Figure 1.--This looks to be a studio cabinent card portrait, but there is no information about the studio or the date. The boys are on old-style trike, but based on the children's clothes we would guess the portraiut was taken in the 1920s. The boys wear stocking caps. The older boys wear jerseys with short pants. Looking at the portrait the outfits seem to be one piece outfits, but we don't know of one-piece outfits like these during the 1910s. Thgey also wear three-quarter socks with strap shoes. Their little brother wears a rather heavy white top with short pants.

The tricycle has precursors dating back to the 16th century in Europe. When the first tricycle appeared in America, we do not know. We notice both bikes and trikes in the the United States during the late-19th century. Both bikes and trikes and bikes were at first called 'velocipedes', a term first used in France. We are not sure yet just when trikes first appeared in America. The trike in America appeared after bikes and were only for younger boys, although trikes appeared much earlier in Europe. We do not yet have confirmed examples from the 1870s, but it is likely that there were some. A good example of an early trike is an unidentified boy in 1881. This is the earliest definitely dated American trike we have found to date. Almost all of the early trike images were studio portraits. This is not surprising given that the vast proportion of American 19th century photographs were studio portraits. And the children were all dressed up for the portrait. The studios had trikes as props for photographing children. The boys on the previous page are a good example. We continue to see studio portraits using trikes as props into the early-20th century (figure 1). As family snapshots were not yet common, we do not know how common they actually were. We suspect that in the 19th century that they were an item only common in fairly affluent families. They of course in the 20th century became a standard item for younger American children, especially among the boys. This is clear from the photographic record. With the turn-of-the 20th century, we suddenly have family snapshots in large numbers. And we see trikes becoming a staple for per-school American boys in the inter-War period. At first we see them mostly with boys from well-to-do or at least comfortable middle-class families, but with increasing prosperity we see most families able to afford trikes for their children. I recall by first trike in 1947. That was just after world War II and American industry was just beginning to return to peace time production. Somehow dad got me one. It was my prized possession.

Pre-cursors

The tricycle has precursors dating back to the 16th century Europe. The first historical records are noted (second half of 17th century). This was actually over a century before the bicycle--a two whelled vehicle). Aging German watch-maker Stephan Farffler was disabled and could not walk. He created the first tricycle -- a small carriage which had tree wheels (one on the front and two in the back). There was a simple mechanism around the front wheel that enabled Farffkler to rotate crank and transfer power to the wheel (1655). It was more of a wheel chair than a trike. Otherv Europeans worked on the idea. Most notably, two French inventors invented the first three-wheeled device that could be powered by pedals. They also came up with the term 'tricycle' (1797).

The 19th Century

All early velocipide (bike/trike) developments occured in Europe. And the initial prototypes had any any mechanism providing a form of propulsion. Baron Karl von Drais invented what proved to be the ancestor od all modern bikes and trikes -- the dandy horse (1817). Propulsion was introduced Michaux Company's chain-driven bicycle --the 'Boneshaker'. French brothers Pierre Micheaux came up with the central idea, connecting cranks and pedals to the front of an old hobby horse bicycle. This made it faster and less strenuous to ride. It was at this point that Americans joined the Eueropean effort leading ton bikes abd trikes. When the first tricycle appeared in America, we do not know. We notice both bikes and trikes in the the United States during the late-19th century. Both bikes and trikes and bikes were at first called 'velocipedes', a term first used in France. We are not sure yet just when trikes first appeared in America. The trike in America appeared after bikes and were only for younger boys, although trikes appeared much earlier in Europe. We do not yet have confirmed examples from the 1870s, but it is likely that there were some. A good example of an early trike is an unidentified boy in 1881. This is the earliest definitely dated American trike we have found to date. Almost all of the early trike images were studio portraits. This is not surprising given that the vast proportion of American 19th century photographs were studio portraits. And the children were all dressed up for the portrait. The studios had trikes as props for photographing children. The boys on the previous page are a good example. We continue to see studio portraits using trikes as props into the early-20th century (figure 1). As family snapshots were not yet common, we do not know how common they actually were. We suspect that in the 19th century that they were an item only common in fairly affluent families. The situastion in the 1890s was similar in Europe and America. There was more nterest in bikes thn trikes. The bike was more of a recreaiional than a practicakl behicle.

The 20th Century

Trikes and bikes took on a different tajectory in the early 20th century. Bicycle repair was biguiness. There were no automobile repair shops around the country at the beginning of the century, but there were bike shops. We see a lot of boys with trikes, fewer boiys wih bikes. A good example is Ray Young in the early 1900s decasde. Interesringgly two bike mchanics, the Wright brothers, invented aviation (1903). Bikes were much more common than automobiles and mostly used as a farm of recreation by men, although some men were begining to use them for tranporation. Henry Ford changed that with the Model-T (1907), miostly in America. This mean that bike and trikes remained a recrecreational vehicle in America. In Europe the situation was different because there was nolow-price mass profuced automobiles. Bikes inn america were cfor older cj=hildren, especially boys. Trikes of course in the 20th century became a standard item for younger American children, especially among the boys. This is clear from the photographic record. With the turn-of-the 20th century, we suddenly have family snapshots in large numbers. And we see trikes becoming a staple for per-school American boys in the inter-War period. At first we see them mostly with boys from well-to-do or at least comfortable middle-class families, but with increasing prosperity we see most families able to afford trikes for their children. I recall by first trike in 1947. That was just after world War II and American industry was just beginning to return to peace time production. Somehow dad got me one. It was my prized possession.

Created: 4:00 PM 6/7/2018
Last updated: 11:51 PM 11/22/2023