In case you were wondering, the first prototype of a bicycle was called the “dandy horse.” Invented in 1817, the dandy horse was comprised of a wooden frame, handlebars and two wheels. Pedals were conspicuously absent, so the dandy horse was powered by the rider’s own legs, in “Flintstones”-esque fashion. How this is an improvement over simple walking is hard to say. The dandy horse was short-lived, falling out of fashion two years later, after riders began receiving two-pound fines for riding them on pedestrian paths.
Next came the boneshaker, first appearing in the 1860s. Though this machine more or less resembled a modern bike, the pedals were attached directly to the wheels. The name perhaps indicates the ride’s comfort level. In the 1870s, penny-farthings, those odd-looking bikes with the one huge wheel, appeared. They were difficult to steer and incredibly dangerous. The bike most similar to the one we know and love today became popular in the 1890s and was called the “safety bicycle” — so named because the use of the chain drive allowed the pedals to be placed lower to the ground and to power the back wheel.
A week ago, I would have said spring has sprung. After the sudden batch of snow, I have to amend that statement: spring is definitely thinking about springing, though its not quite there yet. The Green, though damp, is mostly clear of snow. The sidewalks are dry and clear. While we no longer have to worry about slipping on ice, spring brings with it its own hazards. I am talking, of course, about cyclists. When the weather warms up, the bikers come out. The Green is their highway. The narrow walkway to the Life Sciences Center can be especially treacherous.
I fear cyclists because I’ve been hit twice by them. They weren’t high-speed collisions — we did the weird, awkward dance where he feinted left and I went right, and then he actually ended up going right. No injuries reported, except for my pride. Still, I have to wonder: is riding your bike very slowly through crowds of amblers and strollers any safer or faster than just riding it on the shoulder of the road? I find that Hanover drivers are well-aware of the lackadaisical traffic awareness of students, so they probably won’t run you over. Granted, there was that one time Hanover was flooded by outsiders for the Republican presidential primary debate, and those drivers didn’t seem to appreciate the laissez-faire attitude Dartmouth students have toward sidewalks. But the next Republican debate isn’t until 2016, so the streets should be safe for cyclists until then.
Despite the hazards they present to cross-campus pedestrians, I’m actually quite fond of bicycles. At home, I possess a cobalt blue seven-speed, which I take out to cruise on the bike path at the beach. At Dartmouth, I purchased a $70 lavender bike from Walmart to make it through sophomore summer. My friends and I decided it was an excellent idea to rent an off-campus house, and by off-campus I mean practically in West Lebanon. The little yellow cottage was three or four houses past the Co-Op — a good 20-minute walk from campus. I know at other colleges anything within a mile is considered “close,” but that’s not the case at Dartmouth, where anything that can’t be reached with a five-minute trek is considered “too far,” especially in the winter. So I bought the bike in order to make it to class on time. The lavender bike served me well all summer, and then languished outside of Hitchcock Hall my whole junior fall. I put it in storage for the winter, and then I forgot about it. Once you don’t live two miles away from everything, biking is not really worth it — too many pedestrians to hit. I think I put the bike somewhere in the Choates, but I’m not entirely sure. At this point, it will cost more to get out of storage than it’s worth, so I consider it a sort of donation. Hopefully someone will rescue it and get it back in working order. A little WD-40 should clear everything up.
As the air warms up, it’s hard not to reminisce about the good times. People have returned to campus! Seniors have completely checked out and are therefore fun to hang out with again! People are wearing shorts and sundresses even though it’s 45 degrees outside! And bikes, those dangerous machines, are everywhere. Or maybe Dartmouth cyclists are generally responsible, and I just don’t pay enough attention. I intend to enjoy my last spring at Dartmouth before I hightail it back to warmer climes where 45 degrees is not flip-flop but winter coat weather. Sophomores, it’s time to start looking forward to sophomore summer, which is actually as awesome as everyone says it is. While I would highly recommend not living somewhere super far from campus, if you do, I know of a bike you could have. It even has a cup holder!
