Whether Pierre Michaux or his son Ernest, or a workman in their employ named Lallement, was the first to think of fitting cranks and pedals to the front wheel of the hobby-horse has never been definitively established. This we do know however, that the cycling era dates from the Michaux-made pedal-driven Velocipede of 1865.

At the Paris Exhibition of 1867 Michaux Velocipedes were shown and examples were purchased by Rowley B. Turner who persuaded his firm, the Coventry Sewing Machine Co., to make these "Boneshakers" for the French market.

This example, now dated to c. 1861-1863, formed a part of the Holmes a Court Collection for many years and has recently been brought back to rideable condition by its current owner, who, despite its weight and steel "tyres" insists that it is fact reasonably comfortable over short distances.

↩ Back to Members' Bikes