There's no such thing as a new idea

JaRok2300 · Joined: 01 May 2014 Posts: 379 Location: Worcester, UK

Whilst I was waiting outside work this morning a guy was locking up what looked like a fairly old commuter bike (quill stem, bottle dynamo, downtube shifters etc.) and I noticed that his rear brake was under the bottom bracket. I thought this was the latest and greatest aero development guaranteed to knock at least an hour off your IM time.

I was then looking at saddles for my Brompton and came across this on Sheldon Brown about Brooks saddles.
In the 1890 Brooks catalogue, the oldest in the their archive, Brooks presents most of the saddles with the "registered cutting, a sure preventive to all perineal pressure".
Again, I thought this was a fairly recent development taken a stage further by the likes of Cobb, ISM etc.

Is there really no such thing as a new idea just a cyclical process of re-evaluating old concepts? Interested to hear if there are any other examples of these kind of things, just out of curiosity.

Jorgan · Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2017 12:00 pm Post subject:

The BB mounted brakes were tried on MTBs in the 80s (U Brakes), but they clogged at the drop of a hat, funny old thing!

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awildt · Joined: 08 Apr 2011 Posts: 687 Location: sunny (!) NW

As an engineer (a proper one with a degree and all Wink

) - no there is no such thing as a new idea.

You try use a new one and get it through testing and acceptance - almost impossible. Just stick to something that's out there and adjust to suit. If it's out there, someone else has done the hard work for you. Rolling Eyes

Jorgan · Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2017 2:40 pm Post subject:

Whisk · Joined: 09 Jun 2005 Posts: 8627 Location: London

explorerJC · Joined: 20 Oct 2005 Posts: 15683 Location: Farthingstone

veggieboy · Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2017 4:00 pm Post subject:

explorerJC · Joined: 20 Oct 2005 Posts: 15683 Location: Farthingstone

hammerer · Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2017 8:02 pm Post subject:

Cat5 in the Hat · Joined: 14 Mar 2011 Posts: 1071 Location: Berks

ironchimp · Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2017 9:49 pm Post subject:

But, but, but... Triathlon Box!

That was definitely a new idea. The marketing said so.
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explorerJC · Joined: 20 Oct 2005 Posts: 15683 Location: Farthingstone

OldNick · Joined: 11 Dec 2004 Posts: 1937

Some 'new ideas' from a 1987 race programme.

Jorgan · Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2017 10:09 am Post subject:

^^ I have a selection of late 80s/early 90s Tri mags stashed in the downstairs WC; they certainly did humour back then, almost un-PC at times. I don't read any of the stuff they produce these days.
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26 Years since it all began....

BigFoz · Joined: 25 Jun 2004 Posts: 1891 Location: Glasgow