Today, the bicycle is a ubiquitous summer pasttime for many of us, but in the 1890s it was a new social and cultural phenomenon that took the world by storm. As with any social activity in the nineteenth century, "cycling" required its own etiquette. This week, we explore the 1890s do's and don'ts of how to ride a bike and what to wear while doing it.

Suggested reading:

• https://www.google.com/books/edition/Social_Etiquette_Or_Manners_and_Customs/-MxCAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=bicycling+etiquette+maude+c.+cooke&printsec=frontcover
• Vox article: https://www.vox.com/2014/7/8/5880931/the-19th-century-health-scare-that-told-women-to-worry-about-bicycle