My recent story on Bicycle Face is just the start of the numerous cycling-related maladies that afflicted wheelmen and wheelwomen in the 1890s. From the tops of their heads to the tips of their toes, these cyclist mangled, warped and ruined their bodies with every pedal stroke. Or, so it seemed, according to several prominent … Continue reading Bicycle Toes, the Bicycle Nose & Throat, Bicycle Heart and the Dreaded Bicycle Leg – Are They Real?
Author: Steve Wartenberg
Do You Have A Bad Case of the Bicycle Face?
In my last post, there was a “bicycle face” joke. And someone asked: “What’s bicycle face?” Well, since you asked … the symptoms, according to an article in the July 29, 1895 issue of the Buffalo Courier, are a face that is “usually flushed, but sometimes pale, often with the lips more or less drawn … Continue reading Do You Have A Bad Case of the Bicycle Face?
Why Did The Bicycle Cross the Road? And More Old Cycling Jokes …
Take my bike, please! Sorry, I couldn't resist. Here are several bike-themed jokes from the 1890s that I found ... They're anything but ordinary. Ethel: Maud has been trying to learn how to ride a bicycle for four weeks now. Penelope: Is her instructor stupid? Ethel: No – handsome. Freeland Tribune, Freeland, Pennsylvania, January 6, … Continue reading Why Did The Bicycle Cross the Road? And More Old Cycling Jokes …
How Teddy Hale Ate 162.5 Pounds Of Food & Rode 1,910 Miles In Six Days
Have you ever eaten an entire roasted chicken - or two - during a ride? Well then, you’ve probably never competed in a six-day bicycle race … in 1896. In Madison Square Garden. Teddy Hale (“the plucky and graceful Irishman”) won this epic 1896 race, covering 1,910 miles and eight laps … which equals a … Continue reading How Teddy Hale Ate 162.5 Pounds Of Food & Rode 1,910 Miles In Six Days
The Handle Bar Toilet Case, the World’s 1st Recumbent Bike & Other Wacky Cycling Stories
A steering strap for the bicycle; an ingenious cleaning rack; perhaps the first recumbent; and … the “handle bar toilet case.” These are just a few of the new fun, fascinating, and totally true bicycle stories from 1896 – the year that was the height of the bicycle craze. Here we go … I don’t … Continue reading The Handle Bar Toilet Case, the World’s 1st Recumbent Bike & Other Wacky Cycling Stories
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