The other day I was flipping through a book that my roommate checked out from the library and I came across this hilarious historical quote about the bicycle:
“These bladder-wheeled bicycles are diabolical devices of the demon of darkness. They are contrivances to trap the feet of the unwary and skin the nose of the innocent. They are full of guile and deceit. When you think you have broken one to ride and subdued its wild and Satanic nature, behold it bucketh you off in the road and teareth a great hole in your pants. Look not on the bike when it bloweth upon its wheels, for at last it bucketh like a bronco and hurteth like thunder. Who has skinned legs? Who has a bloody nose? Who has ripped breeches? They that dally along with the bicycle.”
Personally, I’ve been dallying with bicycles for a while now, and I can confirm the ripped breeches and hurt like thunder. On the other hand, I’m still rather fond of my bladder-filled beast!
The book is Merry Wheels and Spokes of Steel and it will be available at your public library as soon as I finish it and return it!
