Bicycle Posters - part 11

 Bicycles were introduced in the 19th century in Europe, and by the early 21st century, more than 1 billion were in existence at a given time. These numbers far exceed the number of cars, both in total and ranked by the number of individual models produced. They are the principal means of transportation in many regions.

The safety bicycle was developed in 1894, and this allowed women the momentous occasion to finally cycle on their own. Advertisers were quick to realise that if women began riding bicycles, then their marketing tactics would have to adapt to increase sales. This proved to be a key moment of transformation: female consumers needed to see themselves in advertising, and the poster art obliged them. For the first time ever, women were given a key element to attaining independence—the bicycle, and all the roving possibilities that entailed—and posters emboldened this new assertion of power. Female cyclists were depicted as goddesses, warriors, angels, enchantresses, and arbiters of their own desires. In posters, the women were in charge.

Posters continued their work of appealing to both female and male consumers. Their depictions of powerful goddesses could inspire female audiences, but they could also be made attractive to men. In this way, advertisers could sell the idea of machines to women and also sell the idea of women using machines to male audiences—a double marketing whammy.

For more information on bicycle posters see part 1, and for earlier examples see parts 1 - 10 also.

This is part 11 of an 11-part series on bicycle posters:

Cycle Races 1933 - 1987:

1933 Il Giro d'Italia XXI (Italy)

c1936 XXIV Giro d'Italia Ciclistico advertisement for Cinzano (Italy)

1939 7. Professional-Kriterium Zürich (Switzerland)

1951 IV Wyscig Pokoju
(Peace Race - Eastern Europe)

1953 IV Internationale Friedensfahrt Warschau Berlin Prag 
(Peace Race - Eastern Europe)

1954 VII Wyscig Pokoju
(Peace Race - Eastern Europe)

1955 VIII Internationale Radfernfahrt Für Deb Frieden
(Peace Race - Eastern Europe)

1955 VIII Wyscig Pokuju
(Peace Race - Eastern Europe)

1955 VIII. Internationale RadfernFahrt Für Den Frieden
(Peace Race - Eastern Europe)

1957 Internationale Friedensfahrt Prag Berlin Warschau
(Peace Race - Eastern Europe)

1958 X. DDR-Rundfahrt 1958
(GDR Tour)

1959 Halle Grüst die Teilnehmer der XIII.

 Halle Greets the Participants 

(Eastern Europe)

1959 XI. DDR-RundFahrt 195p
(GDR Tour)

1962 Závod Míru Kvetna 1962
(Peace Race - Eastern Europe)

1963 XVI Praha-Warszawa-Berlin

1963 XVI. Mezinárodní Závod Míru 1963 Praha Warszawa Berlin
(The International Peace Race)

1964 Warszawa Berlin Praha

1964 XVII. Mezinárodní Závod Míru 1964

1966 Internationale Friedensfahrt 1966
(The International Peace Race)

1968 Berlin Praha Warszawa by Leszek Holdanowicz
(The International Peace Race)

1968 XXI. Internationale Friedensfahrt Berlin Praha Warszawa
(The International Peace Race)

1971 Trybuna Ludu. Neues Deutschland. Rudé Pravo (Poland)

1973 26. Praha-Warzawa-Berlin
(The International Peace Race)

1974 27 Warszawa Berlin Praha
(The International Peace Race)

1977 30 Wyscig Pokoju (Poland)

1980 33. Warszawa Berlin Praha
(The International Peace Race)

1987 Berlin-Praha-Warszawa 40.
(The International Peace Race)

Various undated posters:

n.d. La Santé dur 2 roues sûrement! (France)

n.d. Le Premier Pas Dunlop by Bardamus (France)

n.d. Les Cycles Alcyon (France)

n.d. Manège Petit Bicyclettes

n.d. Pneu l'Electric (France)

n.d. Pneu Pirelli (France)

n.d. Prinetti Stucchi (Italy)

n.d. Prinetti Stucchi by Osvaldo Ballerio (Italy)

n.d. Rudge Cycle Co. Ltd. works Coventry (UK)

n.d. Singer "Pneus Dunlop" (UK)

n.d. Sur Cycles Royal-Fabric by Fritayre (France)
63 x 48 cm

n.d. Vélodrome du Montet by Marcellin Auzolle (France)
72 x 101 cm