Humber Racing Bicycle, 1886

Many cyclists loved to race. This high-wheel racing model was made in 1886 by Humber and Company, an English firm. The cyclist would hump over the large front wheel -- this one is 55 inches tall -- trying to out-pedal competitors. By the early 1890s, a faster machine would prevail -- the low-mount safety with equal-sized wheels, chain drive, and pneumatic tires.