The Bike Soldiers

- Pferron Doss

In the 1890s, a new bicycle was taking the world by storm. This bike had two wheels the same size, gears, and air-filled tires. “Safety bikes” were the first to look like the bikes we ride today. They were speedy, comfortable, and fun. Everyone wanted one. Even the army!

Steeds of Steel

Why would the army be interested in bikes? Back in the 1890s, there were no cars. To get somewhere, you walked, took a train, or rode a horse. But bikes were cheaper than horses. You didn’t have to feed them, brush them, or keep them warm at night. A bike never got sick, bit you, or ran away. You could hide a bike easily, and they were hard to track.

Some armies in Europe were already using bicycles for scouting and carrying messages. In the U.S., one young army lieutenant was eager to demonstrate that soldiers on bicycles could do anything that soldiers on horses could do—and better.

Lieutenant James Moss had just graduated from West Point Military Academy when he was sent to command the 25th Infantry, a troop of all African American soldiers at Fort Missoula, Montana. A keen cyclist himself, Moss convinced the army to let him test bikes as a new way for soldiers to get around.

Moss found eight volunteer bike testers from among his own experienced troops. These men had to be reliable and in excellent physical shape. Most were good bike riders already, though one had to learn. They became the 25th Infantry Bicycle Corps.

To test the bicycles and the soldiers who would be riding them, they made some bike trips around Montana, to Yellowstone and what is now Glacier Park. These trips taught them a lot about their bikes, mud, flat tires, and each other.