Bicycles and Velocipedes
Velocipedes or bicycles or tricycles . . . whatever the name, the bike has been the first rapid transit vehicle for children for generations. These are the photos of those bikes and their riders.
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Bicycles are a part of most people's lives - either as a child, an adult, or both. It seems like they've been around forever but it wasn't until the early 1800's that the first bike was introduced to the public. Just a decade or two later, the first camera was invented so we're lucky enough to have plenty of photos of the development of the bicycle.
Consider these interesting - and fun! - facts about bikes:
- The first "horseless carriage" wasn't a car - it was the bicycle. That's what Karl von Drais, a German baron, called the bike he invented to help him get around faster. Two-wheeled and pedal-less, it was propelled by pushing his feet against the ground.
- The term “bicycle” wasn't used until the 1860s, when it was coined in France to describe a new kind of two-wheeler with a mechanical drive - yay, no longer having to push against the ground with your feet!
- The Wright brothers, who built the first fixed-wing flying airplane, operated a bike repair shop in Dayton, Ohio. They used their workshop to build their airplane - the Wright Flyer
- The longest tandem bike? It had 35 seats and was about 67 feet long!
- It is estimated that there are 1 billion bicycles in the world, more than double the number of cars. It's also estimated that there are 50-100 million new bikes made every year.
A recent study says that people who ride bikes have a "unique blend of intelligent generosity" and possess the "cool" factor. Perhaps those who regularly ride bikes as adults are also thrifty - a bike costs 20x less to maintain than a car - and is earth-friendly. Certainly these vintage photos show that our ancestors were cool and "with-it"!
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A photo of George Arthur Howlett
People in this photo:
around 1892 - 1915
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May 8, 2014 by: Sandra Marshall
Sandra Marshall
3 favorites
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This little lady is my great Aunt (by marriage) Cora Belle Johnson (1875-1963).
She was married to Sherman Frederick Lucas.
People in this photo:
1875 - 1963
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Nov 26, 2013 by: Larry Jordan
Larry Jordan
69 favorites
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dad, Daniel Johnson, when he was little boy.
People in this photo:
Unknown - Unknown
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Apr 23, 2013 by: Chris Johnson
Chris Johnson
8 favorites
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Jan 11, 2012 by: Ancient Faces
Ancient Faces
322 favorites
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A photo of John D. Rockefeller, full-length portrait, standing with a bicycle
People in this photo:
1839 - 1937
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Jan 9, 2012 by: Ancient Faces
Ancient Faces
322 favorites
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A photo of Archie Roosevelt (5th child of Presidet Theodore Roosevelt) on a bicycle.
People in this photo:
1894 - 1979
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Jan 9, 2012 by: Ancient Faces
Ancient Faces
322 favorites
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A phoot of "me and my bike" on Thanksgiving Day at Riverside Park. Written on the back: Nov. 23, 1944. Buddy, 5 yrs., 9 months, 8 days.
A photo of George Kennedy, son of Aaron and Sarah.....Worked
for the Oakdale Water Works where he also had a bicycle shop. Married to Alice Learned. Married to Lillian Thurber, 1 child Charles. Married Sofia widow of his cousin Guy Dunfee. His mother was Sarah Kane Kennedy Barnes.
People in this photo:
Unknown - Unknown
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Jan 27, 2004 by: Joan Garcia
Joan Garcia
12 favorites
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A photo of a boy, surname Russell, on a bicycle. It looks like it was taken in the early 1900's. I found this photo in an antique store so I don't have any more information about this Russell boy. Do you know him?
Son of John Milton and Mary Carter. Married to Mary Alice Havens-Carter.
People in this photo:
Feb 9, 1888 - Unknown
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Jul 31 by: Jennifer Ridner
Jennifer Ridner
145 favorites
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This is a photo of Adin Parker Tyler added by Brigette Meeker on July 14, 2020.
People in this photo:
Jun 3, 1884 - Jan 12, 1951
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Jul 14 by: Brigette Meeker
Brigette Meeker
3.31k+ favorites
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Jean was only 5 when he was sadly killed at Auschwitz-Birkenau on September,1942.
People in this photo:
Apr 17, 1937 - September 1942
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Feb 21 by: Alyssa McIntosh
Alyssa McIntosh
6.75k+ favorites
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A photo of Edward Hurlbut
People in this photo:
Dec 19, 1929 - January 1987
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Jul 25, 2019 by: Taunji Hurlbut
Taunji Hurlbut
44 favorites
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A photo of Viola Gershaneck
People in this photo:
Oct 21, 1925 - August 1981
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Jun 30, 2018 by: Dougald MacArthur
Dougald MacArthur
6 favorites
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A photo of Paul M. Jeannelle in Elwood Indiana. 2nd from right. Born in Liepvre FR 1869. Died st Louis MO 1911.
People in this photo:
1869 - Feb 26, 1911
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Mar 7, 2018 by: David Jeannelle
David Jeannelle
2 favorites
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A photo of a young couple on bikes with puppy. 1900Found in Suitcase in the Attic . Notice the wardrobe, she has nice fluffy blouse, he has a tie and boots
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Mar 4, 2018 by: Jon Henderson
Jon Henderson
116 favorites
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A photo of Helen (Motowski) Zettler
People in this photo:
Dec 31, 1927 - 2002
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Oct 1, 2017 by: Susan Benjamin
Susan Benjamin
64 favorites
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Enrica was arrested at her hometown in Rome, Italy then deported to Auschwitz Death camp on October 18, 1943 then sadly murdered 5 days later at age 5.
People in this photo:
Apr 19, 1938 - Oct 23, 1943
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Jan 10, 2017 by: Alyssa McIntosh
Alyssa McIntosh
6.75k+ favorites
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This is a photo of my uncle, Lt. John Lynn Mort; caption says "Seeing France via bicycle".
People in this photo:
Unknown - Unknown
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Jan 3, 2017 by: Marlene Christopher
Marlene Christopher
239 favorites
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A photo of Joel Delft with his friend, 1943 .Joel was sadly murdered at Sobibor Death Camp on May 7, 1943 at age 6
People in this photo:
Oct 5, 1936 - May 7, 1943
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Dec 28, 2016 by: Alyssa McIntosh
Alyssa McIntosh
6.75k+ favorites
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This is definitely a photo of Callie Ballard's son Jimmy. the date I have listed on the photo was a past assumption, I now think it is more likely to be later than 1923. Could be in Nebraska And if my researching is near correct, I think he is the son of James L. Gill. but don't accept that as gospel yet.
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Dec 18, 2016 by: Kelly Sullivan
Kelly Sullivan
271 favorites
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A photo of Joy Anderson with her bike and a puppy in the basket. This photo, as well as all the Sutela family photos I posted, were contributed by William "Bill" Ostrom, a cousin.
People in this photo:
1943 - Unknown
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Aug 12, 2016 by: Deb Lindsley
Deb Lindsley
41 favorites
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This is a photo of Helen Alice Levine (Fowler) Moir and Dr John Wilson Moir added by Sarah Lennon on June 20, 2016.
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Jun 20, 2016 by: Sarah Lennon
Sarah Lennon
17 favorites
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Feb 11, 2016 by: Steve Payne
Steve Payne
94 favorites
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A photo of Annie Lee Merek or Meek & Archie Stevenson of Fulton, Kentucky. Vintage Photos Lost & Found on FB - Annie Lee Merek / Meek, Archie Stevenson, found in Memphis, Tennessee. Locations mentioned in album include Fulton, Kentucky, and Louisiana.
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Jan 2, 2016 by: Victoria Vassar
Victoria Vassar
25 favorites
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A photo of Meijer Kroese, posing with his bicycle in Amsterdam. Meijer was sadly deported to Sobibor and murdered in 1943 at age 6. Can't imagine-kids use to love bike riding in the 30's and 40's and kids like Meijer were forbidden to ride bikes during the war.
People in this photo:
Sep 27, 1936 - Jun 4, 1943
Added
Dec 30, 2015 by: Alyssa McIntosh
Alyssa McIntosh
6.75k+ favorites
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A photo of George Andrew Ashworth, Jr. from my mother's (Mary Louise Ashworth) photo album who was his first cousin.
People in this photo:
Unknown - Unknown
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Aug 20, 2015 by: Mary Jackson
Mary Jackson
49 favorites
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A photo of an unknown woman - "Lady with a bike" original. Black and white version of this photo has also been submitted under the Del Grosso surname. Nothing is known about the photo or the photo's subject.
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Aug 1, 2015 by: Devonna Del Grosso
Devonna Del Grosso
3 favorites
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A photo of an unknown woman: "lady with a bike" Odd picture, probably a relative. Found this picture when my Uncle passed away. He was the last to leave the farm so he had all the old photo's. I have no idea where or when this picture was taken. The original is very yellow
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Aug 1, 2015 by: Devonna Del Grosso
Devonna Del Grosso
3 favorites
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A photo of Leslie George Chambers - 15 years of age. Won this bike race by the width of a tyre.
People in this photo:
1911 - Mar 15, 1989
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Jun 5, 2015 by: Fiona Woolfrey
Fiona Woolfrey
57 favorites
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A photo of Augustus Callaghan
People in this photo:
1890 - Unknown
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May 10, 2015 by: Robin Knight
Robin Knight
4 favorites
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A photo of Karl Thommessen, from Oslo, Norway. Though I suspect the photo might have been taken in Frankfurt, Germany.
People in this photo:
Nov 22, 1898 - Jan 12, 1992
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Apr 20, 2015 by: Randi Thommessen
Randi Thommessen
185 favorites
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A photo of Barbara (Dippold) Honis in 1943
People in this photo:
Unknown - Unknown
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Apr 8, 2015 by: Jennifer Wademan
Jennifer Wademan
60 favorites
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A photo of Geoffrey Alexander Goodwin
People in this photo:
Dec - Jul 29, 2013
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Apr 2, 2015 by: Bob Goodwin
Bob Goodwin
31 favorites
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A photo of Elmer Otis Hubler
People in this photo:
Unknown - Unknown
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Mar 29, 2015 by: Junell Typer
Junell Typer
45 favorites
Topics:
A photo of Aaron v Slason 1933 - 2001
People in this photo:
Jan 27, 1933 - Apr 7, 2001
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Nov 8, 2014 by: Dee Slason
Dee Slason
11 favorites
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A photo of Henry J. Endom and family
People in this photo:
Unknown - Unknown
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Aug 25, 2014 by: Carol Richardson
Carol Richardson
34 favorites
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A photo of great grandpa Frank Lawrence
People in this photo:
Unknown - Unknown
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Aug 20, 2014 by: Linda Couget Naquin
Linda Couget Naquin
43 favorites
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cruisin! Ruth Peck on bike, Upton Peck with his dog in middle & Roland Peck on other side. Sibling photo.
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Jul 30, 2014 by: Laura Terry
Laura Terry
398 favorites
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A photo of Madeline M Martz Corderman
People in this photo:
Nov 27, 1922 - May 2, 2002
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Jul 23, 2014 by: Miranda Gerholt
Miranda Gerholt
383 favorites
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Photos of Flournoy Shepperson Jr
People in this photo:
Nov 22, 1914 - Aug 30, 1976
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Nov 19, 2013 by: Vance Shepperson
Vance Shepperson
4 favorites
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Now THIS is a Halloween costume - if you can outrun Orkin! And evidently, this pest has found the way to do it . . . hop on your bike!
Added
Oct 23, 2013 by: Kathy Pinna
Kathy Pinna
23.0k+ favorites
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A photo of Matti Rissanen on a bike.
People in this photo:
Mar 15, 1894 - May 1969
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May 11, 2013 by: Marilyn Calvert
Marilyn Calvert
8 favorites
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Just look at the clothing worn by women bicyclists early in the century. From the album of Howard Van Buskirk.
This is a picture of Charles on his schwinn Bicycles back in 1956
People in this photo:
Mar 15, 1951 - Unknown
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Nov 18, 2012 by: Linda Steele
Linda Steele
89 favorites
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A bicycle outing for two - when one of the two is a skeleton! An obvious studio Halloween photo from the turn of the century. Funny and a bit macabre - it probably reflects the humor of the time. Or it could be a message against dangerous bicycle riding!
Added
Oct 26, 2012 by: Kathy Pinna
Kathy Pinna
3.05k+ favorites
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