Smyrna times., 1947-06-05
Bicycle Days
Are Here Again
Ratio to Autos Found to
Be About One to
Every Three.

dominated by automobiles, stream.
lined Diesel trains, and giant air.
liners, the bicycle is staging a re-
markable recovery of popularity,
according to the department OF
commerce.
The bicycles temperance re-
calls its prominence 40 to so years
ago, back in the gay nineties, !"
when the cycle was almost family
necessity. Then the automobile ap-
peared and the bicycle almost van
ished from the United States, ex-
cept for its use by children.
This contrasted with some parts
of Europe where adults and chill
dren alike were making constant
use of the bicycle as major means
of transportation.
European governments promoted
the bicycle as substitute for the
automobile and thus as means to
conserve gasoline, it is said. The
manufa cture of cars required steel
that was badly needed for guns and
the countless machines that give the
modern army its great speed and
precision.
Wheels Popular in Capital.
The United States government is
not subsidizing its bicycle manufac-
turers, but the curtailment of pas
senger automobile production is in
its own way encouraging civilians
to return to their wheels"
Even here in the capital city, the
use of bicycles is on noticeable
increase. Though few people, even
now, come to work in this manner,
the parks and shady roads on the
outskirts of the city are sometimes
packed with cyclists. The rental OF
wheels" for amusement has be-
come a profitable enterprise.
Government clerks, students, even
officials are using the bicycle for
pleasure.
The commerce department ex-
poets an unprecedented demand on
bicycle manufa cturers-a demand
that plants with their present fa-
cilities might not be able to satisfy,
The industry is in favorable po-
sition with reference to raw materi-
ais, it said. Crude rubber for tires
can be obtained, and as for metal.
1000, 1000 bicycles would require only
$4,000 tons. This is negligible if
compared with large quantities of
such materials needed for manufac-
ture of automobiles, the department
pointed out.
100000 in Use.
Officials estimate that 10000, ,00O
bicycles are in use in the United
States today, a ratio of about one
to every three automobiles. The 1910
production is estimated at 1926, ,00C
and this year the production prob.
ably will show a sizable increase,
they said.
The American bicycle has never
been an object of foreign trade prin.
cipally because it is much heavier
than those manufa ctured in Europe
and Japan and the consumer abroad
refuses to purchase it. In countries
where the bicycle is used extensively
for transportation, it has been found
practicable to keep its weight at q
minimum.
The American bicycle has many
attached devices, such as multi
speed, brakes, horns, tool boxes
balloon tires, headlights and some
times even gasoline motors.
Bicycle production has been or
an increase in America since 1885,
when manufacturers inaugurated 6
campaign to show the value of the
wheel as means of Transports
ton, health and pleasure,
One of the important factors con
tributing to the industry's growth
has been the youth hostel move
ment. In Europe this system Of in
expensive, supervised, overnight ac
commodation for hikers and cyclists
proved popular and after being in
troduced in the United States in 1884
has grown into a major organiza
| tion.