen. May I also add, no silly hair styles, and no sheep-following tattoos and piercings - and NO logged clothing!
Depends on the bike - a fancy MTB or some exotic 'racer', maybe, but a steel framed touring bike that looks old and old-fashioned when it leaves the factory, is normally quite safe.
@@RolandoRatas By the early 80s, I thought the Raleigh Chopper was old hat. And most kids wanted BMX bikes. Raleigh discontinued the Chopper in about 82. I can remember when the Mk1 Chopper was the latest thing in 1970. The Mk2 replaced the Mk1 in about 1972-73, because the Mk1 was too easy to wheelie or flip over backwards.
@@michaelturner4457 In the early 80s I think I remember that the Raleigh Grifter was an early iteration of the BMX circa 1980 I saw them about but yes, you're right the Chopper MK2 was rare to see around that time so when I first saw one my jaw dropped, it was more of a statement than an actual bicycle. BMXs got popular circa 1982-83 I remember with the Raleigh Super Tuff Burner and the Mongoose California etc. Great times, I feel a little privileged to have lived during that era.
I never had a bike , as a kid growing up in Hull the only people my age with bikes were the orphans at a sailors orphanage. Because of that I payed to be an orphan . Now I am I still don't have a bike .
@@michaelturner4457 You get that first bike and it sets your thinking. My father was more pragmatic about it when he got me mine. He wasn't getting me a stunt bike, he was getting me a road bike, which is what I want and prefer even now, at least for distance exercise.
I’ve still got some petrol coupons issued when fuel was going to be rationed , and been using a bicycle since the 1950s . I have 2 cars but only use one at once ! Cheers DaveH. Keep pedalling
What a great article, I was astounded to see the Raleigh Esquire for sale in the Toy Shop, hated that bike at the time , i really wanted a Chopper, but I know which Id rather have back now.
Because we in the UK are more car centric that we like to admit. Cars make lots of money and are seen as status. Bicycles aren't outside of enthusiasts.
We in the netherlands did slightly after this video was Made, around the 70s I believe. I’m aware that our cycling infrastructure is unique around the world and I appreciate it daily. 🚲
It’s also the fact that people like the convenience of a car. You can carry multiple people, large items, you’re not reliant on bus/train timetables. You can simply travel further and more quickly by car. There are plenty of people who live miles from bus stops/train stations so society has developed so that they expect those people to drive.
We had a car industry, which then lobbies for itself at the expense (pun intended) of wider society. Now that we don't really have the same level of car manufacturing there is a possibility to go back the the old superior ways.
As postman l rode a Pashly, caliper brakes and no a gears, a world away from these gentlemen. Tragically , the infernal combustion engine is still a status symbol.
That looks like Bewdley bridge at the beginning where I lived and canoed for 30 years, followed by Oxford when I was a student there in 1973 What a lovely video totally relevant today. Though I couldn’t spot my bike in front of university college. How the BBC has changed.
For the past few years I've been biking places more and more and barely use my car these days. I no longer struggle with road rage because on a bike you can go anywhere including around the bs that made me angry. My winters don't suck because I'm outside all the time year round. I know my city, my neighborhood, the business and homes better. Love it. This is the way
I ride a '75 Raleigh Esquire, the brown bicycle in the shop, its wonderful bike to ride. I also have Moulton Bicycle, a later one which is quite unlike a standard bicycle in use and very comfortable.
Very funny indeed but what about the ‘audio from afar’! He must have had a mobile transmitter / microphone on him whilst biking. Quite advanced stuff for the early seventies if you ask me :)
That's the problem. Even on an ideal day in Oxford, cycling is for fit people or people who want to get fit. Fitness is activity-specific, so cycling fitness requires first that someone wants to ride a bicycle. And nobody does. It's cold, it's miserable, it's wet, it's exhausting and it's slow. That man would rather enjoy a pipe and whiskey, and so would I. Doesn't mean I don't or can't cycle - just that it's going to be a form of leisure activity on nice days and absoluately doesn't substitute for a car. Yes I know cars bring their own problems but that's what happens when there are too many people crammed onto a tiny island.
@@philhayes3148 Hmmm, have you not wondered WHY so many people ask 'Where is your helmet?' They do so out of consideration for your safety. You may think your reply 'Where is you bike? is clever but perhaps a better response would be, 'Thank you for your concern, I shall buy a helmet.' People who don't wear helmets always think accidents only happen to other people. You have been lucky so far but the fact is that in any accident of bike vs car the cyclist ALWAYS comes off worse. Don't be a fool, wear a helmet.
I love those old bikes. I still ride one of them. Everything was interchangeable, easy to get spare parts, easy to fix yourself. And they were built to last. I don't think there's much difference when it comes to efficiency compared to modern bikes. Just follow the two simplest rules: High air pressure for your tires, and a saddle that's not too low, as Mr. Moulton educated us about. What the manufacturers reduced in weight by using lighter materials they added in gimmicks. The bike industry of today has learned their lesson well, you can easily find bikes for the price of a used car, that's insane. Too bad everything got so much more expensive that you can't make a profit with good simple bicycles and have to sell fancy stuff to your customers, on a regular basis.
You can still buy Moultons. They cost £1400 for the cheapest one and go way, way up from there. Bromptons too cost a similar amount, but they're absolutely worth it. And made in the UK. I have a Brompton that is one of the very first batch ever made, in 1988. It still works perfectly and nearly all of the parts are still readily available, many of them interchangeable with my 2020 Brompton too. This type of bike is still made and more popular than ever, and shouldn't really be confused with the crazy mountain bikes and sports bikes you can get today. They're simple, easy to fix yourself and not cheap but fairly priced for what you get, as long as you don't get one of the fancy ones.
@@vincentl.9469It’s really easy. I ride one every day in Naples, so I definitely know this! The small wheels change direction really quickly so I think they’re actually after than bigger wheels.
Frames have become lighter and stiffer, the wheels are double walled and stiffer nowadays. So yes, some improvements have been made, what do you expect? But you can still buy a basicbike.
So good to see now i can longer afford to run a car. Just wish we always had nice dry weather like they did in the 70s. Its hard work cycling in waterproofs 😅
I like the Cross Guns out by the Aquaduct, a nice scenic stop whilst doing a circular walk out through Freshford and Iford. Apparently the food at Iford manor is really good, I have yet to try it myself.
Wonderful guy Dr Alex Moulton very approachable met him a few times at Gaydon on the anniversary of Alec Issigonsis's birth and the BLMC anniversary along with Basil Wells who was BMC engine research guru..
8:32 Bicycle clips are always recommended when wearing a suit and riding a bike without a chain case. He probably discovered that later when he got off and inspected his trousers 😂.
@@mrjsv4935 Those English spring clips work better. They don't come loose or break, and are really easy to put on and take off. The problem I've had with street pants is the crotch is uncomfortable and the fabric wears out where it rubs up and down on the saddle. Padded lycra works much better. I carry street clothes in a backpack when necessary. Other customers at the grocery store don't give me a second look.
Live in inner city Bristol, 51 years on there's a disused rail line cycle path to Bath and a restored canal tow path to Bradford on Avon, all flat. The presenter did mention Britain's weather, hills and early 1970's car usage levels. Arab oil crisis following 1973 Israel Egypt war focusing minds not todays politicians waffling on about sustainability. Guess Alex Moulton and Michael Frostick have probably gone on their final journeys but brilliant film.
I have a Raleigh wayfarer from 1973,its the same as the bronze esquire in the shop but in dark blue, Its hardly been used and like new, gave £50 for it recently, interesting to find out it was about £30 new 50 years ago!
In recent years we have seen a turnaround, led by local governments, though. I’ve lived in London since 1999 and the change has been nothing short of a revolution. Along busy cycling corridors at rush hour you’ll see thousands of cyclists on fully protected cycle lanes. I’d hate to have cycled back in 1970’s London with zero cycling infrastructure but today it’s so enjoyable
@@a1white I'm very happy about the progress that some London local governments have made, and a few outside London. Most of the country's local governments are still very anti-cycling though. My last 3 local authorities couldn't have cared less about sustainable transport and urban planning and MPs that I email always respond with generic "we're doing a great job" nonsense.
@ yes, I agree, more progress needs to be made. The current transport secretary Heidi Alexandre, was the cycling commissioner in London before, so perhaps government policy will change more now.
best way to get about... if only there was decent bike parking choices in much of the UK. Usually if there is any it's tucked away to make it easier for theft and vandalism...
It's a shame they didn't realise just how much petrol/diesel-driven traffic was going to dominate the roads, subsequently. I used to enjoy road-running (- using the pavement, where it existed), but the increased number of close passes made it impossible to continue with this, safely.......
My solution to the crisis was a 50% paraffin mix for my Kawasaki KH 250 two-stroke. I had to run an errand near town. I drained the tank when I got home, wasting a gallon of precious petrol. I left a massive vapour-trail of odiferous semi-burnt paraffin that was probably visible from space :D
Did they have radio microphones in '73? I'm wondering how they got the sound so perfect, when he was a fair distance away. Or, did he speak those words again the a studio?
Good reflection on what we've all lost in cycling since the 1970s. 1973 was one year before I had my first new bike as a present, a Bianchi road bike, smaller and lower for my ten year old self. The point being that even without as much in places for traffic provisions related to cycling, or even with none compared to some, more people did it, and without as much fear, and without the obsession with bike helmets. We were all better off in the 1970s for running bikes and for being collectively healthier, leaner, and fitter. Now we have far, far fewer people cycling and far, far more for pathetic fatties, including children who haven't any interest in PT at all. Parents will give them a cell phone when they're six or eight, to make them addicts like themselves, but a bicycle, oh too dangerous!
Where cycling infrastructure and lower traffic areas have been implemented in recent years cycling has increased. I moved to London in 1999 and have witnessed this. I’d hate to cycle in 1970’s London but nowadays when I cycle 10 miles from my home to work, 80% of the route is fully protected on a fast, direct route. Cycling has been more normalised and I see far more cyclists on the road, crucially women too (they just need to crack down on the unrestricted e-bikes!)
@@a1white I'm completely all for such changes related to cycling safety, but I think the message here is that the mentality and the avid interest in cycling for various reasons counts more regardless of infrastructure. The video not only pertained to the 1970s Cycling Boom with it's higher participation rate and broader enthusiasm, but the commentator was making references even to the 1930s, and the number of bicycles made back then comparatively to 1973. Anyone who's sixty now has a pretty clear picture of that 1970s Boom and it's positive effects for society. So I think the question is how do we reclaim that? Obviously, a big part of that is "Normalized Cycling" for as many people as possible. Maybe another part is for the enthusiasts to have an alter ego or an alter image for some of the rides they take where it's more conventional. Something like with those two guys having a chat about the bikes towards the end riding side by side.
@ I’m not sure how we get there, but that’s when riding a bike is just part of normal society. The press on this country seeks to divide and perpetuates this cyclists vs motorists narrative. Really it should just be about people riding bikes to get somewhere efficiently and cheaply (and making the journey a whole lot more enjoyable)
A human on a bike is the most energy efficient creature. The bike will always be the ultimate way to commute in cities, paired with public transport. Cars take too much space, no wonder Japan prohibits street parking and they're better for it.
I got sad when he said "There is not OBVIOUSLY one of every bike made in Great Britain here" These days you wouldn't need that much space to display every bike we make.
I don't remember Wheelbase, which I'm assuming was a BBC programme. I do remember one on ITV presented by Shaw Taylor and Tony Bastable, both pre Top Gear as you say.
@@alanhargreaves-thevoiceofr2361 really? Tom Coyne from South Shields a "posho"? There were 15-20 Top Gear presenters before it got to Clarkson et al around 1990.
@@phillipecook3227 that was the ITV programme called Drive In. IIRC Drive In was the first dedicated car programme in the UK although Tomorrow’s World covered a lot of car stuff (with a lot from Raymond Baxter).
No overpowered (and likely to set on fire) illegal battery strapped on I do think if any of these Deliveroo, Uber, etc riders had to pedal, they wouldn't know how
Very unconvincing to make the case in such a flat environment. Try getting around on a bike where we live in Yorkshire, 100 feet above sea level, with a climb of 600 feet from the town centre to our house on the edge of town.
its easy. you just get used to it. i live in yorkshire and cycle everyehere. im not a strong climber compared to folk on strava but with mtb gearing you just float up hills. did 1200 feet of climbing today on my route.
I have a nice car and a motorcycle but rarely use them.I live in a large city suburb near to a main road and every time I go out in the car, I’m sitting in a jam. I’ve only used my car once in the past two weeks to go shopping. The rest of the time I use a bicycle. I never get stuck in a jam. I have all the gear for bad weather and ride well maintained bikes,most with mud guards and do my own mechanics. I have one with panniers so I can do small shopping trips but also have bikes for riding quickly from A to B..I ride 6000 miles per year for leisure and transport .My life would be a lot more miserable without a bike. unfortunately the British motorist typically has an anti-cyclist mentality and the road network in this country does very little to encourage people onto the roads on bikes.
Cycling was and is great for recreation or transportation, but the "ideal" reaction to the 1973 Arab oil embargo would have been the UN Security Council actually following through on its Resolution 242.
@@Dylanesque No, but you can fit a saddle to a bicycle. Not a saddle for a horse but a saddle for a bicycle. Spend as much as you want on your bikes, a fool and his money..................
![BLACK BAG - Official Trailer [HD] - Only in Theaters March 14](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Du0Xp8WX_7I/mqdefault.jpg)
Still relevant 51 years later!
Even more so. Add climate, obesity, transport capacity, and cost of living to the crisis list. It won't magically make everything better, but it will certainly help.
1973: BIKES - the Perfect Solution to the FUEL CRISIS? | Wheelbase | Retro Transport | BBC Archive 0041am 30.12.24 unlike mr x's ex girlfriend who was deemed a bike. just sayin'....
@@alistairbannerman8528it will make a lot of things better, but there's no magic involved. There's a lot of basic cause and effect involved though.
Yes, was definitely thinking the same thing!!! Especially towards the end when he spoke about the saddle.. I do prefer a flat harder seat than one of them huge coach seat like saddles!! Haha
@@the_trooper_72 Comments on ‘1973: BIKES - the Perfect Solution to the FUEL CRISIS? | Wheelbase | Retro Transport | BBC Archive’ 1.1.25 1241pm i wonder if the preponderance of car accidents re: cyclists (over the last few years) is due to the car and it's owner realising it is on to a loser, in the long run, and the cyclist will win out?
Makes me long for a fuel shortage, it would be good to see more people out on their bikes!
This is already the norm in the Netherlands since 1970...
But what do you expect with a country that has double the amount of bikes than it has humans.
no thanks. Car is more convenient and safer. You can have your bike.
@@Desperado070
Germany also use Bikes quite a lot
Nope, prefer a car
@@spidyman88531,300,000 people die every year in car accidents. Each day 500 children die in car accidents. Cars are not safe, they are the exact opposite.
I'm 57. I cycle around 8 miles per day. Half road, half trail. Great exercise.
5:52 that's often underestimated, the feeling of cycling. As teenagers in The Netherlands on the way to the beach or some party, riding in a group was such a good feeling.
The Netherlands have much more comfortable and practical bikes than we do in UK.
I envy Bakfiet so much
I'm a commuter+exercise cyclist myself, but I think encouraging a "step-down" from cars to more e-bikes should be the first step for most people.
“Look like a Strange man lurking in the bushes “😂 brilliant
In my 60s. I cycle everyday, indoor, outdoor and commute on an eBike. I cannot imagine what my life would have been without a bike. It has been my saviour more than once.
My bikes have got me out of some scrapes I can tell you
Where I cycle regularly, around 90% are middle aged men, most between the ages of 45-65. Only the occasional woman or younger rider. We call them "MAMILs" 😅
'Cheaper than driving, faster than walking' is what I remind myself when struggling up a hill, the rest of the time I'm enjoying myself far too much to think
No such thing is needed when riding an electric bicycle ;)
EBike or off saddle dancing ftw
I've been cycling in the US since 1968. The danger of being hit by a car has increased greatly.
And also the harm caused by being hit by a car as they get progressively larger
And also the higher average speeds most cars can attain
Yeah because you have no sidewalks and your cycle lanes are a one inch painted strip that's not even separated from cars.
Peak post war roads deaths in the UK was the early sixties. It has declined markedly since then.
Still too high though.
@ in the US pedestrian and cyclist fatalities have gone up in the last decade though, opposite to what’s been happening in Europe (including UK)
The narrow saddle was quite revolutionary in those days, talking about sit-bone. It is now accepted in road bikes for most people. The wide, cushy saddles are still preferred by those heavy riders, riding on e bikes.
One of the best inventions ever.
I would argue THE most important invention ever
@@zazzleman Nearly, but surpassed by the humble stout wooden walking stick.
Alongside the sewing machine.
The Poshness of the accents is blowing my mind.
Posh or just spoke properly
@@andyg3 Just spoke properly
From now on i will be exclusively describing my speed as 'X miles in the hour'. Love it!
Just clear enunciation with no "trendy" expressions and, thank God, no lycra, no gazillion mega-whatever flashing lights, and a no thousand gear carbon nonsense. Just good steel bikes, with sufficient gears and clearly spoken gentlemen. May I also add, no silly hair styles, and no sheep-following tattoos and piercings - and NO logged clothing!
Innit fam.
I love bicycle culture, great video and the presenter is awesome. Thank you for uploading it. Greetings from Florida USA.
That bus was like something from Thunderbirds!
The bike is still the best option to get around nowadays. Helps me burn fat and save money.
For medium trips, I wholeheartedly agree, but fore short trips, walking is still king.
until a thief steals it, without the slightest fear of being caught or punished.
Depends on the bike - a fancy MTB or some exotic 'racer', maybe, but a steel framed touring bike that looks old and old-fashioned when it leaves the factory, is normally quite safe.
@@pleatedskirt18 nobody has nicked my fancy mtb yet. i do a nearly daily food shop on it.
Legendary Top Man Moulton 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
What a cool little video. Cycling is great for mental health too.
Moulton was a genius. The MK2 is a wonderful machine to ride.
I saw a Raleigh Chopper MK2 in the very early 1980s around Darwen Lancashire and I thought that we had entered the space age.
@@RolandoRatas By the early 80s, I thought the Raleigh Chopper was old hat. And most kids wanted BMX bikes. Raleigh discontinued the Chopper in about 82.
I can remember when the Mk1 Chopper was the latest thing in 1970. The Mk2 replaced the Mk1 in about 1972-73, because the Mk1 was too easy to wheelie or flip over backwards.
@@michaelturner4457 In the early 80s I think I remember that the Raleigh Grifter was an early iteration of the BMX circa 1980 I saw them about but yes, you're right the Chopper MK2 was rare to see around that time so when I first saw one my jaw dropped, it was more of a statement than an actual bicycle. BMXs got popular circa 1982-83 I remember with the Raleigh Super Tuff Burner and the Mongoose California etc. Great times, I feel a little privileged to have lived during that era.
I never had a bike , as a kid growing up in Hull the only people my age with bikes were the orphans at a sailors orphanage. Because of that I payed to be an orphan . Now I am I still don't have a bike .
@@michaelturner4457 You get that first bike and it sets your thinking. My father was more pragmatic about it when he got me mine. He wasn't getting me a stunt bike, he was getting me a road bike, which is what I want and prefer even now, at least for distance exercise.
What a wonderful presenter and film from half a century ago. The days when you still went to a toy shop to buy a racing bike ( for forty quid ! )
Absolutely spiffing!
Powered by "bangers and mash". Proper fuel.
lol
Translation... Sausages and mashed potatoes.
And cups of tea.
Good for farmers and good for our net exports because we don't send billions to some country in the middle east.
More climate-friendly fuel in 2024 is local oats, bread and local frits. Bangers generate too much CO2 - still less than the car, though.
I’ve still got some petrol coupons issued when fuel was going to be rationed , and been using a bicycle since the 1950s . I have 2 cars but only use one at once ! Cheers DaveH. Keep pedalling
I have some as well from my parents somewhere
Pretty sure it'd be hard to use 2 cars at the same time... ;)
Two one at once cars!
Myself: four one at once bikes!
Cheers from Amsterdam ;)
What a great article, I was astounded to see the Raleigh Esquire for sale in the Toy Shop, hated that bike at the time , i really wanted a Chopper, but I know which Id rather have back now.
Lovely to see our family's BSA 20 again!
Notice at 8:48 how Alex's handlebars are 50 years ahead of the curve.
And his cantilever brakes, and that Cannondale style suspension fork!!
Took you a while to notice
Why we didn’t embrace cycling infrastructure 50 years ago is beyond me.
Because we in the UK are more car centric that we like to admit.
Cars make lots of money and are seen as status. Bicycles aren't outside of enthusiasts.
There were fewer cars, for a start. It wasn't that dangerous.
We in the netherlands did slightly after this video was Made, around the 70s I believe. I’m aware that our cycling infrastructure is unique around the world and I appreciate it daily. 🚲
It’s also the fact that people like the convenience of a car. You can carry multiple people, large items, you’re not reliant on bus/train timetables. You can simply travel further and more quickly by car. There are plenty of people who live miles from bus stops/train stations so society has developed so that they expect those people to drive.
We had a car industry, which then lobbies for itself at the expense (pun intended) of wider society. Now that we don't really have the same level of car manufacturing there is a possibility to go back the the old superior ways.
As postman l rode a Pashly, caliper brakes and no a gears, a world away from these gentlemen. Tragically , the infernal combustion engine is still a status symbol.
It was wonderful to see the late, great Dr AM. I particularly enjoyed the sign on his main gate regarding access to his gardens - made me laugh!
Love my modern day Moulton Bicycles. Powerful machines
powerful? depends how hard you pedal ! very expensive
That looks like Bewdley bridge at the beginning where I lived and canoed for 30 years, followed by Oxford when I was a student there in 1973
What a lovely video totally relevant today. Though I couldn’t spot my bike in front of university college.
How the BBC has changed.
For the past few years I've been biking places more and more and barely use my car these days. I no longer struggle with road rage because on a bike you can go anywhere including around the bs that made me angry. My winters don't suck because I'm outside all the time year round. I know my city, my neighborhood, the business and homes better. Love it. This is the way
I ride a '75 Raleigh Esquire, the brown bicycle in the shop, its wonderful bike to ride. I also have Moulton Bicycle, a later one which is quite unlike a standard bicycle in use and very comfortable.
Gotta love 70s TV presenters. Guy pretty much free wheels over a fairly flat bridge, gets off, goes into anaphylaxis.
Very funny indeed but what about the ‘audio from afar’! He must have had a mobile transmitter / microphone on him whilst biking. Quite advanced stuff for the early seventies if you ask me :)
@@philyvo Yes, I've asked that question too. I wasn't aware radio mics were around then.
That's the problem. Even on an ideal day in Oxford, cycling is for fit people or people who want to get fit. Fitness is activity-specific, so cycling fitness requires first that someone wants to ride a bicycle. And nobody does. It's cold, it's miserable, it's wet, it's exhausting and it's slow. That man would rather enjoy a pipe and whiskey, and so would I. Doesn't mean I don't or can't cycle - just that it's going to be a form of leisure activity on nice days and absoluately doesn't substitute for a car. Yes I know cars bring their own problems but that's what happens when there are too many people crammed onto a tiny island.
He's just not used to the exercise.
@@rupertbollywood1190 Oh diddums. You poor chap, are you made of "sugar candy" ?
i still use my 1965 Moulton.
What a great little film
Lovely to see people riding bicycles whilst wearing proper clothing
But no helmets!
I ride old roadster bicycles, often asked where is your hemet, to which i give the reply, where is your bike.
@@philhayes3148 Hmmm, have you not wondered WHY so many people ask 'Where is your helmet?' They do so out of consideration for your safety. You may think your reply 'Where is you bike? is clever but perhaps a better response would be, 'Thank you for your concern, I shall buy a helmet.' People who don't wear helmets always think accidents only happen to other people. You have been lucky so far but the fact is that in any accident of bike vs car the cyclist ALWAYS comes off worse. Don't be a fool, wear a helmet.
@Grahame59 so? This is England, not America
@@Grahame59A helmet is not designed to protect you in the event of a collision with a motor vehicle. Nor, in most cases, will it.
Oh that video is so quaint and very [unintentionally] amusing.
I love those old bikes. I still ride one of them. Everything was interchangeable, easy to get spare parts, easy to fix yourself. And they were built to last. I don't think there's much difference when it comes to efficiency compared to modern bikes. Just follow the two simplest rules: High air pressure for your tires, and a saddle that's not too low, as Mr. Moulton educated us about.
What the manufacturers reduced in weight by using lighter materials they added in gimmicks. The bike industry of today has learned their lesson well, you can easily find bikes for the price of a used car, that's insane. Too bad everything got so much more expensive that you can't make a profit with good simple bicycles and have to sell fancy stuff to your customers, on a regular basis.
You can still buy Moultons. They cost £1400 for the cheapest one and go way, way up from there. Bromptons too cost a similar amount, but they're absolutely worth it. And made in the UK.
I have a Brompton that is one of the very first batch ever made, in 1988. It still works perfectly and nearly all of the parts are still readily available, many of them interchangeable with my 2020 Brompton too. This type of bike is still made and more popular than ever, and shouldn't really be confused with the crazy mountain bikes and sports bikes you can get today. They're simple, easy to fix yourself and not cheap but fairly priced for what you get, as long as you don't get one of the fancy ones.
@@adamfrancissmith5511 you have to watch those small wheels over slotted drain covers and pot holes
@@vincentl.9469It’s really easy. I ride one every day in Naples, so I definitely know this! The small wheels change direction really quickly so I think they’re actually after than bigger wheels.
I picked up a second hand Molton back in the summer for £65.
It will most likely become my transport to work, when we move house soon.
Frames have become lighter and stiffer, the wheels are double walled and stiffer nowadays. So yes, some improvements have been made, what do you expect? But you can still buy a basicbike.
If only we had the same forethought as the Dutch then, or even now.
So good to see now i can longer afford to run a car. Just wish we always had nice dry weather like they did in the 70s. Its hard work cycling in waterproofs 😅
That guy Moulton was 50 years ahead of his time with that bike
That was a real pleasure to watch !!
Accents have changed massively
Bradford on Avon!!! Visit 'The Stumble inn' when you visit next. Best town in Wiltshire.
And go for a curry 🍛 as well .
I like the Cross Guns out by the Aquaduct, a nice scenic stop whilst doing a circular walk out through Freshford and Iford.
Apparently the food at Iford manor is really good, I have yet to try it myself.
Give Christine my regards in her Sustainable Supermarket 🌻🫡
The year Mum & Dad opened the Georgian Wine Lodge in BOA
The 8-wheeled bus still survives in the care of The Science Museum .
Wonderful guy Dr Alex Moulton very approachable met him a few times at Gaydon on the anniversary of Alec Issigonsis's birth and the BLMC anniversary along with Basil Wells who was BMC engine research guru..
Poor chap was breathing out his backside presenting this😂 Needs to cut down on the pipe and pints
And the bangers and mash :D
As a nurse I thought he'd benefit from taking up regular cycling.
to be fair he probably did multiple takes during that scene!
8:32 Bicycle clips are always recommended when wearing a suit and riding a bike without a chain case. He probably discovered that later when he got off and inspected his trousers 😂.
Interesting, never knew about bicycle clips. I've tied my trouser leg ends with rubber bands so they wouldn't get caught in the chain or the pedals :D
just wear black trousers
@@alanhargreaves-thevoiceofr2361 Or tuck into your socks 😂 !
@@mrjsv4935 Those English spring clips work better. They don't come loose or break, and are really easy to put on and take off. The problem I've had with street pants is the crotch is uncomfortable and the fabric wears out where it rubs up and down on the saddle. Padded lycra works much better. I carry street clothes in a backpack when necessary. Other customers at the grocery store don't give me a second look.
@@C345OFRThis is the best way. You always have them on and can't lose them.
That was funny at 8:25 -- you don't have to dress up for a bicycle, you can use your city suit.
Live in inner city Bristol, 51 years on there's a disused rail line cycle path to Bath and a restored canal tow path to Bradford on Avon, all flat. The presenter did mention Britain's weather, hills and early 1970's car usage levels. Arab oil crisis following 1973 Israel Egypt war focusing minds not todays politicians waffling on about sustainability. Guess Alex Moulton and Michael Frostick have probably gone on their final journeys but brilliant film.
I have a Raleigh wayfarer from 1973,its the same as the bronze esquire in the shop but in dark blue,
Its hardly been used and like new, gave £50 for it recently, interesting to find out it was about £30 new 50 years ago!
But £30 was a lot of money back then.
Bro was riding ultra narrow bars with flaired drops 50 years before the pros.
When my Dad bought me my Chopper in 1971, the cost was £36. From White's Wonderland, in Benfleet, Essex.
That was a week's wages and more back then!
Ahhh Essex boy ❤ 🎉 🏴 🎯
@@nickwinn7812 My old man had a very well paid job. He was a Steeplejack.
@Jack_Warner Respect
@@nickwinn7812 I hate going up a ladder to the first floor. No way could I be a chip off the old block.
the bike fitting advice still rings true today
The town I live in is maybe two miles end to end. I walk or ride my bike everywhere, most of the town drives.
I had a Hercules Hunter in the '70s - rode 50 miles on it one early January!
It’s a shame the government just did nothing as usual and we still have no cycle infrastructure.
💯
Meanwhile in the Netherlands...
In recent years we have seen a turnaround, led by local governments, though. I’ve lived in London since 1999 and the change has been nothing short of a revolution. Along busy cycling corridors at rush hour you’ll see thousands of cyclists on fully protected cycle lanes. I’d hate to have cycled back in 1970’s London with zero cycling infrastructure but today it’s so enjoyable
@@a1white I'm very happy about the progress that some London local governments have made, and a few outside London. Most of the country's local governments are still very anti-cycling though. My last 3 local authorities couldn't have cared less about sustainable transport and urban planning and MPs that I email always respond with generic "we're doing a great job" nonsense.
@ yes, I agree, more progress needs to be made. The current transport secretary Heidi Alexandre, was the cycling commissioner in London before, so perhaps government policy will change more now.
best way to get about... if only there was decent bike parking choices in much of the UK. Usually if there is any it's tucked away to make it easier for theft and vandalism...
I am American. Lived in London 33 years. Always cycle. Started with a Pashley Roadster. Now on an electric Kalkhoff. Life is for the living!
It's a shame they didn't realise just how much petrol/diesel-driven traffic was going to dominate the roads, subsequently. I used to enjoy road-running (- using the pavement, where it existed), but the increased number of close passes made it impossible to continue with this, safely.......
I've finished 2024 with 12500 km on pushbikes and extra 3000 km on electric bikes. It feels good to ride :)
That intro should is educational material, excellent.
My solution to the crisis was a 50% paraffin mix for my Kawasaki KH 250 two-stroke. I had to run an errand near town. I drained the tank when I got home, wasting a gallon of precious petrol. I left a massive vapour-trail of odiferous semi-burnt paraffin that was probably visible from space :D
Thanks for your contribution to our environmental health
I had a chopper in the 70s. Brilliant hours of fun .never had eany trouble with it.
Did they have radio microphones in '73? I'm wondering how they got the sound so perfect, when he was a fair distance away. Or, did he speak those words again the a studio?
Was wondering the same thing when he came over the bridge at the beginning!
Yes they did. Called them lavaliers, a little button clipped to the chest.. They were mostly cable, but wireless was available, like in this longshot.
That brown bike in the shop looked like a Raleigh Palm Beach; I had one of those.
Raleigh Esquire, the Palm Beach has black mudguards
How delightful...the 70s...Best decade known to humanity..
Flared trousers, football hooligans, white dog-dirt - great days indeed.
People say that about the 90s
@@BadgerBotherer1I certainly remember the white dog poo. Wasn't it due to Bones?
That was nice to see
Good reflection on what we've all lost in cycling since the 1970s. 1973 was one year before I had my first new bike as a present, a Bianchi road bike, smaller and lower for my ten year old self. The point being that even without as much in places for traffic provisions related to cycling, or even with none compared to some, more people did it, and without as much fear, and without the obsession with bike helmets. We were all better off in the 1970s for running bikes and for being collectively healthier, leaner, and fitter. Now we have far, far fewer people cycling and far, far more for pathetic fatties, including children who haven't any interest in PT at all. Parents will give them a cell phone when they're six or eight, to make them addicts like themselves, but a bicycle, oh too dangerous!
Where cycling infrastructure and lower traffic areas have been implemented in recent years cycling has increased. I moved to London in 1999 and have witnessed this. I’d hate to cycle in 1970’s London but nowadays when I cycle 10 miles from my home to work, 80% of the route is fully protected on a fast, direct route. Cycling has been more normalised and I see far more cyclists on the road, crucially women too (they just need to crack down on the unrestricted e-bikes!)
@@a1white I'm completely all for such changes related to cycling safety, but I think the message here is that the mentality and the avid interest in cycling for various reasons counts more regardless of infrastructure. The video not only pertained to the 1970s Cycling Boom with it's higher participation rate and broader enthusiasm, but the commentator was making references even to the 1930s, and the number of bicycles made back then comparatively to 1973. Anyone who's sixty now has a pretty clear picture of that 1970s Boom and it's positive effects for society. So I think the question is how do we reclaim that? Obviously, a big part of that is "Normalized Cycling" for as many people as possible. Maybe another part is for the enthusiasts to have an alter ego or an alter image for some of the rides they take where it's more conventional. Something like with those two guys having a chat about the bikes towards the end riding side by side.
@ I’m not sure how we get there, but that’s when riding a bike is just part of normal society. The press on this country seeks to divide and perpetuates this cyclists vs motorists narrative. Really it should just be about people riding bikes to get somewhere efficiently and cheaply (and making the journey a whole lot more enjoyable)
Yes👍. I use road bike😊
At 5:00, it almost looks like Dr. Alex image in the coach windscreen.
A human on a bike is the most energy efficient creature. The bike will always be the ultimate way to commute in cities, paired with public transport. Cars take too much space, no wonder Japan prohibits street parking and they're better for it.
I got sad when he said "There is not OBVIOUSLY one of every bike made in Great Britain here"
These days you wouldn't need that much space to display every bike we make.
Hold on gotta renew my TV license before I watch this!
Nah not being broadcast or streamed on BBC I Player 🎉
Raleigh Record Sprint & Raleigh Quasar rider here, steel is real
My family owned that bridge and building... Such happy memories
I was riding a bicycle since 1966 long before the bicycling health thing was fashionable.
Wheelbase - the precursor programme to Top Gear but with "gentlemen presenters".
Top Gear was still poshos but they were pretending to be 'Lads' ..
I don't remember Wheelbase, which I'm assuming was a BBC programme. I do remember one on ITV presented by Shaw Taylor and Tony Bastable, both pre Top Gear as you say.
@@alanhargreaves-thevoiceofr2361 really? Tom Coyne from South Shields a "posho"? There were 15-20 Top Gear presenters before it got to Clarkson et al around 1990.
@@phillipecook3227 that was the ITV programme called Drive In. IIRC Drive In was the first dedicated car programme in the UK although Tomorrow’s World covered a lot of car stuff (with a lot from Raymond Baxter).
Is that a young Nick Drake riding at 4:08?
I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride my bike
Queen 💯👍
And this report was before the arrival of the pedelec. Bicycles now doubly practical, and not just in flat places like Cambridgeshire.
You can say fuel isn't expensive enough because we still burn it in cars.
I really feel that fuel is not expensive enough when I see someone with a gas-powered leaf blower
Womder what yeah had the record number of bikes sold. I'd reckon would be one of the mid 80s years with the BMX being key seller
Holy crap that guy s bike is geared for over 60mph. An 8 tooth rear cog with what looks to be bigger than 55 chain ring
No lycra, no helmets. This is the way cycling should be.
Bikes parked, not even locked!
No overpowered (and likely to set on fire) illegal battery strapped on
I do think if any of these Deliveroo, Uber, etc riders had to pedal, they wouldn't know how
No MAMILS.
Old, old fossil
In my day we ride wolves to work
Oh how relevant
as good as sunny it is.
51 year calculus on the advantage of narrow saddles and drop bars, and the reasons..
Very unconvincing to make the case in such a flat environment. Try getting around on a bike where we live in Yorkshire, 100 feet above sea level, with a climb of 600 feet from the town centre to our house on the edge of town.
its easy. you just get used to it. i live in yorkshire and cycle everyehere. im not a strong climber compared to folk on strava but with mtb gearing you just float up hills. did 1200 feet of climbing today on my route.
I have a nice car and a motorcycle but rarely use them.I live in a large city suburb near to a main road and every time I go out in the car, I’m sitting in a jam. I’ve only used my car once in the past two weeks to go shopping. The rest of the time I use a bicycle. I never get stuck in a jam. I have all the gear for bad weather and ride well maintained bikes,most with mud guards and do my own mechanics. I have one with panniers so I can do small shopping trips but also have bikes for riding quickly from A to B..I ride 6000 miles per year for leisure and transport .My life would be a lot more miserable without a bike. unfortunately the British motorist typically has an anti-cyclist mentality and the road network in this country does very little to encourage people onto the roads on bikes.
Gasping for air coasting down hill
YES!!!!!!
Jerremy Vine will be extatic
Cycling was and is great for recreation or transportation, but the "ideal" reaction to the 1973 Arab oil embargo would have been the UN Security Council actually following through on its Resolution 242.
Oh my
£31.00 for a new bike.😲
My Kona Cindercone (custom built off road bike) £3000
My Bianchi (road bike) £2000
£31.00 can't buy a seat these days.
£31 then is £350 in 2024.
saddle.
@@original.dwornboy "Custom bulit" 😎
@@jinxterx I have horses. You can't fit a bike seat to one. 😉
@@Dylanesque No, but you can fit a saddle to a bicycle. Not a saddle for a horse but a saddle for a bicycle. Spend as much as you want on your bikes, a fool and his money..................
😮
A strange guy lurking in the bushes. That's me. 10mph on single speed is easy...
Sound advice from Alex Moulton.
Oh golly gosh. The old BBC plummy accent. Great old TV presentation.
Drove my S3 Lotus Elan all the way through the crisis, in fact still got the unused ration book somewhere. and never qued up