Here's a story from a day, about #bicycles, the people who rode them in the #SFBayArea in 1892, during the first big #bike boom:

CHAT ABOUT THE CYCLE. - San Francisco Call - May 9, 1892

https://www.wooljersey.com/wiki/CHAT_ABOUT_THE_CYCLE._-_San_Francisco_Call_-_May_9,_1892

It allowed me the opportunity to describe the "San Jose road," from a #bicycle clubhouse of the #BayCityWheelmen at Golden Gate & Van Ness avenues in #SanFrancisco to #SanMateo. I think I've got it right.

It also gave me a chance to document the #AcmeWheelmen, the big club in the city where I live, #Oakland. Another club that still exists, the #OlympicClub - my friend Brian raced bicycles on their team - also gets some coverage.

I'm pretty proud of the fact that all the people, places, proper nouns have researched links. There's one red link, "the big races on May 30." I'm working on that one right now, and that link will turn blue, soon.

If you haven't heard about Frank G. Lenz, you might find his story interesting. There's a good book about him, 'The Lost Cyclist.'

#biketooter #bikehistory

'The brake is bound to grow in favor. Circumstances during the last few weeks force this conclusion upon the students of the cycle trade. Accidents, several fatal ones among the number, have occurred in the East lately and it has been shown that in each case a brake, had there been one attached, could doubtless have averted the fatality. It now apparently remains for a really clever device to be placed upon the market for it to score a great success.'

1/3

THE WHEELMEN. - The San Francisco Call - August 29, 1896

https://www.wooljersey.com/wiki/THE_WHEELMEN._-_The_San_Francisco_Call_-_August_29,_1896

#biketooter #bikehistory #sfbike #fixie #brakes #safety #bicycle #bikesafety

The post-COVID *slow* return of public bike history research talks continues! Since I've got two scheduled now, it would seem time to update the tour website . . . details on May 19 Evanston Ill event coming soon, but next week's Rochester NY #bikehistory talk has all the details:

https://bikebattles.net/the-tour/#2023

#histodons #biketooter

#BikeHistory There is a good chance the #draisine was invented in response to war-induced famine years followed by volcano-induced climate change.

Thus the ancestor of the bicycle was born.

Then it took an evolutionary detour and tried to escape the other golden ratio - "that efficiency is a function of vehicle weight as compared to its cargo weight" ( via https://www.trucktrike.com/who-we-are ).

Looking forward to what's happening next. Please share your favorite futures

#bike #history #transportation

The Swedish military had so many bike trailers made in the 1940s that stocks lasted til the 1970s when they were sold of as army surplus.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_military_bicycle#/media/File:Swedish_military_bike_trailer.JPG

#Bike #BikeHistory #S78 #MilitaryHistory #BikeTrailer

I am a #cyclist, and fascinated by the #history of #bicycle riding in the place where I live, the #SanFranciscoBayArea. I have built a #wiki, mostly containing information from old #newspaper articles, documenting the people, places and things from the first bike boom, 1880 - 1900. Here's a newly-transcribed article:

https://www.wooljersey.com/wiki/WITH_THE_WHEELMEN._-_San_Francisco_Chronicle,_08_Jun_1895

It's from the apex of the #19thCentury #bike boom. Lots of interesting info, worth a read.

#BikeHistory #BikeTooter #cycling