Passadoc Gazette – No 113

Bicycle or bike... Cipede?

« Bicycle » a small old-fashioned side that would have even more « Velocipede » If the fake of the apocope had gone that way! The « Little Queen » is forever dethroned by the bike that – economy and ecology oblige – today invades the cities in which we trace more and more tracks for him.

But why? « Little Queen » ? It is said that it is because of Wilhemine of the Netherlands! She was ten years old when she succeeded her father William III, who died of illness in 1890.

A few years later, a French journalist reports that it is not uncommon to see the young sovereign move by bicycle. He writes that he crossed « the little queen by bicycle » ; of these words we will keep « Little Queen » to designate a bike.

It was in 1817 that a badois, Karl von Drais, had the idea of connecting two wheels and equipping this unit with a saddle and handlebar: thus born the draisian.

To move, one throws the leg and pushes with the foot, making the driver a « running machine » Hey! Still no pedal: it was invented in 1839 by Kirk Patrick MacMillan (Scottish forgeron) and greatly improved in 1861 by Pierre (born in the Meuse) and Ernest Michaux; The father is a cauldron, the son is a locksmith.

It would take many pages to tell the technical evolution of the bike... his entry into sport:
– 1903, first Tour de France that connects Villeneuve-Saint-Georges (22 km from Paris) to Lyon...
– 1933, first Paris-Nice, race in stages...
– to narrate the exploits of Louis Aymar (champion de France de pursuit) born at Aubagna... Lucien Aymar (winner of the Tour de France 1966) born at Hyères... Roger and André Darrigade, both born in NarrosisIn the Landes...

The bike is present in many arts: painting (Toulouse-Lautrec, Fernand Léger, etc.) ... in literature:

– Régine Desforges (born Montmorillon – New Aquitaine): The Blue Bike, More than 10 million copies sold!

– Marcel Pagnol (born Aubagna) : My mother's Castle.

[...] But at that very moment, I thought I heard in the distance the mouse screams of Uncle Jules' bicycle; However, it was one hour in the morning, and he was freezing with stone split: his coming seemed quite unlikely to me, and I thought I dreamed when my mother stretched out her ear, and said surprise: « Joseph, this is Jules! Did something happen? « .

My father listened in turn: the screams were getting closer. « It's him, he says. But don't worry: if he was « something happened »He wouldn't have come this far! «

He stood up, and opened the very large door: we distinguished the silhouette of a huge bear, which unwrapped the belts of the luggage rack: the uncle entered into a top of fur with long hairs, which was completed by a four-round hide-nose, and he placed a large pack on the table saying: « Merry Christmas! «

Jeanne Monin
Research on various sites and articles.