Pundits point to our perilous financial state and the rise of China as harbingers of the fall of America on the world stage. It's actually much simpler than that. America's fortunes began to wane when we went to "English" bicycles.
We Children of the 1950s had two choices when we graduated from tricycles to "two-wheelers" - good old American-made Schwinns with sturdy metal frames and coaster brakes or "English" bikes with flimsy frames, hand brakes, and all of three gears. It was so much easier tackling hills by gearing down with those lightweight "English" bikes. Later, bikes had up to ten gears and American kids grew ever softer. Is it a coincidence that American Schwinn-riding kids of the 30s and 40s grew up strong and won two world wars while English bike riders lost their Empire? Is it a coincidence that after "English" bikes came to America, we fought to a draw in Korea and gave up Viet Nam?
Pedaling that massive Schwinn up the hill not only developed physical endurance, it made us mentally tough. There's no easy way out. There's no low - low gear to ease that pain. Schwinn riders would never package sub-prime mortgages and scuttle the economy while hauling in huge bonuses. They would take their medicine and like it.
All is not lost, however. Our Chinese rivals appear to favor "ten speed" bikes. Much as it would help our Balance of Payments, we must never export Schwinns to China. Let them grow soft physically and mentally. America will rise again.
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