Velocipede, 1868

Description:

This French-patterned velocipede was donated to the museum in 1907. The donor of this machine stated that it was made by either Sargent or French, carriage builders of Boston, Massachusetts, about

1868, and that it sold for $160. It seems likely it is from the period: an illustration of an almost identical machine is captioned "American velocipede of 1869" on page 22 of Charles Pratt's The American Bicycler (1880). Another similar machine, illustrated on page 28 of Harry Griffin's Cycles and Cycling (1890), is described as an "Improved Boneshaker of

1870," made by Charles Pomeroy Button, of 142 Cheapside, London.

The velocipede is made from a heavy forged bar with a fork at its lower end to hold the rear wheel. A vertical iron fork, topped by a horizontal

handlebar holds the front wheel. The wood-spoke wheels have 13/16 inch- wide iron tires. A forward projection of the frame carries a pair of footrests for use while coasting. Weighted bronze pedals hang from the cranks that are secured to the live front axle. Twisting the handlebars in the mounting brackets winds up a cord, which presses a brake shoe against the tire of the rear wheel. A padded, pigskin-covered metal saddle is mounted on a flat steel spring, on which it can be adjusted forward or backward to suit the length of the rider's legs.