Eurekaaargh! by Adam Hart-Davis

Author:Adam Hart-Davis [Hart-Davis, Adam]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781782431022
Publisher: Michael O'Mara

Superior saddles

Whether or not MacMillan’s machine was a failed invention, and whether or not it was the true precursor of the modern bicycle, when the bicycle really arrived, in the 1880s, it spawned a mass of new inventions, some for radical new types of bicycle and some for outlandish accessories.

Probably the most common of these were for new saddle designs, which came in all shapes and sizes. Take for example the clever idea of Frederick William Barratt, ironmonger of Wimborne, who was probably worried about his wife’s safety, and in 1899 patented a saddle ‘of the ordinary or hygienic pattern but in the front centre of peak I introduce a wheel or roller of suitable material, grooved or otherwise. The object is to facilitate mounting and dismounting and to entirely obviate the danger caused by the dress catching. The wheel or roller … revolves as the rider gets on and off the saddle.’

He went on to explain:

It is well known that ladies attain or mount the saddle by an upward and backward spring movement, at the same time pressing forward with the foot upon one pedal. This action causes a considerable pressure upon the peak of saddle as the dress glides over same and it is not infrequent that in doing so with the ordinary saddle the dress catches with more or less risk of falling.

A further difficulty experienced by a large number of female cyclists is the fact that they are compelled to fix the saddle too low, owing to their inability to spring into the saddle when it is at its proper height in consequence of the friction of the ordinary peak, and suffer thereby from what is known as knee cramp. My invention entirely obviates the danger of the dress catching and greatly facilitates the mounting, doing away with these two objectionable features of the ordinary saddle.

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