Welcome to Home of the Brave. I'm Scott Carrier.

Before there were automobiles, there were bicycles.

For a brief period from about 1890 to 1908, the bicycle wheel was the greatest invention of all time.

Steel ball bearings on the inside, eliminating friction, inflatable rubber tires on the outside,

making the ride smooth and safe.

These innovations may possible a simple self-propelled machine five times more efficient than

walking. There was a bicycle boom, mass production, bicycles were everywhere

loved especially by young women because suddenly they were free to

come and go as they pleased uncontrollable wild passing horses on the road.

All that changed in 1908 with Ford's Model T. It's all been about cars ever since.

But the bicycle didn't go away. There's still the most efficient form of transportation by far, and they're fun.

It's sort of the magic of the bicycle.

If a bicycle fits you and is reasonably well tuned, it turns every road into a snow slope.

That's Grant Peterson, well known in the bike world for designing simple

traditional highly crafted bikes that are a pleasure to ride.

It's such a simple device.

Bicycle is wonderful.

I think it's the best development,

the best transportation of all time for a lot of green hippie reasons but also

because it's really fun and it's so practical and you know it does no harm. I've never owned a Rivendale one of Grant's bikes, but I've ridden two on separate occasions

Both were designed for the writer to sit in an upright, comfortable position with handlebars that swept

back like albatross wings.

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