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A comment on Why did we wait so long for the bicycle? (2019). Parent comment

Re:Why did we wait so long for the bicycle? (2019) by coldtea on Monday December 07, 2020 @05:19PM (#25338465)
You can make tires quite easily with simple tools.

You can't make gasoline as easily - or extract oil.

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Re:Why did we wait so long for the bicycle? (2019) by kazinator on Monday December 07, 2020 @06:26PM (#25339201)
No, you can't. Not puncture-resistant, durable, pneumatic tires that don't have to be changed every mile.

Not tires that don't turn into chewing gum in hot weather, or under hard braking, and don't freeze and crack in cold weather.

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Re:Why did we wait so long for the bicycle? (2019) by JoeAltmaier on Monday December 07, 2020 @06:01PM (#25338941)
Ethanol?
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Re:Why did we wait so long for the bicycle? (2019) by Symbiote on Monday December 07, 2020 @06:08PM (#25339014)
Is it more efficient (and/or easier) to make ethanol to fuel an internal combustion engine, or instead to burn the fuel you would have used to distil the ethanol to fuel an external combustion engine? (i.e. a steam engine.)
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Re:Why did we wait so long for the bicycle? (2019) by JoeAltmaier on Monday December 07, 2020 @06:24PM (#25339172)
Ethanol wins. You can use ethanol to make more ethanol. Its a positive yield. Has been for years.
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