Equinox – Bicycle (1989)

This is a documentary about the history and the science of the bicycle.

Shot mostly in Great Britain, this film follows the Taylor brothers from Jack Taylor, Condor Cycles, Norman Foster, even Cinelli, Campagnolo and Columbus.

There are a lot of interesting moments: “it’s not fashionable to make things in this country” – Norman Foster on why domestic production in Great Britain has declined. Reynolds used to make bicycle chains, but Shimano cornered the market and production ceased.

One factoid: Campagnolo’s component value to weight matches aircraft components. It shows how a production factory assembles lugged frames by machines in the Raleigh facilities and talks about how the Brits and the Italians prefer different tubing mixtures.

This film is worth the watch. It tackles a lot of issues in the cycling industry today, within the context of 1989.

“Like all modern products, bicycles have become victims of fashion”