Life — February 6, 1896 — page 11: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "The Souls of Wheelers" This satirical illustration depicts a bicycle craze—likely from the 1890s when bicycling became wildly popular. The title "The Souls of Wheelers" suggests bicyclists are obsessed or spiritually devoted to their cycles. The image shows numerous cyclists, including women in long skirts, gathered for a Sunday outing. A dog appears in the foreground, suggesting chaos or the crowded nature of such recreational gatherings. The satire likely mocks the bicycle-riding culture's intensity and social status-consciousness. The inclusion of multiple riders—particularly fashionably-dressed women—comments on how cycling became a leisure activity for the middle and upper classes. The phrase "consist upon their sunday morning outing" implies the ritual, almost religious devotion cyclists had to their Sunday rides.