Judge — April 16, 1887 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page from *Judge* magazine contains satirical illustrations about bicycle culture and urban life, likely from the 1890s when bicycles were a major social phenomenon. The top panel shows a "Dry & Fancy" shop with fashionably dressed cyclists, satirizing how bicycling had become a trendy consumer activity for the wealthy. The lower sections appear to mock bicycle enthusiasts—particularly the "Bicycle Spider" character shown in exaggerated poses. The caricatures likely ridicule both the physical awkwardness of cyclists and the obsessive nature of cycling culture during this era. The cartoons poke fun at how bicycles had transformed from practical transportation into a status symbol and leisure pursuit for the upper classes, drawing crowds of admirers at shops and public venues.