The Ordinary Bicycle
The High Wheeled Bicycle
The appearance of the high wheel bicycle marked a revolution in cycle design, between 1870 and1885 over 200,000 were made. They were called 'Ordinaries' to distinguish them from the many 'safety' designs that appeared after 1870. These bicycles had high front wheels and very small back wheels; the only restriction on size was the length of the rider's legs. Positioning the seat directly over the driving wheel made better use of the rider's energy and allowed the rear wheel to become smaller.
It's popularity
At its peak the Ordinary was unrivalled for speed and elegance, but learning to ride one was no easy task. To mount, the rider had to first place his left foot on the step above the back wheel and push off with his right foot, after gaining speed he stood up on his left leg, slipped forward into the saddle and then he was high above the mud and dust and enjoying a surprisingly comfortable ride. If however he was forced to stop suddenly by a stone, hole or brake hard, then he could easily be thrown over the handlebars
Between 1870 and 1882 machines like the Arial and Grout Tension and ideas like tangent spokes revolutionised wheel design. Wheels with metal spokes and solid rubber types combined with lightness with strength changed the smoothness of ride for the cyclist. The use of hollow steel tubing frames and forks made machines still lighter. By 1882 the average weight was just 45 pounds and racing machines just 20 pounds.
