Just came across this lovely quote via Nick Hand’s blog. Nick’s currently cycling round the coats of the UK – 5,000 miles in all – and telling a good tale and taking nice pictures on the way. He’s well worth following. The quote comes from a book called “Hovel in the Hills” by Elizabth West:

“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments. Here was a machine of precision and balance for the convenience of man. And (unlike subsequent inventions for man’s convenience) the more he used it, the fitter his body became. Here, for once, was a product of man’s brain that was entirely beneficial to those who used it, and of no harm or irritation to others. Progress should have stopped when man invented the bicycle.”

I’m not sure that all progress should have stopped with the bicycle, much as I love them, but it’s a nice sentiment. If all new technologies were developed by the same principles, we’d all be in much better shape.

In other bike-related news, I’m becoming a bit obsessed with Independent Fabrication‘s beautiful frames, I’m keen to visit both the newly-refurbished Condor shop on Gray’s Inn Road and Tour de Ville in Hackney and I’m enjoying following Road.cc on Twitter.

Over and out.