Figure 1.--This boy is pictured with his trike probably in the late 1880s. He looks to be about 6 or 7 years old and wears a ruffle with his sailor jacket.

Bikes were originally developed for adults. Bikes at first were quite expensive, too expensive for children. Versions for children appeared by the late-19th century, but because of the cost, these were only for children from wealthy families. After World War I the bicycle became more afordable and in some countries such as America became a standard play item. Boys in particular liked to be photographed with their bikes. Thus many photographs exist of boys in casual clothes with their bikes. Early photographs, however, are staged shots, some times with the boys wearing their sunday best suits. We are not positive about the time-line yet, but I believe tricycles for children became available for children in the 1880s. This was actually before bicycles were available. I believe this was in part because the trikes were inherently safer than bucycles, especially early bicycles. I believe that trikes were intially built for a wider age range of children than were to use trikes after saftey bikes suitable for children aooeared. The post World War I boom of the 1920s created properity in America. Wages grew. Many families purchased automobiles. The prices of bikes fell. Bikes became within the reach of a wide range of American kids. Another key factor was the improvements which made them safe enough for children to use. Parents began purchasing bikes for their children in large numbers. I am not sure when the convention of different men's and women's bikes developed, but it must have been fairly early given the voluminous dresses women wore at the time. Now that women mostly bike in shorts and jeans, the difference is moot, but through the 1950s, girls commonly biked in dresses and skirts.

Rich Kids Gets Bikes

The development of the saftey bike opened the way to market bikes to children. It was still a bit of a novely in the late 19th century and very expensive. By the early 20th century, however, all American boys wanted bikes. The cost of a bike, however, meant that they the only children who got them were children from rich or at least affluent families.

Tricycles for Younger Kids

We are not positive about the time-line yet, but I believe tricycles for children became available for children in the 1880s. This was actually before bicycles were available. I believe this was in part because the trikes were inherently safer than bucycles, especially early bicycles. I believe that trikes were intially built for a wider age range of children than were to use trikes after saftey bikes suitable for children aooeared.

Ordinary Kids Get Bikes

The post World War I boom of the 1920s created properity in America. Wages grew. Many families purchased automobiles. The prices of bikes fell. Bikes became within the reach of a wide range of American kids. Another key factor was the improvements which made them safe enough for children to use. Parents began purchasing bikes for their children in large numbers. Manufacturers desperate to find new customers as adults turned to automobiles, increasingly turned to children. Manufacturers, such as Mead, Sears Roebuck, and Montgomery Ward after the First World War introduced several new models to revitalize the bike industry. Schwinn made its big splash slightly later. The popularity of bicycles increased in America in the years before World War II. All Anerican boys considered getting their first two-wheel Swinn a virtual rite of passage. The post-World war I designs, now called "classics", featured automobile and motorcyle elements to appeal to kids who, presumably, would rather have a motor. If ever a bike needed a motor, this was it. These bikes evolved into the most glamorous, fabulous, ostentatious, heavy designs ever. It is unbelievable today that 14-year-old kids could do the tricks that we did on these 65 pound machines! They were built into the middle 50s, by which time they had taken on design elements of jet aircraft and even rockets. By the 60s, they were becoming leaner and simpler.

Girls Get Bikes

I am not sure when the convention of different men's and women's bikes developed, but it must have been fairly early given the voluminous dresses women wore at the time. Now that women mostly bike in shorts and jeans, the difference is moot, but through the 1950s, girls commonly biked in dresses and skirts. The question then arises as to what style bikes were purchased for boys still in dresses and kilts. Presumably the woman's style would be purchased for them, but boys were usually breeched before they were old enough to ride two-wheelers.

Modern Styles

Pedaling History has on display even the recent history of the bicycle in America that we are more familiar with: the "English 3-speed" of the 60s and 70s, the 10-speed derailleur bikes which were popular in the 70s (the derailleur had been invented before the turn of the century and had been in more-or-less common use in Europe since), and of course the mountain bike of right now. There are also many oddball designs that never quite made it, including the Ingo (you have to see it to believe it!). There has been a further increase in popularity of biking in recent years associated with the fitness craze in America.

References

Pryor Dodge, The Bicycle, Flammarion, publisher, 224 pp., 341 illustrations, 1996.

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Created: September 2, 1998
Last updated: 9:19 PM 8/25/2007