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08-07-02, 09:52 AM
The bike books I enjoy reading the most seem to deal with the history of cycling. I'm reading "A Social History of the Bicycle" by Robert A. Smith now, and it's quite fun! It deals mainly with the American bicycling craze of the 1890's, and how it changed so many aspects of society.
Some interesting bits:
Diamond Jim Brady wanted 10 gold-plated bicycles to give as gifts. The bike company couldn't do the gold-plating, and Tiffany's refused, so Diamond Jim built his own factory, gold-plated the bikes, and then tore the factory down. One of the bikes, encrusted with jewels, was a gift to Lillian Russel, who took it with her (in a padded leather case) whenever she travelled.
Women's wearing of bloomers for biking was considered shocking by many people. A woman who wore trousers biking, and then stood up at the bar drinking with her husband, was arressted for disorderly conduct. A bicycle club held dances where people would wear cycling clothes....the first bloomer dance was a success...the second was raided by the police and shut down.
"It is not the proper thing for ladies to ride the bicycle. They wear skirts, of course, but if we don't stop them now, they will want to be in style with the New York women and wear bloomers. Then how would our schoolrooms look with the lady teachers parading about among the girls and boys wearing bloomers. They might as well wear men's trousers. I suppose it will come to that, but we are determined to stop our teachers in time, before they go that far." --Dr. A. w. Reimer, a school board member after the board determined to forbid the teachers to bike to school.
"These bladder-wheeled bicycles are diabolical devices of the demon of darkness. They are contrivances to trap the feet of the unwary and skin the nose of the innocent. They are full of guile and deceit. When you think you have broken one to ride, and subdued its wild and Satanic nature, behold, it bucketh you off in the road and teareth a great hole in your pants. Look not on the bike when it bloweth upon its wheels, for at last it bucketh like a bronco and hurteth like thunder. Who has skinned legs? Who has a bloody nose? Who has ripped breeches? They that dally along with the bicycle." --1896, a Baltimore preacher.
They used to hold 6-day-long endurance bicycle races on a track--something like the bike version of the Indy 500--until it was outlawed to ride a bicycle more than 12 hours a day. Charles Miller, who won the first race (and at least one later one) biked over 2,000 miles, and spent only 10 hours off the bike during the entire race, only four of which were spent sleeping.
Anyway, the book is quite fun. :) Lots of poetry and bits from the old biking magazines and stuff.
I've also read the Leeks' The Bicycle--That Curious Invention which was excellent, and How I Learned To Ride A Bicycle (formerly A Wheel Within A Wheel, 1895) by Frances E. Willard, which is amusing from the perspective of the 21st century.
Anyone have any other cool history or trivia books to recommend?
And, out of curiosity, are there any antique bicycle groups, like the car collectors, who have bike shows and ride the antiques? :)
Some interesting bits:
Diamond Jim Brady wanted 10 gold-plated bicycles to give as gifts. The bike company couldn't do the gold-plating, and Tiffany's refused, so Diamond Jim built his own factory, gold-plated the bikes, and then tore the factory down. One of the bikes, encrusted with jewels, was a gift to Lillian Russel, who took it with her (in a padded leather case) whenever she travelled.
Women's wearing of bloomers for biking was considered shocking by many people. A woman who wore trousers biking, and then stood up at the bar drinking with her husband, was arressted for disorderly conduct. A bicycle club held dances where people would wear cycling clothes....the first bloomer dance was a success...the second was raided by the police and shut down.
"It is not the proper thing for ladies to ride the bicycle. They wear skirts, of course, but if we don't stop them now, they will want to be in style with the New York women and wear bloomers. Then how would our schoolrooms look with the lady teachers parading about among the girls and boys wearing bloomers. They might as well wear men's trousers. I suppose it will come to that, but we are determined to stop our teachers in time, before they go that far." --Dr. A. w. Reimer, a school board member after the board determined to forbid the teachers to bike to school.
"These bladder-wheeled bicycles are diabolical devices of the demon of darkness. They are contrivances to trap the feet of the unwary and skin the nose of the innocent. They are full of guile and deceit. When you think you have broken one to ride, and subdued its wild and Satanic nature, behold, it bucketh you off in the road and teareth a great hole in your pants. Look not on the bike when it bloweth upon its wheels, for at last it bucketh like a bronco and hurteth like thunder. Who has skinned legs? Who has a bloody nose? Who has ripped breeches? They that dally along with the bicycle." --1896, a Baltimore preacher.
They used to hold 6-day-long endurance bicycle races on a track--something like the bike version of the Indy 500--until it was outlawed to ride a bicycle more than 12 hours a day. Charles Miller, who won the first race (and at least one later one) biked over 2,000 miles, and spent only 10 hours off the bike during the entire race, only four of which were spent sleeping.
Anyway, the book is quite fun. :) Lots of poetry and bits from the old biking magazines and stuff.
I've also read the Leeks' The Bicycle--That Curious Invention which was excellent, and How I Learned To Ride A Bicycle (formerly A Wheel Within A Wheel, 1895) by Frances E. Willard, which is amusing from the perspective of the 21st century.
Anyone have any other cool history or trivia books to recommend?
And, out of curiosity, are there any antique bicycle groups, like the car collectors, who have bike shows and ride the antiques? :)