Smithsonian Bicycle Collection -- The Safety Bicycle and Beyond
The Safety Bicycle and Beyond

Because of the Ordinary's inherent danger, efforts were made to design a safer bicycle. Some people tried to modify the Ordinary to make it safer, others put their efforst into redesigning the bicycle. The latter path won out as “Safety” bicycles became more popular. These cycles had two small wheels of equal size, a chain driver, and gears. Soon after the advent of the Safety bicycle, John Boyd Dunlop patented a pneumatic tire (in both England and the United States). Brakes were also improved in the 1890s. The number of bicycles in use boomed as production rose from an estimated 200,000 bicycles in 1889 to 1,000,000 in 1899.
By 1899, only a few score automobiles had been built, horses and carriages were expensive to maintain in crowded cities, and urban public transportation was, with few exceptions, slow and frequently inadequate. The bicycle met the need for inexpensive individual transportation—much as the automobile has in recent times—for going to and from business, for business deliveries, for recreational riding, and for sport.
What seems to us a simple device of modest and limited performance was, in the relatively unmechanized 1890s, a swift vehicle and a fine machine. A nationwide bicycle club, the League of American Wheelmen, was formed on 30 May, 1880 at Newport, Rhode Island. Membership reached 150,000 in 1900.
Directly and indirectly, the bicycle had a decided influence on the introduction of the automobile. In addition to introducing thousands of persons to individual and independent mechanical transportation, the bicycle proved the value of many materials and parts that were subsequently taken over by the automobile designers. Ball bearings found one of their earliest uses in the bicycles of 1880 or earlier. The differential unit was employed in tricycles, and various forms of free-wheeling and gear-shifting devices were in use. Steel tubing, developed largely for cycle frame construction, was adopted by some earlie automobile builders. Pneumatic tires, previously mentioned, and wire wheels were also in use on bicycles prior to the introduction of the gasoline automobile in America.
Many pioneer automobile builders were at first bicycle manufacturers. Among these were Charles E. Duryea, Alexander Winton, and Colonel Albert A. Pope. Furthermore, Wilbur and Orville Wright were bicycle manufacturers in Dayton, Ohio, before they turned their attention to the aeronautical field, and Glenn H. Curtiss, another aviation pioneer, started out as a bicycle manufacturer.
Between 1900 and 1905 the number of bicycle manufacturers in the United States shrank from 312 to 101. Interest in the automobile was only partly responsible for this. Additional factors were a switch to other forms of recreation, and the fact that a considerable number of electric railways took over the sidepaths originally constructed for bicycle use. Thereafter, for over half a century, the bicycle was used largely by children.
Recent cycle development has not involved significant changes in construction, but rather a refinement of earlier features. During the late 1960s there began a reawakening of adult interest in cycling as a non-polluting, non-congesting means of transportation and recreation. In 1970, nearly 5 million bicycles were manufactured in the United States, and an estimated 75 million riders shared 50 million bicycles, making cycling the nation's leading outdoor recreation.


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1889 Overman Bicycle
- Description
- The Overman Wheel Company of Boston, Massachusetts produced this Victoria Model bicycle during the 1890s. The bicycle bears a nameplate carrying patent dates ranging fThe Overman Wheel Company of Boston, Massachusetts produced this Victoria Model bicycle during the 1890s. The bicycle bears a nameplate carrying patent dates ranging from Nov. 20, 1877 to July 9, 1889. The safety bicycle with two wheels of equal size replaced the high wheeler (penny-farthing) when it was introduced to the US from England in 1887. Unlike the earlier high-wheeled bicycles, the drop frame style of the safety bicycle allowed women to ride by accommodating their skirts.
- The 1890s saw a great boom in bicycling. As the first personal mechanical mode of transportation, the bicycle gave both men and women a thrilling sense of freedom. Cycling was a popular way to get around the city, and on weekends many bike enthusiasts went for rides in the country. Bicyclists played a major role in lobbying for road improvements.
- Date made
- 1889
- manufacturer
- Overman Wheel Company
- ID Number
- TR.214971
- catalog number
- 214971
- accession number
- 40667
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
1896 Columbia Woman’s Bicycle Embellished by Tiffany
- Description
- This bicycle is a lavishly decorated example of a common safety bicycle. It is covered with foliage, rosettes, and other organic Art Nouveau-inspired figures made of silver covered with a thin layer of gold. An expensive product for a limited market, it was introduced by Tiffany and Co. for the 1895 holiday season and was available at the height of the bicycle craze of the 1890s. Mary Noble “Mittie” Wiley of Montgomery, Alabama owned this bicycle. Her monogram MNW appears on the front tube in gold with diamonds and emeralds. Wiley was married to Ariosto Appling Wiley, a member of the Alabama House of Representatives and later a Representative in the United States Congress. Despite the couple’s prominent standing in Montgomery and Washington over many years, the circumstances surrounding the acquisition and use of this bicycle are unknown. In 1915, Mittie gave it to her son, Noble, intending that he give it to his daughter, Hulit, when she was old enough to appreciate it. But Noble Wiley became fascinated by the bicycle’s unusual materials, techniques, and history, and he donated it to the Smithsonian Institution in 1950.
- date made
- 1896
- maker
- Pope Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- TR.313486
- catalog number
- 313486
- accession number
- 188297
- serial number
- 12877
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Cleveland Model 69 Bicycle, 1899
- Description
- This Cleveland model 69 bicycle was manufactured by H. A. Lozier Company in Cleveland, Ohio around 1899. This bicycle was used by L. J. Powers who rode to work in Nashua, Iowa from his home in Powersville on a daily basis between the years of 1899 and 1902. It was donated to the Smithsonian Institution in 1989. This type of bicycle was the most common men's bicycle during a period when cycling was an extremely popular activity among adults, factory output of bicycles was increasing rapidly, and bicycle manufacturing methods were changing.
- Date made
- ca 1899
- used date
- 1899-1902
- maker
- H. A. Lozier and Company
- ID Number
- 1989.0648.01
- accession number
- 1989.0648
- catalog number
- 1989.0648.01
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Iver Johnson Arms & Cycle Works Bicycle, 1925
- Description
- This ladies’ bicycle was manufactured by Iver Johnson Arms & Cycle Works of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, in 1925. The steel bicycle has a drop frame to accommodate a skirt, a Mesinger No. 1 leather saddle, rubber tires and a steel frame. The chain drive has a 22-tooth front
- sprocket and 9-sprocket rear gear. The cycle has front and rear mudguards and a rear luggage rack. The bike is finished in a medium blue with white striping. The bike was donated to the museum in 1961 as a representation of the typical bicycle of the era.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1925
- maker
- Iver Johnson Arms & Cycle Works
- Iver Johnson Arms & Cycle Works
- ID Number
- CL.318471
- accession number
- 236166
- catalog number
- 318471
- TR*318471
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Rex Bicycle, 1898
- Description
- The Rex Cycle Company of Chicago, Illinois manufactured this three-wheel bicycle in 1898. The bicycle was designed by Bohn C. Hicks, who obtained three patents on this type of machine
- (patents, 557,387, 557388 and 561710) in 1896. While it might seem inconsistent to apply the term "bicycle" to a 3-wheel machine, this is not a tricycle in the usual sense of the word. The unusual construction of the Rex cycle resulted from Hicks' efforts to produce a machine "particularly adapted to absorb or minimize the shocks incident to riding over obstructions." The seat was mounted on a tube attached to pivot points on the front wheel and the rear third wheel, a design to allow the wheels to undulate over bumps with minimal jostling to the rider.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1898
- maker
- Rex Cycle Co.
- ID Number
- TR.333681
- catalog number
- 333681
- accession number
- 304752
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
1927 Snyder Boy’s Bicycle
- Description
- The Homer P. Snyder Manufacturing Company of Little Falls, New York expanded its product line from knitting mill machinery to bicycles in 1898 during the safety bicycle craze. The company remained a leading manufacturer of bicycles in the early twentieth century. Motorcycles offered an appealing transition from bicycles to motorized personal mobility; Schwinn, one of the largest bicycle manufacturers, acquired Excelsior motorcycles in 1911 and Henderson motorcycles in 1917 to exploit the demand. In the late teens and twenties, some manufacturers even designed bicycles that resembled motorcycles to appeal to boys. This 1927 Snyder bike resembles a contemporary motorcycle; it has a tool box shaped like a gasoline tank, an electric headlight with battery compartment, and a luggage rack. Making bicycles look like motor vehicles became a long-lasting trend. From the 1930s to the 1960s, headlights and imitation gasoline tanks on some bicycles had shapes that suggested streamlined automobiles or airplanes, exciting the imagination of children.
- date made
- 1927
- maker
- Homer P. Snyder Mfg. Co., Inc.
- ID Number
- TR.309382
- catalog number
- 309382
- accession number
- 99530
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Whalen and Janssen Laminated Wood-Frame Bicycle
- Description
- At the beginning of World War II, John T. Whalen, with Webster E. Janssen of the Janssen Piano Co., Inc., developed this laminated-wood-frame bicycle in order to conserve metal for the war effort. Wood subsequently proved to be more critical than metal, so the bicycle was not marketed. This bicycle weighs approximately 31 pounds. Its fork, saddle, handlebars, and elliptical frame are made of laminated wood, while the wheels are metal.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1942
- maker
- Janssen Piano Co., Inc.
- ID Number
- TR.313040
- catalog number
- 313040
- accession number
- 173992
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Schwinn Panther Bicycle, 1953
- Description
- This is a Model D-77 balloon-tire Schwinn Panther girl's bicycle made by Arnold, Schwinn and Co., Chicago, Illinois in 1953. Balloon-tire bicycles for girls and boys, introduced by Schwinn in 1933, intrigued millions of young Americans with the promise of personal mobility, and appealed to their imaginations with features that simulated automobiles and motorcycles. A typical model had long fenders, whitewall tires, streamlined styling, and a dummy gasoline tank containing a battery-powered horn. Mechanical features included internal-expanding brakes and shock-absorbing spring forks. Sales of children's balloon tire bicycles increased after World War II and remained strong until the late 1950s. Schwinn was an innovator and one of the largest makers of bicycles at the time.
- date made
- 1953
- maker
- Arnold, Schwinn and Co.
- ID Number
- 1986.1021.01
- accession number
- 1986.1021
- catalog number
- 1986.1021.01
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
1965 Super Deluxe Sting-Ray Schwinn Bicycle
- Description
- In 1963, Schwinn introduced a low-slung child’s bicycle that had begun as a fad in southern California. The California custom bikes had small wheels, “Longhorn” handlebars, and a slim, elongated seat. The mass-produced Schwinn Sting-Ray was an instant success; it was perfect for wheelies, and the “banana” seat accommodated the rider and his “date.” The Sting-Ray came in vibrant colors, including Flamboyant Lime, Radiant Coppertone, Sky Blue, and Violet. As sales boomed, Schwinn added the Fastback and Manta Ray, several models for girls, and the Orange Krate, Apple Krate, Lemon Peeler, and Pea Picker. This bike was donated by the manufacturer.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1965
- maker
- Arnold, Schwinn and Co.
- ID Number
- TR.326804
- catalog number
- 326804
- accession number
- 265701
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Breezer 1 Mountain Bike
- Description
- First prototype of the JBX1 "Breezer 1” mountain bike. Hand built by Joe Breeze in 1977, the JBX1 was the first bicycle frame designed specifically for mountain biking.
- The “Breezer 1” was constructed with components that could withstand the repeated pounding of mountain bike riding, such as Araya brand 26” steel rims, Phil Wood hubs, Sun Tour derailleurs, and Dia-Compe brakes. The steel “riser” handlebars and Magura brand brake levers were repurposed from motorcycles and adapted to work with the “Breezer 1’s” stem and brake calipers. The large size of the Magura motorcycle levers provided increased braking leverage and was advantageous when trying to ride in wet conditions with slippery steel Araya rims. Other parts, such as the Sun Tour thumb shifters were adapted from five-speed touring bikes and only came in right hand models. The left side thumb shifter, which controlled the front derailleur, was a right hand shifter that was mounted backwards.
- Prior to the construction of the “Breezer 1”, mountain bike racers would modify vintage cruiser bikes, nicknamed “clunkers”, with coaster or drum brakes, sturdier wheels with knobby “balloon tires”, and “fork braces” to keep the frames from bending under the stresses of off-road riding. Mountain bike riders in Marin County, California would race these “clunkers” down mountain trails in events called “Repack Races”. The term ”Repack” was coined because the hub-based brakes would inevitably overheat, lose their effectiveness, and have to be disassembled and repacked with fresh grease prior to another ride down the mountain.
- Joe Breeze’s “Breezer 1” design served as a benchmark for mountain bikes to build and improve upon. In 1979 Tom Ritchey of Redwood City, California, started building fat-tire mountain bikes, which were sold by two veterans of the “Repack Races”, Gary Fisher and Charlie Kelly. In 1982, mountain bicycles were offered by two separate companies -- Specialized Bicycles came out with the Stumpjumper and Univega released the Alpina Pro. The following year, Gary Fisher founded his own mountain bicycle company, which sold bicycles under the brand "Gary Fisher" from 1983 to 2010.
- The 1980s and 1990s saw mountain biking evolve from a niche sport to an International Cycling World Championship event in 1990. It became an Olympic event at the 1996 Atlanta games. Additionally, mountain biking became an increasingly popular amateur sport. Once only available from specialty shops, mountain bikes were suddenly being sold as recreation bikes at department stores and big box retailers.
- date made
- 1977
- maker
- Breezer Bicycles
- maker; designer
- Breeze, Joe
- ID Number
- 2012.0066.01
- catalog number
- 2012.0066.01
- accession number
- 2012.0066
- serial number
- JBX1
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Trek 5500 bicycle used by Lance Armstrong in the 2000 Tour de France
- Description
- American professional racing cyclist Lance Armstrong (b. 1971) may have written a book called It’s Not About the Bike, but his seven Tour de France victories, now annulled as a result of a 2012 investigation by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), all benefited from increasingly advanced racing bicycles.
- For almost a century, race bikes used steel tubing construction. Steel was stiff and durable, but was also relatively heavy. High-quality steel frames without wheels or components weighed around 3.75 to 4.5 lbs. Because a lighter bike has a significant advantage on long climbs in the mountains, bike manufacturers attempted to reduce weight as much as possible. During the 1980s, modern manufacturers began experimenting with lighter and more versatile construction materials such as aluminum alloys, titanium, and most recently, carbon fiber. Armstrong’s, now-voided, first Tour de France victory in 1999 was on a carbon fiber Trek 5500. The 5500 frame was still comparatively heavy by modern standards, weighing around 3.85 lbs. At the time of his second tour attempt in 2000, Armstrong was riding both the 5500 frame, as well as a lighter and more advanced 2.75 lb Trek 5900 frame for the mountain stages. Other weight savings and technological improvements found on both bicycles include a larger 1 1/8” steerer tube, a threadless headset, and 9-speed Shimano Dura Ace components.
- Armstrong brought several bikes to the 2000 Tour de France. This particular bicycle was raced on some of the flatter stages, such as Stage 11 from Bagnères-de-Bigorre to Revel in Southwest France, as well as the final stage on the Champs-Élysées in Paris. During the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia, Armstrong used this bike as a spare, but did not ride it in competition.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 2000
- used during certain stages
- 2000-07-01 to 2000-07-21
- user
- Armstrong, Lance
- maker
- Trek USA
- ID Number
- 2005.0214.01
- accession number
- 2005.0214
- catalog number
- 2005.0214.01
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History