I've often wondered why, after a century of innovation, modern bicycles look so similar to the ones that people rode in the 1890s. After all the innovations in the world since that time, why haven't we improved on the bicycle?

That question drove me to compare a brand-new, just-out-of-the-box bike to one that was built in 1895. And maybe you'll be as surprised as me at the similarities and the differences between them.

A big thanks to the Reynolds Museum, particularly to Juanita Voth, who shared her time and knowledge. You should visit the museum: https://reynoldsmuseum.ca/

The modern bike is a 2024 Priority Eight (and it's super fun to ride).
The old bike is an 1895 Singer Ladies' Safety Bicycle (and it's fascinating).

0:00 Introduction
1:03 Juanita's welcome
1:20 The iconic penny farthing
3:04 The safety bicycle
3:39 Comparing shape
5:55 Comparing gears and transmission
7:36 Comparing brakes
8:23 Comparing rideability
10:00 Overall comparison

Historical footage in this video is as marked, from the U.S. Library of Congress, Archive.org (Gould), Science Museum Group, Powerhouse Museum, Pathe, Denis Shiryaev (he upscaled the archive video from San Francisco).

#cycling #bike #commuting

A huge thanks to my sponsors this year. They support this channel, so please support them. They also make amazing products that I use every day and endorse without hesitation.

Priority Bikes: I happily rode Priority for years before they signed on as a sponsor this year.
I’m currently riding the zippy and fun new Priority Eight: https://alnk.to/1XWoxFO
I’ve ridden the Priority Continuum Onyx through many Canadian winters: https://bit.ly/3tzXTee.

Two Wheel Gear: My favourite bike bags and panniers, and the best convertible backpack-pannier that I’ve ever used: https://twowheelgear.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=shifter&utm_campaign=tombabin

Buy my book Frostbike: The Joy, Pain and Numbness of Winter Cycling: https://rmbooks.com/book/frostbike/

I don’t really do proper product reviews, but here are some products that I’ve tried on this channel that I like. (Of course, you don’t need anything fancy to ride a bike, other than a bike, but these are Amazon affiliate links, and I get paid a small commission if you buy them 😉)

• If you ride a bike in the city, you need a good lock. Litelok is a good option: us.litelok.com/SHIFTER
• If you wear a helmet and like to be well-lit, consider the Lumos: ridelumos.com/shifter
• Hindsight sunglasses have mirrors so you can see behind you while you ride. Plus, they look good: https://collabs.shop/f9hvof
• Love these RedShift Acrlight Smart LED Pedals: https://redshiftsports.com/collections/arclight-pedals?aff=40
• Crane Bicycle Bell (the ding is sublime): https://amzn.to/48gsHQ2
• Bicycle Cargo Net (why did it take so long for me to buy one of these?): https://amzn.to/31s1Ovu
• Vaude Cover II Rain Poncho (for higher-end, try Cleverhood or People’s Poncho): https://amzn.to/3jLkift
• Peak Design phone case (the one I use, paired with the Peak Design phone mount): https://amzn.to/48giWS6

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