Bicycle stunts then and now: Edwardians vs Danny MacAskill

The extreme stunt riding of Scottish street trials maestro Danny MacAskill has gained him a following of many millions - his first film, a five-and-a-half-minute video posted on YouTube in April 2009, brought his incredible skills to the attention of the world and has been viewed by over 32m people – but bicycle stunt riding dates back more than a century.

Edwardian society may not have had the stronger wheels and frames of today’s trial bikes, but Fancy Cycling, an extraordinary book first published in 1901 and available for less than £6 through Amazon, documents an impressive array of rider skills.

Start them young

The ability of children to master cycling skills, be it the perfect wheelie or the elusive art of drifting, is a source of amazement and frustration to older cyclists everywhere.

Drifting occurs when a driver deliberately oversteers to cause loss of traction in the rear wheels through turns – it’s a technique made famous by Hollywood films and mastered perfectly by this young boy cycling on YouTube.

Who needs cycle insurance?

You don’t have to be performing wild stunts to need cycle insurance – bikes are vulnerable to theft and in the case of an accident you may need to seek compensation or even deal with a claim by someone else. Cycle insurance from the ETA is fully comprehensive.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z19zFlPah-o

At no extra cost, it includes new-for-old replacement, cover for accidental damage, third party insurance, personal accident cover and if you breakdown, we will even come out and recover you and your bike.

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