Turn of the 19th Century Bicycling
Unfinished History
Bicycle Parade from Golden Gate Park to the Panama-Pacific International Exposition on the north shore of the city, 1915.
More than 5,000 cyclists (known then as "scorchers" for the amazing speeds they achieved!) blazed a trail about five miles long in a spectacular "Good Roads Rally." Over 100,000 lined the streets on Saturday night, July 25th, 1896, as cyclists demanded asphalt and improved roads in San Francisco. Many riders preferred local Velodromes during this era.
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Cycling to the PPIE Fair 1915
Video: Prelinger Archive
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Early San Francisco bicyclists
Albert Toff cartoon of a bicyclist with an umbrella.
Cartoon about "scorchers" (bicycles) from the turn of the century (19th-20th).
19th Century Velodromes in SF
Today's Department of Motor Vehicles at Baker and Fell sits on the site of what was a bicycling Velodrome in 1893. Other velodromes were located at 7th and Stevenson (most recently the Greyhound Terminal, now the new Federal Building at 7th and Mission) and the Valencia Gardens Housing Project.