Detail of the Levocyclette, a lever-drive bicycle, mfg. by Terrot & Cie., Dijon, c1905. The earliest manufactured bicycle with ten speeds. Terrot claimed that the alternating levers avoided the dead point common with cranks and thus allowed for easier hill climbing. Collection of the Nationaal Fietsmuseum Velorama, Nijmegen, Holland.

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The Bicycle, by Pryor Dodge, Flammarion, publisher.

When the bicycle became an accessible mode of travel over a century ago, its impact on both sides of the Atlantic went far beyond simply providing transportation and sport. This remarkable invention moved not only the body, but also the intellect, the spirit, and the imagination, affecting the social, economic, and moral spheres of everyday life. The Bicycle explores the rich and varied history of cycles and cyclists from the early 19th century, when "running machines" caught the fancy of the fashionable world in Europe, to the bicycle's "Golden Age" in the 1890s, its subsequent displacement by the invention of the automobile, and the high-tech racing and leisure cycling of today. An extraordinary compilation of visual material drawn from the author's collection - one of the largest privately owned collections of antique bicycles, posters, prints, and bicycle memorabilia in the world - is supplemented by a wealth of previously unpublished documents on technology, bicycle clubs, and racing. The authoritative and entertaining text combines fascinating anecdotes with in-depth historical and technical information. The over-crowding and pollution of our cities has shown the automobile to be a dangerous and unviable solution to the future of transportation and has led to a genuine cycling boom in recent years. This absorbing look at the history of the bicycle will be a timely tribute to one of the greatest inventions of the modern era.

224 pp., 341 illustrations, 189 in color, 11 x 9 inches, $50. ISBN 2-08013-551-1. Also published in French (La Grande Histoire du Vélo) and German (Faszination Fahrrad - Geschichte, Technik, Entwicklung).

Though the book is currently out of print you may be able to find a copy at  AMAZON.COM

What the critics say

The errata page (please download page; you are welcome to enter corrections in the book!)

BICYCLES: HISTORY - BEAUTY - FANTASY

A travelling exhibition on the history of the bicycle.

The Leonardo da Vinci Bicycle Hoax

Recently, a drawing of a bicycle, thought to have been from the studio of Leonardo da Vinci, is now considered a hoax

The first appearance of the mountain bike was in France!

Read the article from the French mountain bike magazine

Go to Pryor Dodge's Home Page

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