[CR]Social History of the Bicycle

(Example: Events:Eroica)

From: "Russ Fitzgerald" <rfitzger@emeraldis.com>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Date: Tue, 9 Jan 2001 21:52:24 -0500
Subject: [CR]Social History of the Bicycle

Brian notes -
>I saw the book "A Social History of the Bike" in a book store last week.
>They wanted $35 is it worth it? It looked interesting but I only a few
>seconds to glance at it.

Bad me would suggest you ask your local library if they can get you a copy on interlibrary loan. I think it's a neat book - but it's not as in-depth as I would like. All the same, it even includes the complete poem, "The Scorcher," which I really should memorize to recite on club rides.

The book deals with a number of things involving the first bike boom, including the bicycle's role in helping liberate women, cycling fashion for both sexes, and the general social reaction to cycling in general. Neat snippets from sermons denouncing the "birotate chariot," as well as some amusing stories regarding early attempts to regulate cyclists. I particularly liked the one involving the municipality that required cyclists to operate a bell or other noisemaking device continuously while riding. The cyclists of the area responded by staging a night ride, complying with the law by blowing bugles and trumpets, shaking tambourines and whacking on pots and pans while riding.

Critical Mass types got nothin' on those staid Victorians for making a statement ...

Russ Fitzgerald
Greenwood SC
rfitzger@emeraldis.com