OK, but this appears to carry a maximum of two people and doesn’t look like it has a trunk, so…how would this be better than public transit? Realistically, anyone who bought this would still need a full sized car to support a family of more than two, so this thing would only work for single people or childless couples. It’s cool, and certainly better than everyone owning their own sedan, but not exactly a practical solution to car culture.
That’s kind of like asking, “why do people buy ebikes?” These seem the fit the same nich but like in 1944. Obviously it’s not a perfect solution, humans and perfect solutions mix like oil and water. (Salad dressing is mostly oil and water, so I guess that’s the perfect solution)
Yes. There were stream powered bikes since the mid-19th century, the earliest motorcycles were basically bikes with combustion engines attached, and there were even battery-powered electric bikes available at the turn of the 20th century. Here’s an electric bike from 1935:
OK, but this appears to carry a maximum of two people and doesn’t look like it has a trunk, so…how would this be better than public transit? Realistically, anyone who bought this would still need a full sized car to support a family of more than two, so this thing would only work for single people or childless couples. It’s cool, and certainly better than everyone owning their own sedan, but not exactly a practical solution to car culture.
That’s kind of like asking, “why do people buy ebikes?” These seem the fit the same nich but like in 1944. Obviously it’s not a perfect solution, humans and perfect solutions mix like oil and water. (Salad dressing is mostly oil and water, so I guess that’s the perfect solution)
I guess so, but it seems like the bike would have already fit that niche in 1944.
We’re bikes powered in 1944? Because that’s the niche this fits
Yes. There were stream powered bikes since the mid-19th century, the earliest motorcycles were basically bikes with combustion engines attached, and there were even battery-powered electric bikes available at the turn of the 20th century. Here’s an electric bike from 1935: