T he gawkers were right. If a time-traveler happened to zoom from 1885 back to the future of 1997, he would instantly recognize standard bicycles, so little has their diamond frame geometry changed. W hat has changed significantly over the years is bicycle ownership. Americans buy more than 10 million bikes a year for recreation and fitness, about three times more than a few decades ago. Yet these numbers are deceptive.
Many adults love the idea of bike riding more than the actual riding.
T he Bicycle Institute of America estimates that of the more than 110 million bicycles in the U.S., about 20 million are gathering dust. Some kids' bikes are corroding in garages, but millions more bicycles have been abandoned by adults. One reason is painfully obvious. Perching on that torture device called a bike saddle hurts. The longer the ride, the worse the effect of gravity and the pounding vibrations of road-shock.