The bicycles that became a fixture in people’s daily life in Saigon fluctuated from simple to sophisticated at different times.
The bicycle has remained a dear object to most Vietnamese, and those living in bygone days would find it difficult to part with the item, as they would ride to school, their workplace, and to markets along canopy-lined streets.
The bicycle was even a friend to soldiers who fought in the historic battle of Dien Bien Phu, which liberated the Vietnamese capital city of Hanoi from French colonial rule on October 10, 1954.
The humble transport was also witness to myriad romances in real life as well as being featured in poetry, music and movies.
Despite its irresistible appeal and significant role in history, few really understand the tale behind the bicycle in Saigon, now known as Ho Chi Minh City.
The first verifiable claim of a bicycle being used came in 1817, exactly 200 years ago, and belonged to German Baron Karl von Drais, a civil servant to the Grand Duke of Baden in Germany.
Drais patented his design in 1818, which became the first commercially successful two-wheeled, steerable, human-propelled machine, commonly called a velocipede at the time.
The bike followed the French people into Vietnam in the 19th century, but it did not emerge as a necessity until some decades later.
A couple walk with their bike on a Saigon street in 1950. Photo: LIFE
As far as Nguyen Cuong Phu can remember, now 80, and a former resident of Xom Ga (Chicken Hamlet) in the old town of what was known as Gia Dinh Town, the bicycle was first introduced to Vietnam in the late 1940s.
At first, not everyone could get their hands on the novel mode of transport.
Many had to save for a long time and normally purchased a used bike before they could own a brand new one.
Apart from the affluent minority who could afford a car, most would walk or ride horse-drawn carriages for longer trips.
Thus, owning a bike became a great source of pride and made traveling around considerably easier.
At 10, Phu was elated at his father’s purchase of a man’s bike for nearly 300 piastres, the currency in French Indochina between 1885 and 1952.
The little boy proudly taught himself how to ride in front of envious children in the neighborhood.
Despite their desirability, few attempted to tamper with their locks in an attempt to steal them.
The hobby horse’s golden age in Saigon came in the 1950s, with a surge in the number of bicycle owners, ranging from office workers to students at some of the more famous schools for boys and girls including Marie Curie, Taberd and Chasseloup Laubat.
These schools, Marie Curie, Tran Dai Nghia and Le Quy Don as they are now known, have stood the test of time with their hallmark French architecture remaining, and now admit both girls and boys.
People from other provinces would ride their bikes to the coach station, where they bought tickets to Saigon before assistant drivers loaded the roof of the bus with their bikes.
On their arrival in Saigon, the driver’s assistants would unload their bikes and the passengers would then ride them to the desired address.
The soaring popularity of the bicycle became symptomatic of the decline in the use of horse-drawn carriages, which were later restricted to small-scale traders transporting their goods from the countryside into the city.
All households, rich or poor, would own at least one bike.
Schoolgirls cruising elegantly on their women’s bikes made a pleasant sight, modified as they were with colorful nets to cover the rear wheel so as to keep the girls’ “ao dai” (traditional Vietnamese long gown) from getting tangled in the spokes.
These bicycles became the fashion during a period of what was mostly sturdy design.
The men’s versions boasted an ergonomic U-shaped handlebar with the bar ends turned up so that riders did not need to bend their body to fit.
The bikes included a large saddle with springs beneath it, and a durable luggage rail built from an iron bar.
More stylish models were also imported from France, including the Reynold, Royal Stella and Peugeot, and were sought after by Saigon’s elite.
These collectibles, which continue to fetch high prices, were installed with down tubes and top tubes built from lighter materials.
Local manufacturers then began producing their own top tubes and down tubes from similarly light materials, and these soon reached a high standard, though they were considerably cheaper.
Cyclists, including poor high school students, had to pay taxes, while some streets were reserved for bicycle riders only.
A bicycle parking lot in Saigon in the late 1950s. Photo: LIFE
After peaking between 1954 and 1960, the use of bicycles gradually declined due to the rising availability of imported motorbikes, including brands like Velo Solex, Mobilette, and CNC, the emergence of Motobecanes (a type of French-manufactured moped) and later on, cars.
Bicycles later made a comeback, particularly among adults and high school students as fuel prices spiked in 1972.
A new addition to the market was a miniature version of the women’s model with curved down tubes, an elegant-looking U-shaped handlebar and smaller wheels.
The mini-bike and flared trousers soon became a fashion fad around the city, especially after the release of the hit film, “Tuoi Than Tien” (Angelic Age), which featured actresses singing while riding the sought-after machines.
That said, the second heyday of the bicycle was not fully realized until the centrally planned, subsidized economy of Vietnam came into being after 1975.
Petrol became scarce during the period, meaning the bicycle again ascended to the throne.
New bicycles were predominantly locally produced, with parts coming from various sources and of generally poor quality.
A cyclist at the time would not be shocked if his top or down tubes snapped without warning while on the road.
This second golden era only drew to a close by the early 1990s.
Who knows if another bicycle heyday will return to Ho Chi Minh City, with residents of the southern metropolis increasingly aware of the adverse impact of air pollution and its encroachment on their daily life.
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The heyday of the bicycle gave birth to racing associations whose members competed in races around Indochina. Several riders catapulted to fame. Races held around Saigon, which took place on a regular basis, were a magnet for contemporary youths. Independent buffs also joined the competitions. |
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