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> I think the deepest explanation is in general economic and cultural factors. I would say that this is very on point. Even during the renaissance "inventing"
by Quothling 2mo ago
> I think the deepest explanation is in general economic and cultural factors.
I would say that this is very on point. Even during the renaissance "inventing" was a hobby for the aristocracy, as the author gets around with Giovanni Fontana. I'm not sure if a bicycle would've been a "cool" invention at the time. Because what would you do with it?
For the majority of people there was very little need for personal mobility in society. I know we have this nice fantasy idea of towns having taverns and getting visitors, but in reality, most towns didn't even get what we'd consider a modern pub until the industrial revolution. Sure there were ale houses, but an ale house wasn't a permanent establishment, it was simply whomever had most recentely brewed beer. You'd bring your own chair, and your own cup. So even if you had a bicycle you would frankly have nowhere to go.
- mrob 2mo ago>there was very little need for personal mobility in society People regularly traveled to nearby market towns. There's still a strange omission: why didn't anybody in Europe invent the Chinese-style wheelbarrow, with the single central wheel? This seems to be the closest equivalent to a cargo bike that works well without modern materials. It's well suited to moving modest quantities of goods over poor roads, unlike the European wheelbarrow which is optimized for quick loading/unloading, and best suited to moving things short distances.
- anthk 2mo agoMerchants, sheperds, peasants and the like travelled for sure to nearby towns to sell their goods.
- Melatonic 2mo agoIf mobility was not a thing then why were horses so popular ? Why is the bicycle credited with helping to give women so much more agency then ?