Hundreds of cyclists competed in the annual Pullman Bicycle Race which drew as many as 100,000 spectators along its 15 mile route
Cycling tracks were built in the parks. Garfield Park was where the black cyclist Major Taylor set a world record in 1899 while doing a mile in just over a minute 22 seconds. The Chicago Tribune called him "The Colored Wonder."
There were other endurance competitions racing for six days with only short breaks. One such competition took place at the Chicago Colesium which resulted in Illinois' General Assembly making it illegal to race for more than 12 hours straight.
Some worried that the female body was too fragile to withstand the physical efforts of cycling. Others feared that bicycling made it too easy for young men and women to socialize away from watchful eyes. One coachman crashed in 1896 when he was distracted by the sight of "a well-formed woman wearing a suit of of red bloomers."
--DaCoot
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