American Safety

In 1887 the bicycle we have come to refer to as the “American Safety” (a retrospective name) was developed only a year before foreign bicycle makers would begin to develop their versions as well. This bicycle was a high-wheeler and was called a Safety by Gormully and Jeffery Manufacturing because of it’s improved efficiency treadle lever device and it’s notable quality of keeping the weight back to reduce the risk of headers. This bicycle was sold at a mere $76 and at the time it might have become very popular except that a far safer and more convenient version of the Safety was on it’s way and the poor American version was only a few months away from obsolescence.

The development of this bicycle changed the way the mode of transportation was looked at and allowed it to become not just a dangerous sport for adventurous young men but as a means of transport for men and women of all ages. It was especially important for the young women of the time who gained a new sense of freedom from their bicycles and felt more comfortable riding them with the developments and safety measures that had been taken.

This was also the bicycle that spawned the chain drive which improved comfort and speed and it was also transferred to the rear wheel of the bike which allowed for much safer peddling as well as steering. Because the drive chain was on the rear wheel it also made Safety’s much easier to turn while peddling as earlier versions had a misalignment within their designs that made cornering quite difficult and often dangerous. There were also new developments in tires and frame design which allowed for more comfort for the rider and increased the popularity of bicycling substantially.

Because of the new levels of safety, comfort, and accessibility, these bikes became apart of what was know as the “golden age” of bicycling or the “bicycle craze” which deemed the bicycle and important means of transport. This age became know for its many bicycle clubs for both men and women and for the freedom that women began to experience as a result of their bicycles. Many commentaries were made on bicycling by various political women figures throughout the period - one of the most notable of them being Susan B. Anthony who referred to the bicycle as the “freedom machine.”

The American Safety, though barely beating it’s competition out of the gate was important to the movement of the bicycle craze throughout America and to the ushering in of many ideals and beliefs through the early twentieth century. It made a substantial impact on the Women’s Movement of the time and it redefined the way most people thought of transportation in that early time spreading quickly across the US and many eastern European countries. It also became the stepping stone in means of mass production and manufacturing ten years before Henry Ford would begin producing cars. The American Safety bicycle was one of many new models of it’s time but it paved the way for the future of bicycling here in America.