The 1890s was the peak of the American bicycle craze, and
consumers, including women, were buying bicycles in large numbers.
Despite critics who tried to discourage women from trying this new
sport, women took to the bike in huge numbers, and mastery of the
bicycle became a metaphor for women's mastery over their lives.
Spurred by the emergence of the "safety" bicycle and the ensuing
cultural craze, women's professional bicycle racing thrived in the
United States from 1895 to 1902. For seven years, female racers
drew large and enthusiastic crowds across the country, including
Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, Chicago, Minneapolis, St. Louis,
Kansas City, and New Orleans-and many smaller cities in between.
Unlike the trudging, round-the-clock marathons the men (and their
spectators) endured, women's six-day races were tightly scheduled,
fast-paced, and highly competitive. The best female racers of the
era-Tillie Anderson, Lizzie Glaw, and Dottie Farnsworth-became
household names and were America's first great women athletes.
Despite concerted efforts by the League of American Wheelmen to
marginalize the sport and by reporters and other critics to
belittle and objectify the women, these athletes forced
turn-of-the-century America to rethink strongly held convictions
about female frailty and competitive spirit. By 1900 many cities
began to ban the men's six-day races, and it became more difficult
to ensure competitive women's races and attract large enough
crowds. In 1902 two racers died, and the sport's seven-year run was
finished-and it has been almost entirely ignored in sports history,
women's history, and even bicycling history. Women on the Move
tells the full story of America's most popular arena sport during
the 1890s, giving these pioneering athletes the place they deserve
in history. Purchase the audio edition.
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