Bridgestone Picnica
Encyclopedia
The Bridgestone
Picnica is a belt-driven bicycle
introduced in the early 1980s and carried in the Bridgestone Cycle USA catalogs from 1985 through 1990. It weighs 29 pounds and uses a tooth-belt drive like auto timing belt
s and Harley-Davidson
drive belts, along with a novel two-part chainring that increases belt tension with increasing load. The Picnica is a folding bicycle
, and part of the appeal of the belt drive is cleanliness. It is a small wheel bicycle
, so belt tension may be less than on a bicycle with standard-size wheels.
The Picnica was apparently commercially successful, but was offered mainly in Japan.
Bridgestone
The is a multinational rubber conglomerate founded in 1931 by in the city of Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan. The name Bridgestone comes from a calque translation and transposition of ishibashi, meaning "stone bridge" in Japanese....
Picnica is a belt-driven bicycle
Belt-driven bicycle
A belt-driven bicycle is a chainless bicycle that uses a toothed synchronous belt to transmit power from the pedals to the wheel. The belts are typically made by the same manufacturing companies that produce timing belts for automobiles, machineries, and other synchronous belt drive...
introduced in the early 1980s and carried in the Bridgestone Cycle USA catalogs from 1985 through 1990. It weighs 29 pounds and uses a tooth-belt drive like auto timing belt
Timing belt
A timing belt, or cam belt , is a part of an internal combustion engine that controls the timing of the engine's valves. Some engines, such as the flat-4 Volkswagen air-cooled engine, and the straight-6 Toyota F engine use timing gears...
s and Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson , often abbreviated H-D or Harley, is an American motorcycle manufacturer. Founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, during the first decade of the 20th century, it was one of two major American motorcycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depression...
drive belts, along with a novel two-part chainring that increases belt tension with increasing load. The Picnica is a folding bicycle
Folding bicycle
A folding bicycle is a bicycle designed to fold into a compact form, facilitating transport and storage. When folded, the bikes can be more easily carried into buildings and workplaces or onto public transportation or more easily stored in compact living quarters or aboard a car, boat or plane...
, and part of the appeal of the belt drive is cleanliness. It is a small wheel bicycle
Small wheel bicycle
Small wheel bicycles are adult bicycles which have wheels of 20 inch nominal diameter or less, which is smaller than the 26" or 700c sizes common on most full-sized adult bikes. While many folding bicycles are small wheel bicycles, not all small wheel bicycles can fold...
, so belt tension may be less than on a bicycle with standard-size wheels.
The Picnica was apparently commercially successful, but was offered mainly in Japan.