Bicycle History: The Sky-Cycle, the World’s First Flying Bicycle

~ Steve Wartenberg ~ 1 Comment

The first to fly? Wilbur and Orville Wright, right? At Kitty Hawk, in 1903. Maybe, maybe not. It depends on your definition of flying. So, let’s stretch the definition a bit, and pay homage to the great Professor Carl Myers. He was the inventor and pilot of the pedal-powered Aerial Bicycle, also known as the … Continue reading Bicycle History: The Sky-Cycle, the World’s First Flying Bicycle

Bicycle History: From the Tandem to the Quintet (5), Double Quint (10), Quindecuplet (15), Quadricycle (20) & Sextet (8) on Ice

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The need to increase the number of people you could put on a bicycle was extremely important in the 1890s. Vital, it seemed. One, and then two, wasn't nearly enough. How about five, 10, or 15? No, let's make that 20. I'll start with two unusual tandems, and work my way up to the bicycle … Continue reading Bicycle History: From the Tandem to the Quintet (5), Double Quint (10), Quindecuplet (15), Quadricycle (20) & Sextet (8) on Ice

Bicycle History: The Cycling & Racism Connection

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The League of American Wheelmen was the nation’s largest and most powerful cycling organization in the late 1800s. The question of whether Blacks could be members of the LAW was debated back and forth, over the years, with William W. Watts, of Louisville, Kentucky, the leading advocate for barring African-Americans from membership.  At the LAW’s … Continue reading Bicycle History: The Cycling & Racism Connection