Front:
Tandem Bicycle Tandem Bicycle
1890s 241 1890s 24.1
REDMO
WA
OMOND
ОСТ
26
ZIP+4
tak
1988
98052
Benl
Back:
TANDEM BICYCLE
First Day of Issue: October 26, 1988
First Issue Location: Redmond, Washington
The 1890's: a time for gentle manners and shy romance.
Proper young ladies were chaperoned wherever they
went, and the “Gibson Girl" was the feminine ideal. But,
when skirts were shortened or bloomers substituted,
many were shocked, though for tandem bicycle riding the
new fashion was ideal. Soon thereafter, the “Bicycle Built
For Two” became the rage. When young New Yorkers or-
ganized a "super ride," they rode with their chaperones
along Central Park paths and Riverside Drive, where they
would stop for dinner at the Claremont Inn. In keeping
with the times, and to the dismay of the horrified elders,
chaperones were sometimes not invited. The Victorian
tandem, with its dropped frame and skirt guard in front,
was adjusted to enable the “gent to ride in the rear. He
was elevated 5 1/2 inches higher than the “lady," allow-
ing him to steer them both. A cumbersome design, but
preferable to asking a‘lady'' to ride in the back or to steer.
Today, the tandem bicycle is a rarity, though for two
riders, it can be a fun alternative.
No. 88-72
©1988 The Maximum Card Collection
A Division of Unicover Corporation • Cheyenne, WY 82008-0007
Original painting by Basil Smith
