N_C

An Illustrated History of the Bicycle, Forward By Lance Armstrong, By the editors of Bicycling Magazine.

Just finished reading the book, though most of it is pictures, etc. Learned some things I was not aware of and re-read about things I did already know about the most noblest invention of all time.

One thing I was not aware of was that Madison Square Garden in NYC was originaly built for track racing. I wonder if any part of the original contstruction remains, or if there is a history of it in the current building. Funny how it went from indoor track bicycle racing to what it is today.

I also found out that motorists have more to thank cyclists for. I knew that orignally because of bicyclists motorists now have good roads to travel on. But I also now know that the invention of the automobile was stemmed from bicycles.

Its funny how a lot of motorists complain, harrass and don't want us on the roads. Yet it is because of the bicyce that they themselves are on the roads. Instead of yelling complaints against us they should be thanking us for what they have today.

The book covers all aspects of cycling from the beginning to the present.

I recommend it for everyone to read.

lotek 

N_C,

what spoiler?

There was (still is) an event in Track called a "Madison"
thus the name. From what I seem to recall the old
garden is long gone, torn down etc. I think the last
race was back in the 30's just prior to WWII, but I have
to check on that.
Marty

N_C

As far as what I meant by spoiler is for those that have not read the book yet and may not want to know of its content. I know its not the same as posting about a movie or the TDF but I thought it'd be a good idea to let people know before they read this thread that the some of the content in the book will be divulged.

Mtn Mike

Good book. It really captures the pasion of cycling with interesting pictures and text.

randya

I'm pretty sure the original Madison Square Garden is gone. The current Madison Square Garden was built in the 1960s on the site of the original Pennsylvania (Penn) Station in Midtown Manhattan; the nationwide historic preservation movement was born from the demolition and loss of Penn Station, which was allowed/performed by NYC despite lots of public opposition. To my knowledge, there is no bike racing in the new Madison Square Garden, just hockey, basketball, music events, etc.

RegularGuy

I took a quick peek at the Madison Square Garden Website yesterday. The current MSG is the fourth arena by that name.

A glance through the index of A Social History of the Bicycle by Robert Smith showed that the Madison Square Garden of the 1890s housed a cycling school. I wasn't able to determine when the MSG velodrome operated but, as Lotek said, the Madison race was introduced there.

randya

Another good bicycle history book: The Bicycle by Pryor Dodge

randya

Here's some web links (sorry for the split post!)https://users.aol.com/pryordodge/bicyclebook.html
https://users.aol.com/pryordodge/bicyclexpo.html