Wally Byam, the founder of Airstream trailers, was well-known as a master of publicity as his shiny light-weight aluminum camper trailers became an American icon.
In 1947, Wally Byam invited the professional French cyclist Alfred Letourneur to California as part of a marketing campaign to show how light Airstream trailers were and how easy Airstreams were to tow.
Letourneur had already set a world speed record in 1941 on a bicycle, riding an astonishing 108.92 mph while drafting behind a race car with a specially designed wind faring. The French bike race had previously set the world speed record on a velodrome (cycling track) in 1938.
Byam staged the demonstration on a runway at the Metropolitan Airport in Van Nuys, California with Letourneur pulling a 22-foot Airstream around his bicycle.
Yes, someone did tow an Airstream with a bicycle!
Find out more Airstream trivia here
