Prøve GULL - Gratis
IN THE SLIPSTREAM OF CYCLING'S FORGOT THEN HEROES
Bicycling US
|Fall 2025
My 1,900-mile ride through the American West to honor the Black soldiers of the 25th Infantry Bicycle Corps.

THE JOURNEY BEGINS WITH A PHOTOGRAPH.
In the most famous picture of the group, the men pose with their bicycles, dark military uniforms stark against the bright, almost white travertine and limestone backdrop, a spot in Yellowstone National Park known as Minerva Terrace. Each man has his hat cocked back, eyes visible, even though their faces look in different directions.
The individual expressions of the men are not clear in this grainy snapshot from 1896, but their poses carry an air of discipline and dignity, and they hold their bikes gingerly as if they are precious. The two wheels in their care are their only method of transportation back to their barracks, hundreds of miles away.
The thing that intrigues me, given that this is a photo from over 100 years ago, is that all the cyclists are Black.
These men were part of the 25th Infantry Regiment Bicycle Corps, one of six all-Black Army regiments that were known as Buffalo Soldiers. Informally called Iron Riders, for their mettle and fierce resolve, the Corps traversed the American West in an effort to prove the bicycle could be useful in military exercises. One of the group's earliest excursions was a 790-mile round-trip ride from their base at Fort Missoula, Montana, to Yellowstone National Park. Their next was almost 2,000 miles long; it began on June 14, 1897, and took 41 days. Newspapers called it “The Great Experiment,” and readers across America were transfixed by accounts of their progress as they pedaled from Fort Missoula to St. Louis, Missouri.

Denne historien er fra Fall 2025-utgaven av Bicycling US.
Abonner på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av kuraterte premiumhistorier og over 9000 magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
FLERE HISTORIER FRA Bicycling US

Bicycling US
BIKE TUBES-YES, BIKE TUBES HAVE ENTERED THE CHAT
RAISE A HAND FOR THE HUMBLE UPGRADE THAT WILL TRANSFORM EVERY RIDE.
12 mins
Fall 2025

Bicycling US
BICYCLING'S GUIDE TO THE PERFECT BIKE FIT
JENNA FOLEY WISHES SHE DIDN'T HAVE TO LEARN ABOUT THE importance of a bike fit the hard way.
9 mins
Fall 2025

Bicycling US
THE STEEL BIKE THAT REDEFINED HOW I RIDE
OVER THE PAST few years, I've grown increasingly disenchanted with the chase of new bikes. I've been riding predominantly carbon mountain bikes for a decade, but they have started to feel a bit replaceable. I suppose that's the nature of plastic bikes: They're engineering marvels for a few years until the lighter, stiffer version drops. I found myself wanting something with a little more staying power.
4 mins
Fall 2025

Bicycling US
THE FIERCEST SISTERHOOD IN CYCLING
These nine badass women have raised millions for cancer research-through sweat, loyalty, and the kind of bond that can't be faked.
22 mins
Fall 2025

Bicycling US
A SINGLE BIKE RIDE IS WORTH A THOUSAND BRUNCHES
You learn a lot about your friends when you share a bed and chamois cream.
3 mins
Fall 2025

Bicycling US
IS YOUR BIKE SETUP HOLDING YOU BACK?
UNTIL RECENTLY, I had always resisted making big or sudden adjustments to my bike setup.
4 mins
Fall 2025

Bicycling US
WHY I RIDE WHEN THE WORLD IS SLEEPING
In the dark, I learned to sit in silence, transfixed by nature and memory.
9 mins
Fall 2025

Bicycling US
IN THE SLIPSTREAM OF CYCLING'S FORGOT THEN HEROES
My 1,900-mile ride through the American West to honor the Black soldiers of the 25th Infantry Bicycle Corps.
21 mins
Fall 2025

Bicycling US
GRAVEL BIKES ARE CHANGING. FINALLY.
I'VE PREVIOUSLY ARGUED that there are too many gravel bikes with little distinction among them.
4 mins
Fall 2025

Bicycling US
I'M A PERSONAL TRAINER. HERE'S WHY I DON'T TELL MY CLIENTS TO LOSE WEIGHT.
IN MY 10-PLUS years of working as a personal trainer, new clients have often come to me with fitness goals that include “losing weight.” During their intake session, I push them to articulate specifically what that means to them.
3 mins
Fall 2025
Listen
Translate
Change font size