Cyclist’s Cup

In the 1890s the growing popularity of safety bicycles, which had smaller wheels than high-wheelers and were easier to ride, led to a social revolution. Women rode bicycles for the first time, men and women socialized on wheels, and millions of Americans took to the road for pleasure trips and practical purposes. These developments created a market for biking accessories like this Cyclist’s Cup, a collapsible metal cup that was easy to carry. The images embossed on the lid – a well-dressed man and woman on a tandem bicycle, a rural setting with trees and churches, and a dirt road with a milestone typical of nineteenth century wagon roads – symbolize the 1890s biking experience and pastoral environment.