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Reading time: approx. 12 min
Important note on the cover photo: Millions of Chinese people can't be wrong. Or can they? They simply had no choice and bought what was available: the Flying Pigeon China bike. With a steel frame, no gears, but environmentally friendly. The enormous growth of the economy has its price and that is air pollution. China gets more than two thirds of its energy from coal-fired power stations. And people don't cycle anymore.
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In the previous two episodes, the opening credits reminded us that spring has arrived and that it might be time to get a new bike. This has not changed in the third episode; birds are still screeching and crocuses are spoiling the green spaces. It should be emphasized again that there are many bikes outside that the potential bike owner has no idea about and that there is therefore a need for advice, which is what these lines are intended to provide. Unfortunately, with the third episode of our popular series, Diderot's excursion into Brehm's life as a cyclist has come to an abrupt end, not least because of the author's flagging passion for storytelling. In addition, the most important species have been recorded and presented to the interested reader in an encyclopedic manner, thus achieving the series' goal.
The Chinese classic Flying Pigeon in a new plumage as an e-bike. Something for the experienced mechanic and intrepid lover of antique technology. At hcc-m.com, Bisingen for 1,300 euros. ( Image source: cc-m.com, Bisingen)
The China Wheel
The most produced bicycle in the world, around 500 million have been built since 1950. It has made it to the London Design Museum. But it is almost extinct in the wild because the average Chinese now have motors and love Volkswagens. From the Flying Pigeon brand, the China bike suggests lightness and speed, although that is not the case. It is heavy, slow and has only one gear.
This bird does not like the European climate and can only be found in India and Africa. It is built in Tianjin ( ♁ 39° 8′ N, 117° 11′ E) by unskilled workers and is of sub-par quality, so that new bikes often require welding work. The Chinese copied the design from the British Raleigh bikes of the 1930s, with rod brakes and so on. A Raleigh would be the better choice, but in good condition it would be unaffordable.
There are still a few examples available at http://www.flying-pigeon.es and www.reinrad.de for around 450 euros. Recently there is even one with a motor, check out www.flying-pigeon-e-bike.de, a company from Bisingen that wants 1,300 euros for it. If you buy a used one, you have to reckon with significant costs. If you buy a new one, the same applies.
With patina: The station wheel. Must be rusty. This one may not have enough dirt on it yet. Should be added. ( Image source: Wikipedia Commons, Späth Chr., Chiemseeman)
The station wheel
The station bike is the poorest creature under the two-wheeler heaven. Disregarded and neglected, it wanders around half-wild near train stations, often in shambles. Not to be confused with the train's rental bikes, which also stand around there and act environmentally friendly, even though they have a very short lifespan. The disregard for the station bike is planned. It is supposed to look run-down and is therefore deliberately maltreated, which violates the European Convention on Bicycle Rights, which says: You should love and look after your bike.
There is definitely some overlap with the current trend of the "Rat Look". These are vehicles that are ugly on the outside and great on the inside, meaning they have a surprise effect built in. There is no such thing with the Bahnhofs-Rad, which is just ugly overall. The best and most expensive thing about the Bahnhofs-Rad is the massive lock, which cost more than the whole bike.
Why all this? People who come to the station by bike don't want to attract attention and adapt their bike to the look of the station. What would it be like if a shiny bike was parked in front of a run-down building? That would immediately catch the eye and lead to the bike being demolished by Deutsche Bahn employees and the owner not being given a monthly ticket because they would be considered wealthy.
If you want to buy a station bike, look in classifieds, at flea markets and in your neighbour's garden. You shouldn't spend more than 40 euros because then you'll have to pay new tyres, new brake pads and possibly new wires, which can easily cost 100 euros at the workshop. It's important to tell the workshop that the bike should NOT be cleaned in order to get the desired look.
The Cardan wheel
The cardan wheel is a freedom-loving bird that doesn't want to be chained up. That's why this bird doesn't have a chain at all. The drive is via a steel rod that runs inside the frame tubes. To understand this, you first have to look at this picture:
This is a cardan drive from Fendt. You can see the hub at the bottom right and the bottom bracket at the top left. The bevel gears that provide the drive are clearly visible. The blue thing in the middle is the right frame tube in which the steel rod, i.e. the shaft, runs. The whole thing is heavy, but low-maintenance. ( Image source: Fendt / Christoph Preussler)
Cardan wheels have been around for more than 120 years, but are usually not recognized because no one looks closely. They are a little unpopular because the technology is complex and the price is high. Anyone who comes to the workshop with one of these wheels is admired, but immediately sent away because no one knows what they are doing, which is embarrassing but stupid. Most cardan wheels on the used market are from Fendt, model Fendt Cardano. They are reliable, but unfortunately no one other than the writer of these lines has spare parts anymore.
This is a good bike. The Brik Sec from the Brik company in Holland. The frame is more than stable and it looks good too. The author would buy it if he didn't already have five cardan wheels. Costs around 1,000 euros. ( Image source: brikbikes.com, Elst, Netherlands)
But there are also new ones. For example, from the Dutch town of Elst. The company is called Brik Bikes and the bikes cost around 1000 euros. Beautiful frame, beautiful technology, beautiful color. Exotic bikes are a tricky thing, but you can always take a risk. Just because a parrot is rare in your home doesn't mean it has to get sick, especially if it gets the right grains.
If you like electric bikes, you should take a look at www.honbike.com. There is a foldable e-bike with a cardan drive. It should cost around 2,200 euros. There is also a film there that impressively shows how the cardan drive works, so that you can understand the whole thing.
The folding bike
The bike is supposed to carry the rider. But if the rider has to carry the bike, it gets difficult. Because the damned thing is so bulky. How is that supposed to work? Evolution has struck here, just like Darwin: with the folding bike. It's a relative of the hedgehog. When things get tight, it rolls up. The folding bike is similar. It rolls too, but it also folds. It usually works, unless the device was cheap, then nothing works at all.
Paleontologists have discovered the first fossilized skeletons of folding bicycles in rock layers from the First World War. They still had traces of an olive-green paint finish, which suggested that they had been used for military purposes. Research has shown that these bicycles were carried by soldiers through the mountains, which remains a mystery because it is almost impossible to cycle there. In the meantime, photographic artifacts have emerged that we do not want to withhold from the reader of these lines.
It is May 22nd, 1915. Two Italian Bersaglieri soldiers are lugging their ridiculous hat (model 1871) as well as their equipment and a bicycle through the Italian mountains, even though it is difficult to cycle there. The folding bicycle is therefore not a leisure device, but was originally developed for military reasons. (
After that, this exotic animal was only occasionally seen in breeding stations of eccentric bicycle laboratories. But that changed in the mid-1960s. In the midst of the car wave, nobody wanted to buy a two-wheeler, which had a negative impact on the wallets of bicycle manufacturers. They then pulled the folding bike out of their hats. It was suggested that it be transported in the trunk so that the last few meters of the car journey to Neuschwanstein could be covered on two wheels. These vehicles had a maximum of two gears, were rickety but beautifully colorful. The difference to a bicycle is about the same as the difference between a travel bag and a Ridicule.
The folding bikes of that era have since died out, but a new generation has emerged that finally deserves the name bicycle. The contemporary folding bike likes to make itself small, even though it is expensive. You need it when you are travelling by public transport and the Dutch bike would block the carriage. The problem with the folding bike is the hinge. If the bike is cheap, it is difficult to do this. If the bike is expensive, it is easier, but the financial burden is heavy.
Do we want to mention any more brands? Yes, we do, and they are: Strida (700 euros), Brompton (1,100 euros), Birdy (2,000 euros) and the Moulton (from 3,000 euros). The first thing that becomes clear from this list is that cheap folding bikes are not a good idea. Because they are technically complex. And that costs money. Conclusion: Stay away from cheap folding bikes, unless you want a special coat rack for the hallway. You can do that nicely with the front part of one of these; there is a plate on the hinge that can be used to screw it to the wall.
The Strida folding bike. Strange shape, but it works. Most importantly: light and folds up small. Costs 700 euros. (
Finis: Unfortunately, some of the residents of the bicycle zoo had to stay outside. The city bike. The Bonanza bike. The Rhön bike. The baker's bike. The hamster bike. The cargo bike. The fixie. The Pedersen. If you want to see everything, you can go to Neckarsulm or Bad Brückenau to the bicycle museums there. And if you want to buy one, you have to go to a trusted dealer. (Christoph Preussler)
You don't buy bikes online. You buy them from a dealer. They take care of you. And then repair them too. Like Laurel and Hardy in the film "The Terror of All Spies". Available on DVD for 15 euros. Or on Apple TV. (
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