Eduard Bertz - Philosophy of the Bicycle
- hugo2825
- 25. Jan.
- 23 Min. Lesezeit
"In balsam-scented forests, under God's glorious firmament"
The whole world revolves around the bicycle.
The book was published in 1900, in the earliest phase of bicycle history. One hundred and twenty-five years later, one might expect it to be long outdated. But far from it! In fact, it is as relevant as ever, or rather, more relevant than ever. Bertz addressed virtually every conceivable aspect of cycling in his in-depth analysis. Precisely at the turn of the 20th century, he presented a comprehensive picture of cycling in his time, looking beyond his own present and into the future. With remarkable insight, almost prophetically, he recognized future challenges facing cycling and foresaw areas of conflict. Bertz lived up to the title of his work: he discusses the bicycle from health, psychological, sporting, intellectual, sociological, political, industrial, even emancipatory, and, as we shall see, other perspectives. He thus created perhaps the most comprehensive panorama of the nature and history of the two-wheeler ever written. Let it be repeated: Despite the never-ending perfection of this vehicle since Bertzen's time, his book reads as richly and inspiringly as ever, even one hundred and twenty-five years after its publication.
Bertz wrote a philosophy of the bicycle, but he wasn't a philosopher in the strict sense. Rather, we recognize a man of broad interests and a highly educated mind who cultivated his own intellectual freedom, always knew how to preserve it, and who defies categorization, remaining true to himself. His biography is correspondingly rich and unusual. Born in Potsdam in 1853, he first distinguished himself as a lyric poet, translated Montesquieu's Persian Letters from French into German (1885), and then published an English-language novel in 1884 ( The French Prisoners: A Story for Boys ); this was followed by the German-language novels Glück und Glas (Luck and Glass , 1891), Das Sabinergut (The Sabine Estate, 1896), and Der Blinde Eros (Blind Eros , 1901). Bertz was fluent in both French and English; he possessed a linguistic talent, which will become even more apparent in the context of his book on bicycles. Moreover, he wrote works on religious history ( The Yankee Savior , 1906) and philosophical reflections ( World Harmony , 1908; Harmonious Education , 1909). He was not entirely unsuccessful as a writer, as evidenced by the fact that Luck and Glass was reprinted just two years after its initial publication, and his English novel was published by the renowned London publisher Macmillan. And his works are not entirely forgotten even today. While they are only sparsely available in university libraries, some can be read online (for example, The Sabine Estate and The Yankee Savior).
In addition to his writing, Bertz worked in various fields to support himself. In the 1870s, he studied administrative sciences in Leipzig, and in the early 1880s, he spent time in the United States, where he worked for several years as a librarian for an agricultural company.
Even after his death, Bertz remains a marginal figure, albeit an exceptionally interesting one. His major work remains *The Philosophy of the Bicycle *. The book was not a great success and remained out of print for over eight decades until a reprint of fifty copies appeared in Osnabrück in 1984, followed by another of 350 copies in Paderborn in 1997, both of which quickly sold out. The most recent edition was published in 2012 by Olms Verlag in Hildesheim, edited by Wulfhard Stahl. It is exemplary. Besides *The Philosophy of the Bicycle*, it contains further short texts by Bertz on cycling, published in various contemporary newspapers, contemporary reviews of the book, Bertz's biographical data, an expert afterword by the editor, and even an index of names, which, for reasons that will be explained later, is very useful, indeed essential. We owe Wulfhard Stahl an exemplary edition of this insightful work, printed on inexpensive paper to boot.
A hymn to the wheel, a benevolent invention for all
Bertz's praise for the velocipede, as it was also called at the time, is almost hymnal. He considers it one of the most beneficial inventions of the century; it brings humanity a higher gospel. The bicycle improves the physical and mental health of its riders, thereby increasing the overall happiness of the world. Cycling, Bertz argues, also requires considerable discipline and thus fosters courage, vigilance, prudence, determination, and the comprehensive development of character. The "flying glide through the landscape" on a bicycle is the source of strength and health for both body and soul.
Bertz repeatedly draws parallels between the bicycle and gymnastics. The gymnastics movement, which originated in the nineteenth century with Friedrich Ludwig Jahn from Lanz in Brandenburg, known as the "Father of Gymnastics," was very popular. Where Jahn pursued nationalist goals, Bertz is fundamentally democratic. The bicycle knows no social barriers; it belongs to everyone, unlike Jahn's ideas, it is independent of nationality, gender, and social background. And each bicycle can be used by several people, which strengthens "the idea of brotherhood." The bicycle represents a step forward in human development. What an original idea!
The equality of all people was one of Bertz's most important concerns. In this sense, he described himself as a socialist and acted accordingly. But, typically for Bertz, he refused to be ideologically co-opted. He was highly educated and well-read, and in his scholarly work, he frequently references literature of all kinds, from Horace and Shakespeare to Goethe, Darwin, Zola, and many more. Karl Marx, however, receives only a single, and even then, marginal, mention. Bertz was not interested in ideologies of any kind; rather, it was his free, independent thinking that distinguished him.
He attributes a socio-political significance to the bicycle: the "worker's bicycle" is inexpensive and frees the working class from the more expensive train journey. It also makes it possible to eat lunch at home, thus saving time and money. In short: the bicycle "elevates the proletariat." Even postmen and police officers were already using it. And crucially: beer drinking and tobacco use are incompatible with cycling. This "truly democratic sport" also improves people morally. Bertz claims that thanks to the bicycle, cigar consumption has decreased and that innkeepers are complaining about declining wine and beer sales.
The bicycle, a blessing for health
Bertz never tires of emphasizing the health benefits of cycling. The bicycle serves the "public health" of cycling; in today's parlance, the author would probably speak of beauty and physical fitness. The well-educated Bertz even explicitly invokes the ancient Greek ideal of kalokagothia , the union of beauty, goodness, and utility. The bicycle counteracts disproportionately one-sided mental work and a predominantly sedentary lifestyle; it grants the mind a respite. Bertz rather originally refers to the bicycle as an amanuensis —understood in an orthopedic sense— which, by definition and etymology, means a helping hand, an aid to intellectual work.
But for him, moderation is key: "Not too much," as the saying goes at the temple in Delhi. Only in this way can one experience the joyful, light, carefree feeling of life that arises from the pleasurable movement in the air and sun. Only in this way does the bicycle improve the physical and mental health of those who ride it. Bertz is so convinced of the positive physical and mental effects of cycling that he believes the ancient Greeks would have ridden bicycles had they known about this means of transportation.
Bicycle, railway, automobile, and hiking
By its very nature, the bicycle also promises freedom, which must have seemed particularly important to the freethinker Bertz. Unlike the railway, it is not subject to timetable restrictions. The cyclist can reach places inaccessible by train. The bicycle opens up new, undiscovered worlds to him; indeed, it brings him closer to his homeland. Bertz had little regard for the automobile and its "annoying dust" for cyclists. Unlike the bicycle, a thoroughly democratic means of transport for all, the automobile was expensive, constantly becoming more expensive, and thus exacerbating the gap between rich and poor. According to Bertz, for whom equality was so important, the car displaces the vulnerable. On the other hand, cycling is less compatible with hiking: cyclists explore, see, and experience more than hikers. Hiking soon becomes boring for them. The cyclist looks outward, the hiker inward. Bertz wasn't wrong about that. Hiking, in its symbolism, is a pilgrimage. It is a mythical quest for existence, which is less suited to cycling.
The bicycle as a means of women's emancipation
Bertz discusses the bicycle in individual chapters from various perspectives: its history and origins; as a means of transportation; even its use in military service; the question of cost; health; competitive cycling; the bicycle as an educational tool and cultural vehicle; and the psychology of cycling. He devotes the most space to the chapter "The Bicycle and the Woman Question: A Note on Sports Attire." And beyond this specific chapter, scattered throughout the entire book, he repeatedly returns to the topic of women cyclists.
As noted, equal rights and obligations for all were an inviolable principle for Bertz. This principle extended particularly to women. As he explained, they suffered from a lack of independence they had not chosen, confined by socially oppressive conventions. Marriage without inclination, he considered a form of prostitution; marriage had degenerated into a business transaction, a welfare institution for supposedly dependent women, as he lamented. Women, he argued, were not educated for life but were trained to serve men. He regarded the economic dependence of most women as a form of the deepest form of slavery, condemned "business marriage," and advocated marriage based on inclination.
For Bertz, the oppression of women was already evident in their clothing. He considered the female corset the most harmful and, regrettably, most enduring fashion of the Western world—nothing but a "troublesome disguise." It restricts and makes women ill, psychologically, physically, and mentally. But the unbridled lust for power of men must now be rebelled against women. Bertz's rejection, indeed his disgust, culminated in the demand that a tax of one hundred Deutschmarks be levied on every female corset, which, according to today's calculations, would be equivalent to well over a thousand Swiss francs. And, as so often, the author finds a reliable authority for this eccentrically formulated demand: It is Emil Zola, who, in his novel trilogy Trois Villes, makes a plea for women's emancipation through the bicycle.
Bertz recognized the bicycle as a great opportunity for women's liberation: "The bicycle has put women on their feet, emancipating them in the truest sense of the word." It literally freed them from the corset, and long skirts were unsuitable, even dangerous, for female cyclists. Like men, women also had the right to elegant and comfortable breeches, which made the construction of a special women's bicycle superfluous. Bertz supported this demand with a quote from Hamlet: "There is nothing either good or evil; thinking makes it so." Bertz also attributed a beneficial effect to the bicycle on women's health; for example, he claimed that—according to medical reports of his time—it increased the performance of the female mammary glands.
Bertz's approach is driven by the seemingly modern idea that while the sexes must have equal rights, they do not necessarily have to be the same. Women should be able to fully develop their qualities as cyclists in their own, feminine way.
Indeed, it is desirable that they do not imitate male follies such as cycling, "greed for speed," and other "philistine displays of power." And here, too, Bertz's pioneering role becomes apparent; one thinks of the higher code of ethics that today's women's football teams generally strive to uphold. The bicycle has a socio-political and ethical function, as Bertz explains: it promotes women's emancipation, and it liberates women from the male majority, which is still far from granting them even the right to vote or have a say.
Demands that are largely taken for granted today and are constantly being implemented were still pioneering and daring in Bertz's time, during the suffragette era and the nascent women's movement. And Bertz's committed advocacy for equal rights for women is all the more remarkable given that he himself was homosexual, actively supported the emancipation efforts of homosexuals, and remained unmarried.
The important role that the bicycle plays in women's emancipation leads Bertz to offer multiple accolades for women: women may be physically weaker when cycling and perhaps in general; however, they possess greater strength of character than the so-called stronger sex. And women always represent a refinement of culture wherever they appear. Hardly anyone is truly a complete human being who has not grasped the dignity of women.
With his philosophy of cycling, Bertz fights against the deeply rooted, anti-cultural prejudices of his time against women. An outsider himself, he once again presents himself here as a tolerant advocate for equal rights for all. For him, the bicycle is a "means of character development."
The equipment and posture of cyclists
True cyclists are in love with their bikes. They are enthusiasts who have formed a close friendship with their bicycle, like that between two people, Bertz tells us. Their most loyal companions therefore deserve to be equipped in such a way that, in the mutual interest of both, they meet the highest safety standards. Bertz keeps up-to-date on this topic. What he recommends corresponds to current legal regulations: a reliable braking system, a bell, and a lantern or, at most, a small light as a signal, which he considers essential. He also recommends glasses for protection against the sun and road dust, which was a particularly bad nuisance in Bertz's day.
Bertz's recommendations on how to sit and move on a bicycle read just as modernly. He recognized the central importance of posture on a bicycle for well-being and overall health even in the earliest stages of the velocipede. He recommended observing the following rules, which remain valid to this day: Keep your mouth closed while riding; on steep inclines, it is advisable to dismount and push the bicycle. It's worth remembering that bicycles in Bertz's time only had a single gear with a coaster brake, so inclines could quickly become problematic. The handlebars and saddle should ideally be adjusted by an expert. Bertz's call for bicycle repair shops was a groundbreaking idea in his day.
He attaches particular importance to an upright posture and advises against racing bikes. They were an emerging fashion; for Bertz, they encouraged poor posture on the bike, which he wanted to combat. Furthermore, he considered the almost reclining position of the racing cyclist, with its "cat-like curvature," aesthetically unappealing. Slender and upright, like on a horse, the cyclist should glide through the landscape, allowing for free, deep breathing. And in Bertz's image of the "mileage eater, hunched far forward with fixed gaze," we recognize the now widespread species of racing cyclist, who stare furiously at the concrete and overlook the beauties of nature (and, unfortunately, not infrequently, fatally, other road users as well).
The holistic view and recommendations formulated by Bertz 125 years ago correspond in essence to the concerns of modern ergonomics and orthopedics. He was also a visionary in this respect, as the expert Robert Hostettler will explain in the following section.
Regarding the brain's role while cycling, one can also take a different view than Bertz. He repeatedly argues that it's best not to think about anything while cycling, to consciously switch off mental activity while riding. The emptier the mind, the safer the ride. There's nothing wrong with that, except that thinking often doesn't only take place at a desk. If we consciously switch off or minimize mental activity while cycling, experience shows that thinking afterward is usually easier. The brain didn't stop during the enjoyable and relaxing ride and apparently continued working subcutaneously, without our conscious effort. Passionate cyclopedic cyclists report that mental work comes much more easily to them after a relaxed, almost gliding ride through the landscape, during which, in Bertz's words, they felt close to the soul of nature. The fact that cycling gives the mind a kind of rest, only to then work all the more intensively, and that a whole new world has opened up, as Bertz notes, is therefore quite apt.
Lurking dangers, social conflicts
Cycling was a novelty in Bertz's time. However, due to the still-developing technology of this new mode of transport, the dangers in everyday traffic were considerable. Bertz recounts numerous accidents, and much of what he says about them reflects our own times. Excessive speed, often driven by reckless youths, was a particular source of constant complaints. Bertz repeatedly emphasized the importance of responsible cycling. He recommended a maximum speed of fifteen kilometers per hour, which, by today's standards, isn't much, in order to prevent young people from speeding and to discipline unruly cyclists.
Back then, and even today, the cobblestone streets were arduous, jarring the cyclist's entire body and posing an increased risk of injury. And unlike today, the streets in Bertzen's time were not yet adapted to the new mode of transport. The high levels of exhaust fumes and thick clouds of dust from automobiles could easily become an unbearable ordeal for cyclists. Public facilities, streets, sidewalks, bridges, and parking lots still had to be reconciled with bicycle traffic. And what has now been implemented with gratifying widespreadness, especially in Western Europe, was probably first advocated by Bertzen: the construction of cycle paths.
The new, vulnerable mode of transport had to assert itself against the automobile. And with the demand for cycle paths, the question of cost also arose. Who should pay for them, everyone or just cyclists? These are questions, demands, that are still being raised today. Bertz proposed a division of rights between cyclists and pedestrians in the spirit of fairness and mutual obligation as a solution, as both the goal and the path to social harmony. Even the question of cycling permits issued by the police or a cycling tax was raised. How little has changed since then is demonstrated by the fact that the latter question is currently being debated again in the Canton of Zurich. Bertz, rather unconventionally, recommends that, unlike a dog tax, a bicycle tax has no justification. He demands instead that cyclists assert their interests in municipal administrations and national legislation. In this, too, he did pioneering work. He paved the way for the numerous cycling advocacy organizations that exist today.
Etymologically, the original term velocipede derives from the Latin words velox (fast) and pes (foot). The name expresses the fact that the bicycle moves swiftly. The growing number of enthusiasts of this new mode of transport were likely subjected to hostile attacks from pedestrians for this very reason. And conflicts of this kind in Bertz's time remain largely unchanged today. He describes how the advent of the bicycle infringed upon the privilege of pedestrians. The road no longer belonged to them alone. As the more vulnerable road users, they felt displaced by the "plague of cyclists." Bertz speaks of an ineradicable war in that early phase of the bicycle, of collisions between cyclists and pedestrians, often caused by "adolescent boys and clumsy beginners."
On the other hand, pedestrians were clearly not innocent of the unrest. Malicious pedestrians offered passive, or even very active, resistance. For example, they deliberately ignored bicycle bells or blocked cyclists' paths, thereby causing accidents themselves. Bertz refers to a league founded in England to suppress the bicycle—ironically, in England, where the bicycle had played a pioneering role. Violent altercations between cyclists and pedestrians were anything but rare. And they still occur today.
Eduard Bertz was mistaken about one thing. He feared that cycling, which he loved so much, was already in decline, that it had merely been a fad. No, that wasn't the case. He couldn't have been more wrong.
A challenging read within a rich context
The Philosophy of the Bicycle is a witty book with high intellectual demands. Bertz argues in depth and frequently refers to the works of other authors. His book can only be fully appreciated through careful and thorough reading. Because it is so densely written, inspired, and original, reading it requires considerable time if one wishes to gain a truly enriching understanding from it. Following Bertz's far-reaching line of thought and his many references, looking up information, and, when necessary, seeking further information for a full understanding, a few pages can easily take half an hour or more.
Of the authors whom Bertz includes, quotes, contradicts, or agrees with, several are familiar to us, for example, Dante Alighieri, Aristotle, Charles Darwin, Goethe, Homer, Plato, Rousseau, Schiller, Schopenhauer, Shakespeare, Tolstoy… But who were Henry Thomas Buckle (an English art and civilization historian), Georges Deschamps (an early French cyclist), Albert Eulenberg (a physician who also commented on the “corset question” that so preoccupied Bertz), Carl Fressel (a German doctor who wrote favorably about the bicycle), Johann Christoph Friedrich Guthsmuths (a German educator who commented on sport and exercise), Adolf W.K. Hochenegg (a German university professor who advocated for a cycling tax, which Bertz rejected), Karl Hilse, and Hermann Orloff? (German legal scholars who were hostile to the wheel and whom Bertz vehemently contradicts). In the appendix, editor Wulfhard Stahl provides a helpful index of names with brief biographies of the cited authors. This usually serves as a springboard, encouraging further exploration. Those who maintain a slow, deliberate reading pace and commit to attentive contemplation will be richly rewarded.
And Wulfhard Stahl offers one final treat in his edition. In the appendix, he follows the text of Bertz 's philosophy of the bicycle with four further articles on cycling written by Bertz, which appeared in various newspapers of his time. All of them, and especially one of them, "Sportromane" (Sport Novels ), leave nothing to be desired in terms of originality. Bertz actually came up with the idea of presenting novels in which cycling, which he loved so dearly, is the central theme or at least plays a significant role, and which, as he explains, began around 1897. We encounter, for example, Heinrich Lee and his novels * Die Radlerin* ( The Female Cyclist) and *Radfahrer. Humoristischer Roman* (The Cyclist. A Humorous Novel ) (both 1897); the cycling stories by Joseph Siklosy (1899); the novel * Die Radlerin. Geschichte zweier Menschen* (The Female Cyclist. A Story of Two People) by Georg Freiherr von Ompteda (1900); and Wilhelm Meyer-Förster's * Die Fahrt um die Erde* (The Journey Around the World) ( 1897), which fares somewhat less well with Bertz's designation of "amateur novel." Ferdinand Runkel's novel about Berlin cycling life (1897), The Sportsman by CE Ries (1900), or The Complete Man. A racing novel by Michel Angelo Freiherr von Zois (1902).
Bertz thus created a virtually new literary genre. Hardly any of these novels are likely to be known today, which makes this additional chapter all the more interesting. And those who have finished reading the nourishing and enriching philosophy of the bicycle can then indulge in further, somewhat lighter books that also revolve around the wheel. For, as Bertz says, only hardened hearts can remain unmoved when it comes to cycling. Its beneficial purpose brings humanity a higher gospel. It alleviates earthly burdens and, as an enhancer of well-being, brings the soul closer to nature.
The specialist, bicycle builder, bicycle technician and organ builder
Robert Hostettler
On the philosophy of the bicycle by Eduard Bertz
Robert Hostettler's career and professional background are as extraordinary as Bertz's book. He is a trained organ builder with a deep passion for music and profound knowledge of all musical genres. He has built or restored numerous royal instruments. Although he has remained true to this profession in spirit and feeling, he later trained as a bicycle technician; how and why he did so he explains below. Today he runs a bicycle shop with a specialized niche offering that enjoys great popularity. Hostettler builds bicycles that he individually adapts to each buyer according to strict ergonomic, orthopedic, and holistic health principles. In doing so, he lives by the ideals that, as we have seen, Bertz already articulated as urgent.
Robert Hostettler primarily collaborates with the Swiss bicycle manufacturer that is the only one in the country still producing all bicycle components in-house, thus fully meeting the Swiss Made requirements and earning its reputation through its high quality. In addition, Mr. Hostettler also incorporates his own bicycle designs, which bear the name of his company, Welowerk . Anyone who rides a bicycle built by Robert Hostettler immediately notices the significant difference: nothing wobbles, all elements are securely installed, not a single screw is loose, the bike rolls quietly—in short, you ride with optimal safety and, consequently, optimal comfort. His bicycles are also visually stunning, radiating a high level of expertise and, in keeping with Hostettler's understated style, eschewing any superficial gimmicks. And, of course, though no longer a given among luminaries of his caliber, Hostettler is devoid of snobbery; he personally attends to every bicycle and repairs it to the complete satisfaction of the customer.
How the reading of Eduard Bertz's philosophy of the bicycle affected this expert, how he read the book, is of great interest.
HSYou are a trained organ builder with extensive experience in this field.
RH I worked as an organ builder for ten years and, after my apprenticeship, was primarily occupied with overhauls and tuning. "Extensive experience" would have required expanding my work to several workshops and participating more in the construction of new instruments. Through the numerous overhauls, I saw a wide variety of instruments from different eras, with their respective tunings and construction techniques. So yes, in that respect, I can speak of experience.
HSThey also play piano and have a great passion for music of all kinds.
RH Since the age of six, I've been intensely interested in music. From an early age, I played simple Beatles songs on the piano by ear. My piano teacher introduced me to music, and I owe my passion for classical music to her. Through the Beatles, I discovered the band Boston with Tom Scholz. What fascinated me even then was that Scholz occasionally used a cinema organ in his productions. Today, I only shy away from "commercial music" on the radio. Otherwise, I'm open to all styles. My standards for the quality of music are high, which I attribute to my training as an organ builder and the development of my ear.
HSWhat prompted you to give up organ building and switch to bicycle technician?
RH Primarily for family reasons. My work in organ building was fulfilling. However, I was often working alone away from home, and my workdays were long. A job offer in my hometown prompted me to switch to the technical services department of a retirement and nursing home. Working with people and building technology was another enriching aspect of my life and ideal for our family. It wasn't until the job cuts there after ten years that cycling came into focus. The local bicycle mechanic, a self-taught organ builder, encouraged me to start repairing bicycles myself. In a short time, I had acquired all the necessary specialized tools. I gained the required knowledge through industry contacts with companies like Aarios, Jan Koba, Hasebikes, and balance bike guru Gerd Schraner. Initially, I worked part-time, quite literally from the basement of our apartment. After two years, I took the step into full self-employment with my own workshop and the opportunity to offer apprenticeships. Now, I've been in this profession for 26 years, currently as "Welowerk AG" with a motivated team.
Are there any commonalities between the two industries?
RH At first glance, I see rather contradictory things. Organs have been built for over 2000 years. The queen of instruments eventually evolved into the first analog synthesizer. An instrument is built to last a hundred years or more. It is usually located in sacred buildings of historical significance. The largest organs have a frequency range that sends shivers down the spines of listeners. The bicycle doesn't seem to fit quite into this context. Organs are also familiar to a relatively small number of people who can play them, who can bring them to life. The bicycle, on the other hand, is accessible to most of us. I see similarities in the experience. The instrument and the "steel horse" can carry us into and through worlds. The former stationary, through listening; the latter outdoors and while riding, in a sense, through experience.
HSNow to Eduard Bertz and his philosophy of the bicycle. What was your experience reading the book?
RH For me, the language wasn't so accessible. The sentences are long and densely packed. They have no "empty space." Reading Bertz demanded my full concentration and was only possible in small doses of ten to fifteen pages. I chuckled at several passages, and often I was simply amazed. For example, when Bertz explains that shoemakers, innkeepers, and coachmen were suspicious of the bicycle because people walked less and therefore needed fewer shoes, cyclists preferred a picnic to a restaurant, and they no longer needed to be chauffeured. After all these years working in the cycling industry, Eduard Bertz has literally infected me. He showed, and continues to show, me a new perspective on the wonderful world of cycling.
Are there any specific aspects you would highlight?
RH Berz approaches the topic of the bicycle with astounding foresight. He analyzes and promotes the benefits and importance of this then-new means of transport in various areas of life. He presents his perspective, his viewpoints, his concerns, and even his criticisms in detail and with thorough research. He doesn't see the bicycle merely as a new means of transportation. He builds a new world around the bicycle, around me. He connects themes such as equality, transport policy, health, reason, and the joy of life to the two-wheeler with a density I have never encountered before. He is truly passionate about this mode of transport and also gives critics a voice.
HS: What did a bicycle look like in Bertz's time? Can you tell us something about that?
RH Around 1900, the "diamond frame" was the most common type of bicycle. This triangular construction guaranteed maximum stability and is still used today. Technically, early bicycles were simply equipped. A significant advancement was the invention of the so-called freewheel hub with coaster brake and pneumatic tires. This led to greater safety and riding comfort. With proper maintenance and careful riding, such a bicycle incurred only low costs and enjoyed a long lifespan. Therefore, according to Bertz, the bicycle was particularly suitable for lower-income earners, the "proletariat."
H.S. Is Bertz's book an old tome, or does it have relevance for today's cyclists?
RH Bertz is highly eloquent in his writing and full of interesting references. Yet his book doesn't read as if it were written around 1900, 125 years ago. The astonishing thing is that his complex account of the bicycle is in no way outdated! His topics are the topics of today. Yes, this book inspires me because it hasn't lost an ounce of its relevance. That's remarkable to me. Where can I find anything comparable today?
Are there any common problems or areas of conflict between Bertz's time and today?
RH There are plenty of them. Except for Bertz's "corset question"—namely, whether women should wear one while cycling (which he vehemently denies, rejecting the corset as such with well-reasoned arguments!)—I find all the topics adaptable to the present day. The central issue is likely traffic. Where and how should bicycles be integrated into traffic? What can be done in terms of traffic policy to ensure the safety of all participants? Bertz sees the responsibility here lying with the individual, with the associations that existed even back then, and with politicians. Then as now, pedestrians, hikers, cyclists, public transport, private car traffic, agriculture and forestry, and conservationists "fight" for their specific concerns. For 125 years since the publication of Bertz's book, the bicycle has thus been a major social issue and stirs strong emotions. Mutual consideration and decency were, for Bertz, prerequisites for respectful coexistence in road traffic. It's sad that we haven't made more progress. Gender equality was another major concern of his. The bicycle played a pioneering role at that time. Not only men, but women too should use this new form of exercise! And Bertz repeatedly criticized the widespread lack of physical activity even in his time, in private and public life, in many workplaces and schools. This topic sounds familiar to me and is incredibly relevant today.
HS: What do you particularly value when building a bicycle? What is especially important to you? RH: My standards for bicycle design are high. The sound of an organ should blend with the room after tuning. I expect the same from a bicycle. It should become one with the cyclist. For this to happen, the frame must be adapted to the body and ideally designed. I don't just need to know the rider's body mass. I also consider the strength of the back and abdominal muscles, as well as other factors. The focus is always on human ergonomics. Ergonomics is more than just mathematics. The condition of the muscles is crucial. Surgical interventions are taken into account, as are a customer's medical history and physical limitations. The focus of ergonomics is the human being as a whole. A correctly fitted bicycle can reveal many postural problems we often have in everyday life. Appropriate stretching exercises can help with this. Adopting a new posture requires an adjustment period of eight to twelve weeks for both brain and body.
The organ needs the person who coaxes its sound from it and thus brings us joy. The ergonomically designed bicycle needs the person to move forward and put a smile on their face.
HS: What do you think will an interested reader remember about Eduard Bertz's philosophy of the bicycle ? RH: I would like to highlight the following points in summary:
Bertz championed the equality of all people in all areas of life in a non-ideological way. The bicycle belongs to all social classes.
In particular, it played a central role in the then increasingly powerful women's emancipation movement. Women ride bicycles just as well as men! Moreover, they enrich cycling. Bertz transforms the bicycle into a means, a symbol, of women's liberation.
For Bertz, the bicycle promotes individuality. It is not bound to any predetermined routes. No waiting for carriages or trains; you can hop on and ride whenever you want.
For Bertz, the focus is on the individual and their posture on the bicycle, and therefore on the health benefits. I find my own views confirmed by him. Physical exercise in nature is, for Bertz, one of the most important things for human beings. A healthy mind resides in a healthy body. Bertz also addresses, in an interesting way, the opposing voices of his time regarding cycling, and refutes them with sound reasoning.
The bicycle became just one means of transport among others. Bertz advocates for the peaceful coexistence of all these modes of transportation and constant consideration for the most vulnerable, those who walk. How relevant, how modern!
Regarding cycling posture, we've come a long way since Bertzen's time. He was the only one who advocated the "Dutch posture," strictly upright. Today, we know more about the function of individual muscles, the body as a whole, and how to move in a healthy way.
Today, the focus in discussions about the connection between people and bicycles is often on performance. In contrast, as early as 1900, Bertz championed mindfulness of oneself and the joy of movement in nature. He preferred the quality of life and sensible, moderate physical exertion of cycling to the then-emerging sport of competitive cycling.
We should reconsider these concerns of Bertz – and many others in his rich book!
Eduard Bertz's diverse and complex perspective and his broad thinking are a great enrichment for me as a bicycle technician – and this is the amazing thing: 125 years after the publication of his bicycle philosophy.
Eduard Bertz, Philosophy of the Bicycle .
Edited by Wulfhard Stahl.
Olms Verlag, Hildesheim 2012. 306 pages.