Why was cycling not included in the ancient Olympics?

"Les Earnest" wrote in message
...
"Necessity is the mother of invention" according to an old saying.
Bicycles were needed as soon as roads began to be built around 3500 BC.
Technology adequate to build a bike existed by 2000 BC

Let's think about this. The roads were either dirt roads or, in Roman Empire
days, slabs of stone.
Wheels would have been either wood or metal. I don't recall any rubber
technology at this time.
A wooden wheel on a limestone slab road would have been a rough ride,
indeed.

Perhaps the bicycle actually WAS invented, but the styrofoam helmet wasn't,
and the inventor died of a head injury before the bicycle caught on?

yet the first
proto-bicycle did not appear until more than 3,500 years later. Had the
bicycle been invented earlier, world history would have been quite
different. Why did it take so long for somebody to try balancing on two
wheels?

A bigger mystery: why did the wheel never catch on in the pre-Columbian
western hemisphere?

http://www.worldnakedbikeride.org/

Carl Sundquist wrote:

"Ilan Vardi" wrote in message

If you've ever tried to ride a bicycle nude, you wouldn't have to ask.


You've never heard of the Naked Criterium?

Andes Mountains?

Mike Kruger wrote:
snip
A bigger mystery: why did the wheel never catch on in the pre-Columbian
western hemisphere?

Ilan Vardi wrote:

If you've ever tried to ride a bicycle nude, you wouldn't have to ask.

These two don't seem to be having any problems (except possibly with
the guy keeping his eyes on the road). Of course they are wearing
helmets.
http://nordicgroup.us/s78/images/swedehelm.jpg

In article ,
Mike Schwab wrote:

Andes Mountains?

That would have been the forerunner of mountain bike DH: push the bike
up the hill, then ride it back down.

Mike Kruger wrote:
snip
A bigger mystery: why did the wheel never catch on in the pre-Columbian
western hemisphere?

--
tanx,
Howard

So far, so good, so what?

remove YOUR SHOES to reply, ok?

There weren't enough drugs back then.

"Les Earnest" wrote in message
...
"Necessity is the mother of invention" according to an old saying.
Bicycles were needed as soon as roads began to be built around 3500 BC.
Technology adequate to build a bike existed by 2000 BC yet the first
proto-bicycle did not appear until more than 3,500 years later. Had the
bicycle been invented earlier, world history would have been quite
different. Why did it take so long for somebody to try balancing on two
wheels?

For a closer look at this and related mysteries go to
http://home.pacbell.net/learnest/cyclops and click on "Why was cycling
not included in the ancient Olympics?"

-Les Earnest

On Mon, 09 Aug 2004 21:44:36 -0700, Peter
wrote:

Ilan Vardi wrote:

If you've ever tried to ride a bicycle nude, you wouldn't have to ask.

These two don't seem to be having any problems (except possibly with
the guy keeping his eyes on the road). Of course they are wearing
helmets.
http://nordicgroup.us/s78/images/swedehelm.jpg

I can see the headlights, but neither seem to have rear reflectors

Steve

Steve Walton wrote:

On Mon, 09 Aug 2004 21:44:36 -0700, Peter
wrote:


Ilan Vardi wrote:


If you've ever tried to ride a bicycle nude, you wouldn't have to ask.

These two don't seem to be having any problems (except possibly with
the guy keeping his eyes on the road). Of course they are wearing
helmets.
http://nordicgroup.us/s78/images/swedehelm.jpg


I can see the headlights, but neither seem to have rear reflectors

Hard to be sure, but I believe there's one mounted on the back of his
rear rack. Hers probably has one in the same location but it's
outside of the picture. Given their attire, the skirt guards around
the rear wheels don't appear to be necessary.

During the recent comemoration of the Normandy landings I noticed
soldiers wading to shore carrying bicycles.
Ken

(Ilan Vardi) wrote:

I don't quite agree with your statement about the advantage of bicycles
in military campaigns. I don't recall too much use for them in the last
world wars. I only know about Dieter http://www.andgor.com/ddieter.html

-ilan

Ken Brown, Toronto Canada
Ontario Rail Trails: http://webhome.idirect.com/~brown
delete "nospam" if replying via e-mail

gotta love the pics at jonathan mcelvery's site...


http://www.jsmcelvery.com/photos/200...ow/ms04nc1.jpg

http://www.jsmcelvery.com/photos/200...ow/02nc15a.jpg

note the verge pasties in the background of this one...

http://www.jsmcelvery.com/photos/200...ow/02nc13a.jpg

http://www.jsmcelvery.com/photos/200...snow/01nc5.jpg


If you've ever tried to ride a bicycle nude, you wouldn't have to ask.


You've never heard of the Naked Criterium?