Although the bicycle first appeared around 1818, the vehicle as we know it today with equal sized wheels and a chain drive, was invented in 1885. By the 1890s, bicycling was a craze in both Europe and the United States. Not only was the bicycle a form of exercise and leisure, it was a mode of transportation for many. More importantly, it played a crucial role in women's independence.
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Bicycle Outfits, The Delineator, April 1894