germans used several million bicycles in ww2

Nothing wrong with bicycles, the North Vietnamese used them to great effect in transporting goods and weapons down the Ho-Chi-Min trail for years and years. The Japanese used them in their offensives against Singapore and other areas as well. They just don't rank high on the tech scale is all.

The lovely collapsable units that were designed to be dropped with British paras wer a great idea, better more rapid movement when on the ground. The were BSA units I think. Had a pic of one once upon a time in the collapsed for drop state. Noting wrong with bicycles as an addition. Using them as a mainstay in fully mechanized European war seems suspect.

 

you got that right that there is nothing wrong with bikes in fact probably overall greatness. Hey Hein is that why there are so many bikes in Holland along the waterways........in time from the great escape out of German hands ? one of the few places on the planet where I have found literally bicycle havens on the waterfront on floating bike parking lots.............excellent idea

yes sir putting on big boy 32 inchers on the front and the rear could take on the winter in Germany armed with two Panzerfausts, a slight but mobile sphere for AT teams. the bikes of all nations in the war at that time were pretty stout tough things. todays carbon-fiber like mine nah would snap getting off-terrain, while the modern day mtn bike would be too heavy overall

 

These are the ones

http://boxturtle.typepad.com/.a/6a01157073f551970b0120a7881853970b-320pi



http://www.justordinarymen.org.uk/custom/BSA_position_jump_from_Dakota.jpg







http://bcoy1cpb.pacdat.net/BSA_Commando_colour_drawing.jpg

 

A relaxing ride in the sun

 

How much the Dutch like their bikes, can be shown by two anecdotes. In 1940-1945, the Germans occupied Holland and confiscated the bicycles. Until quite recently, when a Dutchman wanted to say that he was still angry because of the occupation, he'd say Me fiets terug, "Give back my bike".

 

crotchet rocket, ha! ha!

 

I seen a few videos on this, it was practical at the time.

 

Of course it was pragmatic, if you don't have other transport modes as an option, a bicycle is an improvement over packing the stuff on your back and walking.

 

not necessarily Clint think of the Balkans and the Alps with the Gebirgsjäger, sorry no mtn bikes in official mode yet and even then due to snow/ice rock muck and the overall steepness they are not going to work, man and his mule seems to be appropriate for these areas

 

before ww II,and till the sixties,bicycles were the most used means of transport in Europe.

 

as the dutch found out to their cost LJAd..

 

Bikes are still a nr 1 transport means in our cities ..millions around
Problem is they still get nicked by the thousand every day too ..
(still unknown if thats done by modern Volkswagen drivers ?? No stats yet on that )

Some other facts: The higher educated the drivers are ,the less chance lights are working ,
our police doesnt even gives tickets anymore to people going right through a red light ,
many drivers wont pass a pee test (stimulantia) ,
none seem bothered answering cell phones driving in the middle of the road ...
and there are sooo many beautifull muscled healthy dutch girls from driving against the wind around in the wild !
Imagine yourself chasing a girl like Sylvie v/dVaart-Meijs in lycra shorts in third gear past amsterdam's canals ,an ultimate sportsman dream .


Another weird thing is bike parking here ..especially in Amsterdam it can be like doing a steeple chase , but experiencing the city parking rates for lets say a volkswagen it wont surprise you many choose for the cheapest option around ..

 

no offense Heinrich but those are ugly butt frikin bikes, and as I said I saw plenty of them along the Rhine river almost 2 years ago.

 

These are the average commuters city bikes in front of central station ..people give 'em that rugged 'been there done that look' or rustbrown 'eastfront cammo' look to prevent stealing ..Anything that looks worth 25 euro or more is prone to disapearing lol
Waiting is for a Chinese style law where bike nappers are shot now...
Note from most taillights are gone ..propably managers bikes
The luxurious bikes are kept securely indoors..
Being a lazy man I prefer a small 50cc scooter/roller , hate showing up with a wet behind all the time..

 

most of my friends that cycle seriously have done away with their vehicles Hein, they ride luggers like the one pic your had shown simply called commuter bikes, big ugly slow and can take all things including saddles of groceries from the local market. most popular thing around and I applaud all that are willing to get off their duff and go ride for ever how long, could be the best total exercise along with cross country skiing on the planet

 

the swedish army style Kronan bikes are very popular at the moment Erich ..rugged stuff with nice heavy duty carriers in front and back ..a bit like old bakery stores used to have for delivery .
Have a very nice Mongoose MTB , but hardly use it as one cant park or leave it anywhere .(theft rate is really incridible,even when youre bringing locks that outweigh the bike .)

Its a good thing when so many people are into cycling ..our gouvernment promotes it a lot , think of tax deductions and premiums for those commuting on bikes .There are pretty good special bicycle paths all through the country and its actually quicker in the cities as traffic is fully congested ,especially around rushhours . Where I live its crazy owning a car ..cost a fortune to drive and and a fortune to park too .Sky high insurance costs and a fuelprice you peeps in the US would get a heart attack from ..(think price for a liter is about the same as gallon would cost in the US ..)

 

wish the US would wake up, we still have the onset of some great cycling paths in the works and more "special" bikeways for bike commuters but the cyclist to motorist still has many probs due to undisciplined youth going against every stop sign and signal light as much as possible. for us serious types well let's just say when we are out and about with motorists we try to have an extra pair of eyes glued on to the back of our bike helmets. I have been run off the road enough times besides being hit in a headon so I just try and be mellow until I am out of town and back in the hills climbing

 

Things are changing though , worldwide bikes are taken a lot more serious lately than before . The interesse of the general public is rising , not in the least by Lance Amstrong's successes. Can imagine even for military use bikes are becoming more interesting again . Pity hollands army doesn't have a modern day bicycle group anymore , but before 1940 we had several services using them .
Medics:


infantry Wielrijders 1940



'Wielrijders' 1939 next to 'Wisent' (Morris) armoured vehicle


Italian pre war Bersaglieri mountain soldiers


Danish troops:

 

this bike isn't it? is it! heinrich..

 

Very interesting website. good find!!