It was no easy task to ride a bicycle while wearing a voluminous dress and a restrictive corset. It wasn't until the advent of the "swan-neck" model that the first women, mainly from the wealthy classes, were finally able to enjoy this newfound mobility.
The Beginnings of a New Freedom
By the 1880s, the bicycle's popularity had grown, making it more accessible to all social classes. More and more people, including women, were purchasing a bicycle.
For women, the bicycle became synonymous with emancipation. It offered them the opportunity to travel freely, without having to depend on their husbands. They thus earned the right to go wherever they wanted, whenever they wanted.
A turning point toward greater rights and emancipation thanks to the bicycle
"The bicycle has done more for the emancipation of women than anything else in the world. I am always delighted to see a woman on a bicycle," declared Susan B. Anthony, a women's rights activist, in 1896.
The right to pedal brought a wind of change to women, offering them new freedom. These women, confined to their homes, were able to explore new horizons thanks to the bicycle. The emancipation of women and the march toward greater gender equality were also fostered by the bicycle. Women who have made their mark on history have dared to demand the right to wear pants and decided to pedal despite prejudice.
Fashion Revolutionizes Again
The cycling revolution was accompanied by a major clothing revolution for women, giving them the freedom to wear pants for greater practicality. Gradually, the traditional petticoat began to give way to women's pants, embodied by the bloomer, created in the United States by Amelia Bloomer, a feminist activist and suffragette. These baggy pants, named in honor of their creator, offered far greater mobility than the skirts and petticoats of the time.
This change was so radical that it led to the drafting of two circulars, stipulating that women were allowed to wear pants only if they "held a bicycle handlebar in their hand."
Today...
Today, cycling has become widespread and a widely adopted means of transportation. Nevertheless, some debates persist, particularly regarding the practicality of sportswear for women.
Furthermore, even today, in some parts of the world, women's access to cycling remains limited, and their presence in the cycling community remains insufficient.
In Brussels, a growing number of women, including mothers, have made cycling their daily means of transportation. Innovative solutions like our Treebikes are specially designed to make their lives easier, allowing them to transport their belongings or their children with ease.