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2013-4 Remembrances Special Edition 1 City of Schertz Remembrances Special Edition Article 2013-4 Presented by: Schertz Historical Preservation Committee Bicycling Into History “High Wheeler” Lanesboro, Minn. Bike Trail (Source: Internet, Wikipedia – “History of the Bicycle”) The above-left image reminds us of the birth of a new invention that was destined to spark transportation, social and political benefits for a large majority of American citizens. The cycle depicted in the photo is termed a "high wheeler” bicycle. The “high wheeler” was but a short lived favorite of the young American adventurous male sportsmen. The history of the bicycle’s development parallels the time and events of South Central Texas settlement. The first versions of bicycles were of the type that had no peddles and were propelled by pushing along the ground with a rider’s feet. These first cycle models were introduced in Europe and proved to be of limited popularity because of the effort required to move the bikes forward. In 1863, a Frenchman, Pierre Lallement, produced the first peddle driven cycle. European blacksmiths, particularly Frenchmen, began forming companies to produce cycles. There was a short lived cycling craze that took hold in Europe. The French version of the early bicycle was called a “velocipede”. When this version was introduced in England its name was changed to “bone-shaker” due to the jarring effect riders experienced when riding the cycle. The “bone- shaker” was imported to America but experienced only limited sales since road conditions were such to make its use highly uncomfortable. The “high-wheeler” bicycle (aka: “penny-farthing”) was the logical extension of the “bone- shaker”. Its design features an enlarged front wheel (60 inches in diameter) and a smaller rear wheel. This wheel design enables the cycle to achieve higher speeds than otherwise would be possible. The bike features wire-spoke tension wheels. The seat is positioned immediately above the larger front wheel and peddles are attached to the sprocket set of the front wheel. The “high wheeler”, while faster than others before it, was an especially dangerous machine. Many of its riders were known to take “headers” over the front handlebars when the bike hit unfriendly terrain leaving its riders with at best broken wrists and in a few instances death. The first American company to begin manufacturing bicycles in 1877 was The Pope Manufacturing Company (later to be known as Columbia) first located at 45 High Street, Boston, Mass.. The company was begun by Albert Pope (Born: May 23, 1843) who saw his first European version of the bicycle at the Centennial Exposition in 1876. 2 In 1878, salesrooms and a riding school were opened in Boston. That same year the first class of bicycles under the Columbia brand were being produced. These first edition bicycles (models – “Special Columbia”, “Youth’s Columbia”, “Mustang” and “Youth Mustang”) were expensive for the time at $125.00. It was in 1880 that Wheeling Associations were introduced that led the fight on behalf of bikers for better roads and the promotion of cycling clubs. These associations and clubs are still in existence around the country today. One such Wheeling club in Minneapolis, Minnesota still rides the historic “high wheelers” and appear regularly riding their bikes in local parades wearing turn of the 20th Century costumes. By the early 1900s bicycling in the United States was losing popularity to the automobile. Bicycling began to be viewed as a child’s activity. By the mid-1900s there were two distinct types of bicycles that captured American’s favor, the cruiser (balloon tires, coaster brakes, one gear) and the lighter cycles (thin tires, hand breaks, three speed hub-gearing system). By the opening of the 21st Century bicycle design and manufacturing continued to advance rapidly. Annual U.S sales of adult bicycles doubled between 1960 and 1970, and again between 1971 and 1975. Its been quite a ride to success (excuse the pun) for the American bicycle industry. More and more models have been added to the inventory through the years. Like most successful products the choices and technology have expanded tremendously over the years. Bicycling popularity has steadily grown throughout the 20th Century and into the 21st Century. Today, American cities feature numerous biking clubs and the sport of bike racing has hit new highs. Small towns like Lanesboro, Minnesota (700 people) that were once slowly dying with main drags deteriorating due to neglect have found new life with the development of attractive bike trails along which have sprouted up B&Bs, restaurants, camp grounds, art galleries and small shops. Solely due to the addition of the bike trail, Lanesboro’s population now swells to nearly 5,000 during the summer biking season, an economic boon for the community. Schertz is a popular riding area for bikers, especially along the southern and northern ends of town where development has yet to encroach upon good riding trails. When you next see riders peddling through town, I hope you’ll be reminded of the significant history behind the small steel frame with wheels that propel the rider along.