The car industry was borne primarily from the cycle industry. William Morris, Armand Peugeot and the Grabowski brothers (GM), were bike builders before they were car makers.
Car manufacturing and cycle making have since separated.
The car has met our needs, and created a few too.
Cars are now safe, comfortable, quiet, and after a few minutes warm. We can now live many miles from work and away from our parents.
However, cars are a victim of their own success. With over 1.2billion cars (2014) in the world, it has come to a point where in many cities the car has become a problem, not the solution. They are not easy to park, require regular trips to refuel, and cause pollution. Perhaps the biggest problem with cars especially in the city is that they are slow and not much fun!
Bikes are easy to park, sustainable, and do not need taking out for a feed. With good infrastructure riding can be safe and quiet. With suspension and electrical power riding can be comfortable and faster than cars in most cities; but most of all it can be enjoyable.
Ford have shown concepts for a folding electric bike loaded with car technology which can be stored and charged in the boot.
BMW’s Vision E3 Way offers Elevated, electric and efficient mobility, ‘creating space for two-wheeled zero emission traffic’, they already sell electric bikes.
Next month Peugeot are releasing a folding e-bike that fixes into the boot where it can be recharged.
