

3·
7 months agoThe parachute was covering the top of the balloon. It remained in position once the balloon deflated, and allowed to fall gently. There were several demonstrations, I think; people were crazy about ballons back then and experimented a lot of things.
Here is one one of the accounts in French, published in Le Républicain’s edition from Aug 12, 1894 :
My (regular) fat bike frame broke at the same place. Are you tall and was this a large size frame? Mine broke when I stood up on the pedals: the whole body weight + the pressure applied and transmitted through the chain, pulling the wheel axis frotnwards. I have the feeling long frames are more likely to break this way, and fat bike frames too as the chain stay has to make a big curve to leave room for the tire, which weakens the tube and its ability to respond to tensions which are not any more directed in the ‘right’ way.