We’ve seen how the bicycle developed into a tool that women both found useful and enjoyed, and we’ve seen some of the obstacles to riding and how women overcame them. What were some of the cultural impacts of women and bicycles at the time? That’s the subject of this concluding part of my series.

Bicycles were a big deal for women in the 1890s, but why? Was it just a fashion statement, or did it really give women a sense of freedom and emancipation from standard gender roles? In part two of my series, I will show how bicycles became more useful to women at the time, why they rode them, and what stood in their way.

The 1890s saw what was called a “bicycle craze” among women. What was this about? Why women, and why then? Was the bicycle movement just fashion, or did it really lead to more freedom for women? Read on to find out more!