Film reveals 20s trend of strapping small bike wheels to feet
If you thought that rollerblading was a relatively new pastime, one look at this video shows speeding around on wheels was in fact a favourite hobby of hip Parisians in the 1920s.
Cycle-skaters would strap wheels on their feet, providing a distant prototype of rollerblades.
A black and white 1923 film clip from British Pathe captures the trend and opens on a screen with the words: 'A new sport. It's cycle-skating, and comes all the way from Paris.'
It then shows three men strapping a small wheel to the side of each foot.
Boots are essential to ensure they do not catch on a shoe and support the wearer's ankle.
The men then attach the wheels with braces up their calves and then tighten those using screws.
All the wearer's put them over thick knee length socks as the pressure from the metal braces had a tendency to cause sore blisters and rubbing. A close-up reveals how if they foot is titled forward, it provides stability for the cycle-skater when they are standing up.
It is unclear why they were pulled from production, but it is thought that several accidents - which occurred because there was no breaking system - led to them being phased out.
The next clip in the film states 'A smooth surface is not essential' and shows men and women cycling down a bumpy path in a forest on the cycle-skates.
They are using wooden sticks like ski poles to guide themselves and increasing their speed.
The 1.11 minute clip then shows the men using the cycle-skates in a style similar to skiing - pushing from side to side to propel themselves forward as they move down a wide road. The final shot is of a man skating around a park.
He showcases the cycle-skates versatility as he goes backwards and spins round.