What made the last big bike boom? The next?

RE/
$4/gallon gas would go a long way.

Gas was what, about .25/gallon back in 1958? I think I was paying .27 at the
Hickam AFB BX station in 1962.

My dad paid $4,800 for his fully-loaded Ford Galaxy - and the consensus at the
time was that he got hosed pretty badly.

In 1958 I peeked over a guidance counselor's shoulder and saw that in a survey,
my parents had allowed that if their son made $6,000 per year (at some
undetermined period after graduating... I forget...) they'd consider him a
success.

In 1963 in Hawaii I bought a top-of-the-line two-cycle power mower for $27.00 at
Sears and was clearing $97 per week - union wages - working as a baggage masher
at the Honolulu airport.

Based on those anecdotes I'd guess there's been 600% inflation - absolute
minimum - maybe 800% since 1958.

So, bottom line, gas right now (I think I paid $1.72 last weekend) is dirt
cheap. $.25 * 6 = $1.50. Certainly less than bottled water last time I
priced it at the same Seven-Eleven that I bought my gas at.

Maybe 4 bucks a gallon would do something....but I'd think it would have to be
more like six or eight...
-----------------------
PeteCresswell

"Don DeMair" wrote in message
...

"Tanya Quinn" wrote in message
om...
Ken Kifer's website has an excellent article on cycling in the 70's:
http://www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/lifestyle/70s.htm

Its sad we won't get to read more of his thoughts.

Why not?

never mind. I just read the post with "Ken Kifer" as the subject line.
Very sad indeed.

Nothing. It will never happen. A Lance Armstrong here or a Greg Lamonde
there may pump up recreational sales, but no "bike boom" ever. As
prosperity arrives, every country abandons bicycles as transportation.
Motor vehicles appeal to our sloth and the greed of the sellers and makers
of the beasts. Nothing can beat sloth and greed.

Be happy you ride. Be happy you will continue to ride while motorists will
be slurping oatmeal after a plaque encrusted artery popped in their brain.

It doesn't matter who you think you are. If you own a bicycle which you
actually ride, you are counter-culture.

bb

"Jeff Potter" wrote in message
.. .
I think the last big bike boom was in the mid-70's. It What will inspire
the next boom?

*I don't know!

Jeff Potter

Jeff Potter wrote in
:

I think the last big bike boom was in the mid-70's.

You're forgetting about the mountain bike boom.

"bb" wrote in message
ink.net...
Nothing. It will never happen. A Lance Armstrong here or a Greg Lamonde
there may pump up recreational sales, but no "bike boom" ever. As
prosperity arrives, every country abandons bicycles as transportation.

This is so true! When I was in mainland China in 1997, I saw thousands, no
make that hundred of thousands of people riding bicycles as transportation.
However, I also noticed that there were alot of cars too. When I asked our
tour guide about this, he said that people are starting to earn enough from
their ownership of restaurants and stores to be able to afford cars. (Yes,
"communist" china is slowly transitioning into capitalism, they just don't
want to rush things like Russia did). The problem is when these people get
cars, they drive like they're riding their bikes, look out!

However, I don't think its so much sloth and greed, but convienence that
gets people off their bikes and into cars. People just want to get to places
now. A car helps you do that, a bicycle doesn't. If you think China's
pollution is bad now with all its coal burning stoves and fireplaces, just
wait 10-20 years when their billion people population has a "car in every
garage".....

"Mike DeMicco" wrote in message
.4...

Jeff Potter wrote in
:

I think the last big bike boom was in the mid-70's.

You're forgetting about the mountain bike boom.

There seemed to be a roadie boomlet in the 80s, at least in southern CA. All of
a sudden, there were fancy road bikes everywhere, and boutiquey little bike
shops in wealthy neighborhoods. All gone in a few years, until MTBs came along.

Matt O.

"Mike Jacoubowsky/Chain Reaction Bicycles" wrote
in message news:KX3ab.1535

I doubt it. The pricing of gas is not nearly as important as its
availability. It's possible that $4/gallon gas might bring on much
greater
demand for fuel-efficient cars (which would be a good thing!) but until
people have to wait in long lines, they'll still drive.

The love affair with the auto is all about convenience, not expense. When
it becomes less convenient to drive than to ride (as happens when gas is
rationed), then they'll look to alternatives.

I think for much of the U.S. it is already too late. The location of
suburbia, especially in sprawling cities, will keep people driving no matter
what. Jobs are now scattered across the city, so the old notion of going
downtown to work is largely lost (I've seen figures that place less than 30%
of the total workforce in downtown on average). Because of the distances,
people aren't likely to seek out bicycles as a viable form of transport.
Perhaps hybids or other high fuel efficiency vehicles, but not bicycles. A
study in Kentucky found average daily driving distances to be 27 miles.
(check with www.dot.gov to find it). This is much farther than most people
would even consider riding. Heck, many people consider a ride around the
block a major trip by bike!

I think the auto is here to stay. Our cities have been designed around them.
No form of public tranpsortation will ever be enough to cover every place
and human-powered transportation is just not going to happen. We will always
have the auto in one form or another.

-Buck

Thu, 18 Sep 2003 02:09:29 GMT, bb:

As
prosperity arrives, every country abandons bicycles as transportation.

This seems to be not the case in the Netherlands: A rich country (at least
compared to the UK) but lots of bicycle use (at least compared to the UK).
Most people there own a car and also drive too much. But using a bicycle
is an obvious alternative to car-use.

In Germany there are also some medium-size towns with nearly the same
modal split bike and car. It has to do with tradition, geography (no too
steep hills) and town design (good tight mixture of living and working
instead of business areas and suburbs separated). I have the pleasure to
live in a town, where new quarters with "short ways" as the most important
design rule are planned.

Andreas

"Andreas Oehler" a écrit dans le message
news: ...
Thu, 18 Sep 2003 02:09:29 GMT, bb:

As
prosperity arrives, every country abandons bicycles as transportation.

This seems to be not the case in the Netherlands: A rich country (at least
compared to the UK) but lots of bicycle use (at least compared to the UK).
Most people there own a car and also drive too much. But using a bicycle
is an obvious alternative to car-use.

In Germany there are also some medium-size towns with nearly the same
modal split bike and car. It has to do with tradition, geography (no too
steep hills) and town design (good tight mixture of living and working
instead of business areas and suburbs separated). I have the pleasure to
live in a town, where new quarters with "short ways" as the most important
design rule are planned.

Andreas

Not true in Denmark either. Attitude, ecological concerns and programs help
a lot. In addition to insisting that there is a proper network of bike paths
(when a road gets built, a bike path gets built next to it), they put about
200% tax on cars. Many people have cars (especially for work), but just
about EVERYONE has a bike, and uses it.

Plus they elected a politician who promised that cyclists will always have a
tailwind!

bb wrote:
Nothing. It will never happen. A Lance Armstrong here or a Greg Lamonde
there may pump up recreational sales, but no "bike boom" ever. As
prosperity arrives, every country abandons bicycles as transportation.

Actually, many Continental countries have seen a significant increase in
bicycle use over the last decade.
--
David Damerell flcl?