California Bicycle Museum

The safety problems of the high-wheel machines forced the invention of a better option, and the bicycle that emerged from England in 1885 soon became known as the “safety bike.” The safety bike forced the high wheel to extinction, and through the 1890s most high wheel bikes were unused and would later serve as scrap metal to support World War I. Aside from small changes in materials, the safety bikes of the late 1800s are very similar to modern bikes. With equal size wheels and a chain drive, the new bike allowed the rider to sit low enough to touch the ground with his or her feet. For racers, the smaller safety bike was as fast as the high wheel, because the new chain-operated drivetrain incorporated gears, ending the problematic 1:1 pedalstroke to wheel circumference ratio limit. Major innovations of the early safety bike included the chain, which had become cheaper to manufacture, the pneumatic tire—invented in 1888—and the diamond-shaped frame, also from 1888. For women, the new safety bikes were socially liberating because they provided a practical means of personal transportation that required women to adopt—and men to accept—less restrictive clothing. Corsets and long dresses gave way to bloomers and eventually trousers.

According to bicycle historian Peter Nye, this Peugeot track bike was one of several bikes Major Taylor raced in Paris between 1901 – 03 and 1907 – 09. The bike features a very aggressive geometry for stiffness and efficiency during sprints. Notable features include the extended distance between the seat tube and the rear wheel, deep drop handlebars, and fairly large diameter chain stay and seat stay tubing. This bike is owned by the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame and was featured at the recent temporary exhibit of the California Bicycle Museum.

Marshall Walter “Major” Taylor, 1878 – 1932, was an African-American athlete who, in 1899, won the one-mile world track cycling championship. He was also holder of seven world records in 1898. He was the highest paid athlete in the world for a time. Taylor’s achievements in cycling are remarkable given the widespread and blatant discrimination endured by African-Americans in the U.S. at that time.

Taylor was raised on a farm in Indiana, and earned his nickname, “Major,” while performing bicycle stunts outside a local bike shop, dressed in a soldier’s uniform. In 1896 he moved to Connecticut, a center for the American bicycle industry at the time. There he worked as a bicycle mechanic and began his racing career by winning a League of American Wheelmen competition despite starting in last place. His increasing success meant travelling to, and competing throughout, the United States, Europe, and Australia.

ROLLERS
Rollers are used by cyclists for warming up and training. This wooden set, used by Taylor, is much larger than modern rollers. The rider is able to balance and pedal on the rollers just as if moving forward on a road or track.

Manufacturer: Peugot

Location: France

Museum Collection

U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame