Why did we wait so long for the bicycle?

Re:Why did we wait so long for the bicycle? by derefr on Monday July 15, 2019 @05:56PM (#20445667)

> The alternatives are not good. Cast iron? Too heavy and too brittle. Wrought iron? Maybe, but not that great. Lead? Too soft. Brass? Could work, but expensive. A king's kid might have had a brass bicycle.

Haven't they made working bicycles with wooden frames?

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Re:Why did we wait so long for the bicycle? by ncmncm on Tuesday July 16, 2019 @01:02AM (#20447600)

The frame is incidental.

It is the little parts that matter. Not just screws; really-spherical ball bearings, ceramic-hard bearing races, micrometer adjustment.

Without good bearings, friction and wear make it a short-lived toy.

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Re:Why did we wait so long for the bicycle? by davidw on Monday July 15, 2019 @06:02PM (#20445710)

Yeah - https://celilocycles.com/ for instance. But it's not easy and I don't think they can mass produce them.

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