Young Man on Tricycle, Wearing League of American Wheelmen Cap, circa 1885

The high-wheeled ordinary, where a cyclist sat atop a large front wheel, was difficult to mount and could prove dangerous if the rider tumbled over the handlebars from his lofty perch. A safer option was the tricycle. Men and women could tour town and countryside easily without fear of serious injury. Athletic-minded cyclists also began racing tricycles in sanctioned competitions.