With spring blossoms persistently peeking through the ground, people all over town are oiling up their mountain bikes and cruisers and preparing to hit the open road. Of course, many have been getting in shape with exercise bikes since Christmas and a few intrepid fans (along with Speedy Messengers) cycle rain or shine. Still, for most of us, it’s primarily a warm weather kind of thing, a sport that has changed drastically since the first enthusiasts put the metal to the pedal.
The first bicycles
Historians disagree about who invented the first bicycle, although many believe that the originator was Karl von Drais, a wealthy German baron who liked to tinker with mechanics. Around 1816 he built the first two-wheeler called the “draisine” or “velocipede” (velox pedis, swift of foot), a bike-like creation made almost entirely of wood, with two miniature iron carriage wheels lined up and connected by a perch with a seat. A small padded board in front of the seat provided a rest for elbows or forearms, which in turn helped the rider balance to keep from tipping over. Typically, a rider in good condition could travel by velocipede about twice as fast as he could walk.
The Denver Wheel Club during the 1890s.
The term “bicycle” first appears in 1866 to describe a new two-wheeler with pedals and mechanical drive. Pierre Lallement, a machinist from Paris, brought the first wrought-iron bicycle parts to Brooklyn in 1865 aboard a steamship and obtained a patent – the world’s first bicycle specs – a year later. Shortly thereafter, a “velocipede craze” swept across the United States.
Carriage makers became bicycle dealers, like Thomas R. Pickering, who designed an American velocipede specifically engineered to deal with the awful roads in the U.S. His bike featured smaller wheels, sprung handlebars, a lower frame and a novel brake system that could be activated by pushing down on the seat with the derriere.
Riding schools soon opened in New York, Boston, Detroit and San Francisco. This was an expensive sport, since a bicycle cost $125 – $150 at a time when the average worker earned $10/week. Beginners learned on indoor rinks with hardwood floors, often converted from ice-skating or roller-skating rinks. Cycling was considered primarily a man’s sport, although special classes were held for women, who were supposedly too modest and delicate to wear bloomers, split or shorter skirts around men.
Advertisement for the Overman Wheel Co., 1740-46, Stout Street, Denver, features a family of cyclists.
By 1870, the bicycle sported rubber tires and an all-metal wheel with tensioned spokes built on the suspension principle. Front wheels became larger and larger so the bicycle would go faster. Eventually this reached a point of absurdity, with front wheels ballooning from 40 to 50 inches in diameter. Dangerous and still expensive, the bicycle became a wealthy young man’s toy. All this changed during the late 1880s with the introduction of the Rover, a lower and safer bicycle with two equally sized wheels and a chain drive. Following a period of intense competition with the high wheeler, the Rover pattern improved, adding the pneumatic tire and a diamond-shaped frame that is still the universal bicycle style. By 1891 the Rover had overtaken all bicycles on the road. Nearly 150,000 machines were produced that year, doubling the number in the country.
Cycling in Denver
The first Denver bicycle salesman was E.A. Richardson, who began selling Columbia bicycles in 1879. The entrepreneur offered lessons on high wheelers in a dance hall, but there were few takers. After the introduction of the Rover, he couldn’t keep up with the demand. With its flat terrain and friendly climate, Denver became one the most bicycle-friendly cities in the country, particularly after the price went down to about $25. Boasting four cyclists per 10 residents, the city became a regional hub, with numerous clubs, bicycle stores and even a weekly magazine called Cycling West.
Naturally, the law caught up. Denver passed its first ordinance in 1899, forbidding cyclists to ride on the sidewalks and mandating that at least one hand remain on the bars and both feet on the pedals. Cyclists were not allowed in the downtown business district and a speed limit of 10 mph imposed. Since most folks got around in those days by horse or streetcar, it seemed reasonable at the time.
Organized cycling was exclusive, however. Some elite organizations like the Denver Wheel Club, which formed in 1891, were open only to wealthy white males. Bicycle trails were created for cyclists around the region, and for hard core enthusiasts, 100-mile century routes included the Denver-Greeley loop and the Denver-Palmer Lake loop.
Advertisement for the Overman Wheel Co., 1740-46, Stout Street, Denver, features a family of cyclists.
A sportswoman’s paradise
Unlike many parts of the country overly concerned about propriety, Colorado generally encouraged women cyclists. Physicians maintained that riding a bicycle provided good exercise, although young women were advised to abandon their corsets for a more comfortable ride. Few objected.
Of course, the sour grapes crowd warned that the freedom young women cyclists enjoyed might lead to a loosening of morals. To quiet critics, etiquette manuals, books and magazines provided behavioral guidelines for young cyclists.
Women were allowed to participate in the 100-mile century rides, however. Dora Rinehart of Denver became one of the most famous cycliennes, riding 200 miles in 16 hours and 18 minutes, the fourth fastest rider in the United States. When Philadelphia’s Washington Monument was unveiled in 1897, Dora led the cycling parade.
Modern times
Early in the 20th century, the advent of the automobile and the motorized bicycle led to the decline of cycling as a sport. Automobile clubs replaced bicycling clubs as cars took over the newly-paved roads and bicycles became toys for youngsters. The Great Depression of the 1930s led to a temporary revival of interest in cheaper transportation, but the next great revolution did not appear until the late 1960s, when the 10-speed sparked a new craze. Since then, the lightweight mountain bike with versatile gears has become the vehicle of choice for both children and adults.
The physical fitness craze in the 1970s brought cycling back into vogue, and the Denver metro area now enjoys hundreds of miles of bike paths. Charities often hold bicycle marathons as fundraisers, including the Children’s Hospital Courage Classic in July. The American Cycling Association also hosts numerous competitive events around Colorado, while the Ultra Marathon Cycling Association, open to all cyclists, supports long-distance bicycling The organization also promotes ultra races and the Race Across America, which will begin this year June 8 (Women and 60+ Men); June 9 (Solo Men); and June 12 (Teams). The Race Across the West, which runs concurrently with the Race Across America, covers the first 860 miles of the RAAM course and finishes in Durango. Visit www.ultracycling.com.
