With Edinburgh’s Festival of Cycling almost upon us we thought it might be a good idea to plunder Capital Collections for bike-themed photographs – and we’ve found some real beauties.
For starters, here are the members of the Edinburgh University Cycling club making their way down George Street on their ‘penny farthings’ on the morning of Saturday 18th June 1884.

all images from http://www.capitalcollections.org.uk
No helmets or lycra for the ladies and gentleman of the Leith Licensed Victuallers Cycling Club, pictured below. This is Edinburgh Cycle Chic, 1895 style.
On the other side of town, almost a century later, this BMXer gets rad.
See more, including a tricyle cum fire engine and the fist-pumping socialist cycling club of Musselburgh on our special online exhibition.