Cycling history Archives - We Love Cycling magazine

A Short History of Cycling Outside the West

January 15, 2020 at 1:12 pm7 min reading

When the bicycle first sailed the ocean to Asian and African countries, it didn’t make a good impression. On the contrary: the weird two-wheeled object was perceived as a suspicious thing imported by the not-so-beloved Western colonialists.

The Dark Side of the Bicycle Craze: Domestic Cycling

November 7, 2019 at 12:59 pm5 min reading

Socialising and Culture

For Victorian women, the invention of the so-called safety bicycle represented nothing short of a revolution. It’s the 1890s and womankind is allowed to hop on a saddle and pedal towards greater independence. This era, known as the ‘bicycle craze’, marked a crucial point in…

A Brief History of Braking Systems

October 9, 2019 at 3:47 pm6 min reading

Socialising and Culture

The attempts to reduce speed are an essential issue of cycling since its dawn. While the first pioneering solutions were as simple as braking with a sole of one’s shoe, the evolution stepped up a gear with the introduction of bicycles with pedals and drivetrain.…

PHOTO GALLERY: Relive the Old Days of the Tour de France

June 26, 2019 at 10:05 am5 min reading

Road cycling

With the start of the Grand Boucle almost upon us, it’s time to get into the holiday spirit with this “brand new” gallery of old cycling heroes. From climbing the Col du Galibier with Gino Bartali to the ecstatic face of Ferdi Kubler, these photos…

The Triumph of the First Woman to Win the Tour de France

May 30, 2019 at 12:47 pm6 min reading

Socialising and Culture

Imagine it’s 1984 and you’re watching the award ceremony for the Tour de France. It’s the first time both a man and a woman are standing on the platform, the winners of separate races.

The Forgotten Yet Triumphing American of the Cold War Era

April 23, 2019 at 9:45 am4 min reading

Socialising and Culture

Audrey McElmury was the first American ever to win the world championship in road cycling. Nobody really noticed in her home country but her triumph had a deep symbolic meaning for the race spectators.

The Bicycle Politics Throughout the History

April 19, 2019 at 8:55 am7 min reading

Socialising and Culture

The bicycle has been politicized almost since its invention, especially after – and because – it was mass-produced and became an affordable means of transportation for nearly everyone. If today the bike has become a symbol of green transportation and a healthy lifestyle – both…

The Legend of UK’s Great Beryl Burton

April 5, 2019 at 11:30 am4 min reading

Socialising and Culture

We’re in 1967. With a signal, 99 men are starting an Otley Cycle Club 12-hour time trial. Watching them all pass, there is a lady wheeling behind. Gradually, she overtakes them all, including the famous Mike McNamara. He himself creates a new men’s record that…

A Story of One Dedicated Belgian: Not Even a 10-Year Break Could Stop Her from Winning

March 19, 2019 at 11:46 am4 min reading

Socialising and Culture

Watching this woman racing meant witnessing the embodied essence of “driven”. Yvonne Reynders had one simple goal: to win. All her focus was on that one particular task. No fake humbleness and doubts in her mind. She was a remarkable racer on a mission.

From Wheels to Wings: The Woman Who Ruled Both the Ground and the Air

March 13, 2019 at 1:06 pm4 min reading

Socialising and Culture

She was the archetype of a renaissance person. Hélène Dutrieu was a world champion in cycling, an actress, a pilot, a journalist, and that’s still not all. Throughout her life, this Belgium-born woman managed to switch from one fascinating job to another and excel at…