Bicycles Related Fumbles In The Film Industry

[kostnerave]

Reflector pedals were standard in Europe in the 1920's and 30's- Bikes were considered actual transportation for adults, not just a kid's toy like they were in the US at that time.

I know that reflectors were around in the '30's. Do you have an example of a bicycle pedal reflector from the 1920's? This is for my own information. The bicycles I saw in the PBS show were very new looking and obviously not of the 20's period. The newish looking block reflector pedals just took it over the top of believability.

 

[Andrew Gorman]

Here are some oldies:

Alte Blockpedalen Fahrradpedalen zum herrichten Oldtimer Fahrrad Pedale ! (O5 | eBay

Alte Blockpedalen Fahrradpedalen zum herrichten Oldtimer Fahrrad Pedale ! (O5 | Sammeln & Seltenes, Transport, Fahrrad | eBay!

www.ebay.ch

Not exactly sure, but European bikes needed lights and reflectors from an early date. In the UK crappy candle lanterns were called
Bobby Dodgers- you fired them up just to keep the fuzz off your tail, not to light the road ahead. And when you are watching a movie, it is only a movie after all. A good bicycle movie is April 9, about the Nazi invasion of Denmark. Bicycle troops, flat changing drills and crazy looking helmets. I have no recollection pedal reflectors, but I enjoyed watching the film in a motel room.

 

[Andrew Gorman]

Found some pix of 1920s pedal reflectors on a German board, but I think you have to register to see them. I am going to bed now. https://www.altesrad.net/viewtopic.php?p=179480&hilit=1920er#p179480

altesrad.net - Anmelden

 

[Oldbikeguy1960]

show me a Netherlands bike that looks as good as any of our old school fat tire tank bikes

Au contraire... RE: Netherlands bikes

Dutch bikes were sporting banana seats and BMX handlebars in the 1950s.

 

[moonbasejoe]

this is a great thread. i do visual effects for film and tv, and i have to tell you, making a movie is chaos, and there aren't really any experts on anything around, or people doing any kind of intensive research unless it's in the budget. and it's almost never in the budget. as far as doing it in post, with computers, that's my bit. when they show you the 30 second bit on how they did all those great shots in your favorite movie? that 30 second bit took a team of sun deprived, really bitterly sarcastic people a couple of weeks to make.......

 

[Oldbikeguy1960]

One I remember was the bike in the beginning of the story about Fisher in the movie Radio Flyer. He was on a 1950s Western Flyer riding down a long hill to make this insane jump, and every time they showed his feet pedaling at Warp 9 the crank was a modern 3 piece unit.
All the bad kids in that movie and the original Jumanji rode Krates. I think that is an erroneous depiction as well, especially in Jumanji. Those kids were obviously not from wealthy families since they disliked the Parrish family so much for being well off. Being 1969, The Krates were new and probably the most expensive kids bikes on the planet.

I think the post about the Grey Ghost in 1969 is correct, I think I pointed it out to my wife and she heard "Blahblahblah"

 

[partsguy]

I think the Back to the Future trilogy did it best. We see a Schwinn Black Phantom, a Huffy Radiobike, and a display of Western Flyers at Western Auto. All correct for 1955.

Only mystery though, is Doc’s cruiser from the second film. We still don’t know what it is except maybe a custom ride from the prop dept.

 

[Denaffen]

Back to the future sure botched it on the guitars though

 

[Oldbikeguy1960]

I think the Back to the Future trilogy did it best. We see a Schwinn Black Phantom, a Huffy Radiobike, and a display of Western Flyers at Western Auto. All correct for 1955.

Only mystery though, is Doc’s cruiser from the second film. We still don’t know what it is except maybe a custom ride from the prop dept.

The only bike blip I saw in the first film was the front basket on the Black Phantom. That wouldn't work very well at all on a Schwinn springer (or girder technically) fork since the handlebars do not move with the front wheel.

And correct to the member on the guitar. The one Marty played in 1955 wasnt available until 1958, a little Back to the Future inside the big one.

 

[Mr. Monkeyarms]

I'm glad they contacted someone who knew something about vintage bicycles and what would be correct for an era. I believe they should be more diligent when making a period piece that has bicycles, cars, busses, motorcycles, etc. in it.

Pure luck on their part. One of the producers stopped by my place of employment to ask if they could use our old moving truck that sits in front of our warehouse as a prop for their movie. I was in the process of moving and had several bikes in the warehouse that weren't placed into vaults yet & showed him what I had. They were planning to buy a bunch of bikes on Craigslist. I rented them the bikes they needed while shooting the film & picked them up when they finished so they didn't have to deal with them when finished. Worked out well for everyone.