Reviews for Social History of the Bicycle, Its Early Life and Times in America

The average rating for Social History of the Bicycle, Its Early Life and Times in America based on 2 reviews is 3 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2020-12-23 00:00:00 Mario Soto A thorough look at two-wheel conveyances from the earliest to the 1960s, with a heavy (and more interesting) emphasis on the early years. I can see, however, why David Herlihy's book, Bicycle, is now the definitive source. Note: I grew uncomfortable with Smith's male, white, elite perspective. He barely mentions women bike racers in the 1890s, and repeatedly uses a slur for Black men (and this was published in 1970!).

Review # 2 was written on 2008-10-24 00:00:00 Ronald Ricci I liked this book, but the copy I read does not have the added subtitle (about being specific to America). That was an issue I had with my edition. Using contemporary periodicals and other writing of the time, Smith chronicles not only the technological development of the bicycle but the social impact it had. An interesting point he makes is that the later development of the automobile industry depended greatly on many things the bicycle industry had already established. This was not only true for the manufacturing process but also marketing. Bicycles were the first major, mass produced item that used the consumerist approach of "planned obsolescence" (i.e. the idea that a product will not be suitable for next year or next season because of usually 'manufactured' social reasons). Here we had goods that were designed to be structurally durable, but socially impermanent. Nobody with means wanted to be caught riding last years wheels. (Just a quick digression, I think that modern consumerism uses that approach along with selling crap that is, by design, also not structurally durable). Among the most interesting bits were the accounts of road rage directed at cyclists from the wagon seats of teamsters. It shows that there has always been an active, and sometimes violent, discourse about road ownership and right of way. The book was often times too dry and didactic for my tastes, but otherwise an fun and informative read.