Gendron Safety Bicycle

This Gendron Safety Bicycle reflects almost every aspect of the cycling experience that was related to the diamond frame Safety Bicycle by 1900.

You rode this bike just as you would today’s single-speed bicycle: by grabbing the handlebars with both hands, putting one foot on the left pedal and pushing off with the other until you gained enough momentum to swing your right leg over the saddle.

Once in the seat, you steered the front wheel directly through the forks, and powered the back wheel using pedals and a chain drive.

With a large gear at the front and a small gear at the back, you could make good speed. With pneumatic tires on both wheels, your ride was quite smooth. Thanks to its Hercules "coaster brake" hub, you could coast without the pedals turning and brake by jamming the pedals backwards.

But even on a seemingly standard Safety Bicycle there could be a twist. On the Gendron it was its wooden rims. Wooden rims were often favoured by North American manufacturers because they were light, strong and cheap to make. Far from outdated, they represented the continuing search for improvements to the riding experience that played such an important role in the evolution of the bicycle in the nineteenth century.