{"product_id":"women-on-the-move-the-forgotten-era-of-womens-bicycle-racing-9781496204172","title":"Women on the Move: The Forgotten Era of Women's Bicycle Racing","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe 1890s was the peak of the American bicycle craze  and consumers  including women  were buying bicycles in large numbers. Despite critics who tried to discourage women from trying this new sport  women took to the bike in huge numbers  and mastery of the bicycle became a metaphor for womens mastery over their lives.  Spurred by the emergence of the safety bicycle and the ensuing cultural craze  womens professional bicycle racing thrived in the United States from 1895 to 1902. For seven years  female racers drew large and enthusiastic crowds across the country  including Cleveland  Detroit  Indianapolis  Chicago  Minneapolis  St. Louis  Kansas City  and New Orleansand many smaller cities in between. Unlike the trudging  round-the-clock marathons the men (and their spectators) endured  womens six-day races were tightly scheduled  fast-paced  and highly competitive. The best female racers of the eraTillie Anderson  Lizzie Glaw  and Dottie Farnsworthbecame household names and were Americas first great women athletes. Despite concerted efforts by the League of American Wheelmen to marginalize the sport and by reporters and other critics to belittle and objectify the women  these athletes forced turn-of-the-century America to rethink strongly held convictions about female frailty and competitive spirit.  By 1900 many cities began to ban the mens six-day races  and it became more difficult to ensure competitive womens races and attract large enough crowds. In 1902 two racers died  and the sports seven-year run was finishedand it has been almost entirely ignored in sports history  womens history  and even bicycling history. Women on the Move tells the full story of Americas most popular arena sport during the 1890s  giving these pioneering athletes the place they deserve in history.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45953241219125,"sku":"ByrdShop_1496204174","price":20.54,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9781496204172.jpg?v=1788182667","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/women-on-the-move-the-forgotten-era-of-womens-bicycle-racing-9781496204172","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}