Flying Wright

Last week, I was reminded how grateful the world should be for bicycle mechanics; not because they grease our chains, or help us fix our flats, but because they gave us flight. Remember the grade school lesson on the Wright Brothers? Well, I bet your teacher didn’t mention where they learned mechanics. Like most good things, they started with a bicycle and a pipe dream. Orville and Wilbur Wright jumped on the late 19^th century bike fad, and began producing their own bicycle line. After releasing a self oiling hub system and reinventing the pedals, they started looking towards the sky. Their first flight studies involved crudely modified bicycles to measure wind resistance and balance. After many tests and trails, Wilbur accidentally stumbled upon greatness. While changing a flat, he squeezed a tube box, stopping half way to realize his future glider design. In 1903 Wilbur and Orville realized their dreams with a twelve second flight. We remember the Wright Brothers for inventing the airplane, but without the bicycle, the sky may have been the limit.