High wheel bicycle

From the collections of PVMA • Digital image © Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Assoc. • Image use information

About this item

Mounting a bicycle with a large front wheel required finesse. Once one had mounted, a smooth roadway was important in order to stay aboard. This invention replaced “bone-shakers,” or cycles with two equal-sized wheels of wood with iron tires. Introduced in the 1870s, these early velocipedes were usually the province of men, simply because women’s clothing was not suitable for riding astride. Then, too, exercise by women was still suspect in the early 20th century. Riding such a device was dangerous; the roads were bumpy, and falls were common.

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Details

Item typePersonal Objects
CreatorColumbia Bicycle
Date1885
PlaceMassachusetts
TopicTransportation, Travel, Tourism
Social Activities, Entertainment, Recreation
Sports, Exercise, Fitness, Athletes
EraRise of Industrial America, 1878–1899
MaterialWood; Metal
Process/FormatWoodworking; Metalworking
Dimension detailsDiameter of wheel: 54.5″; H: 60.0″, W:66.0″, Diameter of wheel: 54.5″
Catalog #1912.13
View this item in our curatorial database →
Columbia Bicycle. High wheel bicycle. 1885. Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, American Centuries. https://americancenturies.org/collection/1912-13/. Accessed on December 8, 2024.

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