The original Boneshaker was a wooden and steel bicycle built in the mid 1800s., The combination of being made entirely of wood, then later with metal tires, and the cobblestone roads of the day made for an extremely uncomfortable ride. They also became a fad, and indoor riding academies, similar to roller rinks, could be found in large cities. In 1870 the first all metal machine appeared. The pedals were still attached directly to the front wheel with no freewheeling mechanism. Solid rubber tires and the long spokes of the large front wheel provided a much smoother ride than its predecessor. The front wheels became larger and larger as makers realized that the larger the wheel, the farther you could travel with one rotation of the pedals. You would purchase a wheel as large as your leg length would allow. This machine was the first one to be called a bicycle ("two wheel"). These bicycles enjoyed a great popularity among young men of means (they cost an average worker six month's pay), with the hey-day being the decade of the 1880s.
Dating from c. 1987 this replica has a 52" driving wheel and touring handle bars with stirrup type hand grips. Produced in Alameda, USA, it is offered today at a fraction of the $2,000 it cost new.
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