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.

This second gallery provides additional details of the Pop Brennan Six-Day Racer featured as the May 2009 Bike of the Month. The primary gallery provides additional information about the history of this bicycle.

In this gallery, the magazine article shows details that Pop Brennan listed as important features for people considering a new custom frame.

The measurement drawing shows frame angles and measurements for the Charley Logan frame.

The drop out and fork tip photos shows details of the templates and production progress of rear drop outs and fork tips.

Manufacturer: Pop Brennan

Location: Newark, NJ

Private Party

Jeff Groman

Bike owned by Jeff Groman since 1997 and restored with a combination of period-correct and new, old stock components.