Starley Rover

Designed by J.K. Starley, a nephew of the famous James Starley, this Rover model is one of the most important bicycles ever made.

It is widely regarded as the first truly modern bicycle: a machine that was so successful in the marketplace that it brought an end to the decades-long debate about what a bicycle should be.

What made the Rover so significant?

Ultimately, it didn’t incorporate any strikingly new technologies. It had two wheels of almost the same size, solid rubber tires and a spoon brake. The 30-inch (76 cm) rear wheel was driven by a chain, and the front wheel was steered through the handlebars. It had a seating position that minimized headers. All of these things had been seen before.

What was new was the “diamond frame,” named for the shape made by the tubes stretching from the handlebars to the seat, from the seat to the rear hub, from the hub to the cranks, and from the cranks back up to the handlebars. Compared to a present-day frame, the only thing missing was a seat tube from the saddle and the cranks.

Men could ride this bicycle. Women could ride it. Kids could ride it. It was easy to balance, and it was also fast, setting records in 1886 that were beyond those of the tallest Ordinaries.

The major difference between the Rover and today’s bike was the rough ride it gave, which came from its relatively small wheels and hard rubber tires. It was also a fixed-gear bike, meaning that as long as you were rolling, the pedals were turning, so you frequently coasted along with your feet up on the rests attached to the front forks —not something done today.