Join Women Bike Chicago, BFF Bikes & historian Chris Sweet as we discuss the early history of Women's Cycling in Chicago!

"Let me tell you what I think of bicycling. I think it has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world. I stand and rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a wheel. It gives woman a feeling of freedom and self-reliance. It makes her feel as if she were independent." This glowing testament in favor of cycling came from social reformer and women's rights advocate, Susan B. Anthony in 1896. "The Gay '90s" were a golden era for bicycling in America. During this boom, women in Chicago used the bicycle as a means to further women's rights including suffrage, dress reform, and (greater) independence. Chicagoan Frances Willard used cycling to promote temperance. Chicago women cyclists became dominant racers and at the time, riding a century was more popular than Gran Fondo's are today. The male dominated medical profession endlessly debated the health risks of cycling for women. In short, bicycling challenged many repressive Victorian social norms and Chicago's women cyclists were at the forefront of those challenges. This presentation will discuss the rich history of Chicago women cyclists from the 1860's to 1900." - Chris Sweet

Chris Sweet is a librarian and historian at Illinois Wesleyan University. He is working on a book that will cover the entire history of cycling in Illinois. An Illinois native, Chris is an avid bicycle advocate, commuter, and racer.