Chicagology-bicycling
Bicycling
Bicycling | Bicycle Manufacturers
The Barnum & Barnum photo below was taken during the height of the “high wheeler” craze in Jackson Park, along Chicago’s south lake shore, in the 1880’s. In the 1850s and 1860s, Frenchmen Ernest Michaux and Pierre Lallement placed the pedals on an enlarged front wheel. Their creation, which came to be called the “Boneshaker”, featured a heavy steel frame on which they mounted wooden wheels with iron tires. The Boneshaker was further refined by James Starley in the 1870s. He mounted the seat more squarely over the pedals so that the rider could push more firmly, and further enlarged the front wheel to increase the potential for speed. With tires of solid rubber, his machine became known as the “Ordinary” in the United States. British cyclists likened the disparity in size of the two wheels to their coinage, nicknaming it the penny-farthing. The primitive bicycles of this generation were difficult to ride, and the high seat and poor weight distribution made for dangerous falls. Those who were neither athletes nor acrobats chose to watch cyclists rather than ride.
cyclists
Chicagoans gathered at the Chicago Coliseum to watch six-day endurance races held on indoor tracks, and spectators lined the streets from Michigan Avenue’s Leland Hotel to Pullman to watch the annual Pullman bicycle race.
The high cost of a high-wheeler limited bicycle ownership to the upper class. Wealthy cyclists willing to spend $200 to $400 for a bicycle donned elegant riding uniforms and joined wheelman’s clubs. By the late 1890’s, 54 clubs boasted more than 10,000 members. Some clubs constructed ornate buildings equipped with gymnasiums to enable members to exercise during the winter. Wheelmen used their political clout to lobby for bicycle-friendly legislation, including a state highway system, protection on desolate roads, and smoother street surfaces. Carter H. Harrison, Jr capitalized on cyclists’ political proclivities during the mayoral election of 1897. A campaign poster featured a cycling Harrison identified as “Not the Champion Cyclist; But the Cyclists’ Champion.” Harrison attributed his victory to strong support from cyclists, and he rewarded his constituents with a bicycle path along Sheridan Road from Edgewater to Evanston.
cyclists
Chicago was the center of the industry in America, with 30 factories turning out thousands of bikes every day. Bicycle output in the United States grew to over a million per year at the turn of the century. According to the 1898 Chicago Bicycle Directory, approximately two-thirds of the country’s bicycles and accessories were manufactured within 150 miles of the city. In 1895, German immigrant Ignaz Schwinn and meatpacker Adolph Arnold formed Arnold, Schwinn & Co. Their bicycles were recognized as among the finest. Ignaz was not only an ingenious designer and an exacting supervisor; he was an astute businessman as well, so Arnold was able to be the ultimate “passive partner”. By 1899, Schwinn was producing one million bicycles a year. Another massive bicycle factory in Chicago was Western Wheel Works which produced the famous Crescent brand. They were located at 501 N. Wells Street.
This first bicycle boom was short-lived, as automobiles soon replaced bikes as the preferred means of transportation on American streets. By 1905, output nationwide was one-fourth of what it had been but five years earlier, and only 12 bicycle makers remained in Chicago. Competition for parts and for the cooperation of the department stores which sold the bulk of the bicycles became intense. Schwinn saw opportunity where others saw only gloom. He bought out failing firms on the cheap, and built a new factory on Chicago’s west side.
Bicycling | Bicycle Manufacturers
The Barnum & Barnum photo below was taken during the height of the “high wheeler” craze in Jackson Park, along Chicago’s south lake shore, in the 1880’s. In the 1850s and 1860s, Frenchmen Ernest Michaux and Pierre Lallement placed the pedals on an enlarged front wheel. Their creation, which came to be called the “Boneshaker”, featured a heavy steel frame on which they mounted wooden wheels with iron tires. The Boneshaker was further refined by James Starley in the 1870s. He mounted the seat more squarely over the pedals so that the rider could push more firmly, and further enlarged the front wheel to increase the potential for speed. With tires of solid rubber, his machine became known as the “Ordinary” in the United States. British cyclists likened the disparity in size of the two wheels to their coinage, nicknaming it the penny-farthing. The primitive bicycles of this generation were difficult to ride, and the high seat and poor weight distribution made for dangerous falls. Those who were neither athletes nor acrobats chose to watch cyclists rather than ride.
cyclists
Chicagoans gathered at the Chicago Coliseum to watch six-day endurance races held on indoor tracks, and spectators lined the streets from Michigan Avenue’s Leland Hotel to Pullman to watch the annual Pullman bicycle race.
The high cost of a high-wheeler limited bicycle ownership to the upper class. Wealthy cyclists willing to spend $200 to $400 for a bicycle donned elegant riding uniforms and joined wheelman’s clubs. By the late 1890’s, 54 clubs boasted more than 10,000 members. Some clubs constructed ornate buildings equipped with gymnasiums to enable members to exercise during the winter. Wheelmen used their political clout to lobby for bicycle-friendly legislation, including a state highway system, protection on desolate roads, and smoother street surfaces. Carter H. Harrison, Jr capitalized on cyclists’ political proclivities during the mayoral election of 1897. A campaign poster featured a cycling Harrison identified as “Not the Champion Cyclist; But the Cyclists’ Champion.” Harrison attributed his victory to strong support from cyclists, and he rewarded his constituents with a bicycle path along Sheridan Road from Edgewater to Evanston.
cyclists
Chicago was the center of the industry in America, with 30 factories turning out thousands of bikes every day. Bicycle output in the United States grew to over a million per year at the turn of the century. According to the 1898 Chicago Bicycle Directory, approximately two-thirds of the country’s bicycles and accessories were manufactured within 150 miles of the city. In 1895, German immigrant Ignaz Schwinn and meatpacker Adolph Arnold formed Arnold, Schwinn & Co. Their bicycles were recognized as among the finest. Ignaz was not only an ingenious designer and an exacting supervisor; he was an astute businessman as well, so Arnold was able to be the ultimate “passive partner”. By 1899, Schwinn was producing one million bicycles a year. Another massive bicycle factory in Chicago was Western Wheel Works which produced the famous Crescent brand. They were located at 501 N. Wells Street.
This first bicycle boom was short-lived, as automobiles soon replaced bikes as the preferred means of transportation on American streets. By 1905, output nationwide was one-fourth of what it had been but five years earlier, and only 12 bicycle makers remained in Chicago. Competition for parts and for the cooperation of the department stores which sold the bulk of the bicycles became intense. Schwinn saw opportunity where others saw only gloom. He bought out failing firms on the cheap, and built a new factory on Chicago’s west side.
posted by racerpat at 5:51 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home