History: Utility Cycling in China (1979)

 In April 1979, Bicycling magazine printed an article on the state of bicycle use in China. Mainland China has historically had a proliferation of bicycles used for all sorts of tasks. This pre-dates communist rule and goes back to the early 20th century, when English-style and Japanese-made rod brake roadster bicycles were widely used in China. China later produced many millions of its own rod brake roadsters under the famous "Flying Pigeon" brand. Even in the late 1970s, the rod brake roadster and similar utility bikes were how many Chinese people got around and conducted business.

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