I’ve often wondered why, after a century of innovation, modern bicycles look so similar to the ones that people rode in the 1890s. After all the innovations in the world since that time, why haven’t we improved on the bicycle?
That question drove me to compare a brand-new, just-out-of-the-box bike to one that was built in 1895. And maybe you’ll be as surprised as me at the similarities and the differences between them.
A big thanks to the Reynolds Museum, particularly to Juanita Voth, who shared her time and knowledge. You should visit the museum: https://reynoldsmuseum.ca/
The modern bike is a 2024 Priority Eight (and it’s super fun to ride). The old bike is an 1895 Singer Ladies’ Safety Bicycle (and it’s fascinating).
Take a full-suspension carbon mtb with electric shifting, hydraulic brakes, tubeless tyres etc and compare it to 1895 Singer safety bike. A lot has changed! But of course with more simple designs there aren’t that many bits to develop, yet probably every part has changed to some extent since those times.