“The fuel for this is a medium-sized plate of bangers and mash.”
Wheelbase’s Michael Frostick – usually the proudest of petrolheads – presents an item about bicycles, which are perhaps not the first vehicles that come to mind when you think of Wheelbase. In light of the recent fuel crisis, however, Michael considers whether the humble bicycle’s extraordinary efficiency could persuade motorists to trade petrol power for pedal power.
Michael goes on a cycle ride with engineer and inventor Alex Moulton, a keen cyclist and the designer of the revolutionary Moulton Bicycle, to discuss the potential pros and cons of cycling.
Clip taken from Wheelbase, originally broadcast on BBC Two, 11 December, 1973.
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39 Comments
I've been cycling in the US since 1968. The danger of being hit by a car has increased greatly.
I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride my bike
Queen 💯👍
Back from the days before Mr Watt invented the Watt.
No bike locks needed then!
The bike is still the best option to get around nowadays. Helps me burn fat and save money.
Good reflection on what we've all lost in cycling since the 1970s. 1973 was one year before I had my first new bike as a present, a Bianchi road bike, smaller and lower for my ten year old self. The point being that even without as much in places for traffic provisions related to cycling, or even with none compared to some, more people did it, and without as much fear, and without the obsession with bike helmets. We were all better off in the 1970s for running bikes and for being collectively healthier, leaner, and fitter. Now we have far, far fewer people cycling and far, far more for pathetic fatties, including children who haven't any interest in PT at all. Parents will give them a cell phone when they're six or eight, to make them addicts like themselves, but a bicycle, oh too dangerous!
always with the nonsense that a bike is equivalent to a car. try carting anything, or anyone, other than your own backside on a bike.
I have a Raleigh wayfarer from 1973,its the same as the bronze esquire in the shop but in dark blue,
Its hardly been used and like new, gave £50 for it recently, interesting to find out it was about £30 new 50 years ago!
I still say this robbing goverment has brought a road tax on cycles
YES!!!!!!
I love bicycle culture, great video and the presenter is awesome. Thank you for uploading it. Greetings from Florida USA.
It was wonderful to see the late, great Dr AM. I particularly enjoyed the sign on his main gate regarding access to his gardens – made me laugh!
Hold on gotta renew my TV license before I watch this!
Jerremy Vine will be extatic
Live in inner city Bristol, 51 years on there's a disused rail line cycle path to Bath and a restored canal tow path to Bradford on Avon, all flat. The presenter did mention Britain's weather, hills and early 1970's car usage levels. Arab oil crisis following 1973 Israel Egypt war focusing minds not todays politicians waffling on about sustainability. Guess Alex Moulton and Michael Frostick have probably gone on their final journeys but brilliant film.
Absolutely spiffing!
£40 for a bike 🤔 inflation 😂.
Yep in town bikes way faster, if you don’t get splatted 🤮
Man thinks he can do 30 to 40 miles in an hour? 😂 Mate even on a modern aero TT bike no one is averaging 40mph ha
I ride a '75 Raleigh Esquire, the brown bicycle in the shop, its wonderful bike to ride. I also have Moulton Bicycle, a later one which is quite unlike a standard bicycle in use and very comfortable.
I'm 57. I cycle around 8 miles per day. Half road, half trail. Great exercise.
Bro was riding ultra narrow bars with flaired drops 50 years before the pros.
Wonderful guy Dr Alex Moulton very approachable met him a few times at Gaydon on the anniversary of Alec Issigonsis's birth and the BLMC anniversary along with Basil Wells who was BMC engine research guru..
The Poshness of the accents is blowing my mind.
I have a nice car and a motorcycle but rarely use them.I live in a large city suburb near to a main road and every time I go out in the car, I’m sitting in a jam. I’ve only used my car once in the past two weeks to go shopping. The rest of the time I use a bicycle. I never get stuck in a jam. I have all the gear for bad weather and ride well maintained bikes,most with mud guards and do my own mechanics. I have one with panniers so I can do small shopping trips but also have bikes for riding quickly from A to B..I ride 6000 miles per year for leisure and transport .My life would be a lot more miserable without a bike. unfortunately the British motorist typically has an anti-cyclist mentality and the road network in this country does very little to encourage people onto the roads on bikes.
It's a shame they didn't realise just how much petrol/diesel-driven traffic was going to dominate the roads, subsequently. I used to enjoy road-running (- using the pavement, where it existed), but the increased number of close passes made it impossible to continue with this, safely…….
A human on a bike is the most energy efficient creature. The bike will always be the ultimate way to commute in cities, paired with public transport. Cars take too much space, no wonder Japan prohibits street parking and they're better for it.
5:52 that's often underestimated, the feeling of cycling. As teenagers in The Netherlands on the way to the beach or some party, riding in a group was such a good feeling.
Womder what yeah had the record number of bikes sold. I'd reckon would be one of the mid 80s years with the BMX being key seller
What a helmet
Oh how relevant
One of the best inventions ever.
I had a chopper in the 70s. Brilliant hours of fun .never had eany trouble with it.
Cycling was and is great for recreation or transportation, but the "ideal" reaction to the 1973 Arab oil embargo would have been the UN Security Council actually following through on its Resolution 242.
Why we didn’t embrace cycling infrastructure 50 years ago is beyond me.
I had a Hercules Hunter in the '70s – rode 50 miles on it one early January!
as good as sunny it is.
Gasping for air coasting down hill
That looks like Bewdley bridge at the beginning followed by Oxford when I was there.
Makes me long for a fuel shortage, it would be good to see more people out on their bikes!