From the first “bone-shaker” to modern brands.
One of the most popular bicycle models in the late USSR was the famous “Kama.” Its production has recently been revived at the “Forward” plant in Perm, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. Considering the growing interest in cycling as a form of active recreation, we can observe a new stage in the development of the domestic bicycle industry, which has its roots in the early 19th century.
The World’s First Bicycle
Sports historians claim that the inventor of the world’s first bicycle was the talented serf mechanic Yefim Artamonov from the Perm Governorate. In 1800, he constructed a mechanism with two iron wheels, a handlebar, and a seat. The front wheel of the scooter bicycle was about a meter in diameter, while the rear wheel was half the size. The model weighed approximately 40 kilograms.
The first bicycle in history was aptly named the “bone-shaker.” The name was well-deserved, as without tires and seat springs, the rider felt every bump with their entire body.
Nevertheless, in 1801, the inventor, along with his bicycle, reached Moscow to congratulate Alexander I on his coronation. The invention impressed the emperor so much that he ordered Yefim Artamonov to be set free and rewarded him with 25 gold rubles.
It is noteworthy that a similar bicycle model made of wood appeared in Europe only 17 years later. It was invented by a German forester named Karl Drais.
The first bicycle in history was dubbed the “bone shaker” / Photo: Yandex
Transportation for the Nobility
Mass production of bicycles in our country began in the 1860s. It is known that in 1880, there were about a hundred cyclists in St. Petersburg.
However, owning an iron horse was expensive and not easy. A bicycle cost 250-400 rubles (the price of a house in the village) depending on the model, and special licenses were required to operate it.
Moreover, bicycles were prohibited from moving in crowded places, parks, and squares. When encountering a horse, the rider had to slow down or dismount to avoid frightening the animal. Given the high cost of the new means of transportation, it was mainly acquired by the nobility, aristocrats, merchants, and industrialists.
A great fan of the “bone-shaker” was Alexander II. The Russian emperor could often be seen on a bicycle in the vicinity of Tsarskoye Selo. At the same time, the monarch followed all the established rules, and there were no indulgences even for him.
Emperor Nicholas II and Tsarevich Alexei on a bike ride in the Alexander Park of Tsarskoe Selo, 1913.
Driving licenses for bicycles were also taken by Alexander III and Nicholas II, and Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich even participated in bicycle races. The first such competitions took place on June 24, 1883, on Khodynka Field in Moscow and attracted a large audience.
Gradually, bicycles gained popularity among all layers of the pre-revolutionary Russian population. In the Russian Empire, there were two factories – “Dux” in Moscow and “Leitner” in Riga – which jointly produced up to 25,000 bicycles per year. However, the revolution and the Civil War practically destroyed bicycle production in the country.
Workers of the Moscow Dux plant with bicycles, 1910s
Samoedchi – A Formidable Force
Meanwhile, the military appreciated the two-wheeled transport – in the Russian army, starting from 1891, entire detachments of cyclists, or as they were called then, “samoedchi,” were formed. In the Russian Empire, a bicycle was officially called a “samoed.”
During the Russo-Japanese War, samoedchi patrolled the railways in combat zones. In addition, some gendarmes were transferred to bicycles.
They were also used by participants in World War I. Today, the events of the Brusilov Offensive are taught in schools. However, only specialists know that military samoedchi took part in this famous operation. Mostly, they moved in the army on domestic bicycles of the “Dux” and “Rossiya” brands. In 1916, the production of a folding bicycle with the formidable name “Dux-Boevoy” (Dux-Battle) was even organized in Moscow.
Scooters after the Brusilov breakthrough
It is known that during the October Revolution, military samoedchi in Moscow switched sides to the Bolsheviks and selflessly defended the city center. Three of them, killed by the bullets of cadets, were buried near the Kremlin Wall. Later, military cyclists repeatedly participated in military parades in the first decades of the Soviet army.
USSR: Bicycles on Credit
In the Soviet Union, the authorities paid the closest attention to the development of the bicycle industry. Shortly after the Civil War, the country began contemplating the creation of domestic bicycle factories. Following the tradition, they decided not to reinvent the bicycle but to turn to the experience of their predecessors.
By the end of the 1920s, the “Dux” plant had been converted into an aviation enterprise. However, its machine park remained in the area of the modern Velozavodskaya Street, where the first Moscow bicycle plant was soon opened. Its buildings were erected from 1929 to 1933. In pre-war USSR, this was the largest bicycle production facility.
The population of the country loved this means of transport so much that in 1930, the All-Union Association of Machine Building and Metalworking Industries issued special bicycle bonds, giving the right to receive a bicycle at an astronomical sum of 56 million rubles. The nominal value of one bond was 160 rubles. Citizens made contributions to the targeted deposit once or twice a month. When the bond was fully redeemed, the citizen became the owner of a two-wheeled vehicle.
Advertisement for “Bicycle Obligations in Installments through Savings Banks,” 1930s
Propaganda for the use of bicycles was actively conducted among peasants. Rural officials even assessed the prosperity of collective farm workers based on their possession of iron horses.
Before the war, there were five bicycle factories operating in the USSR. One of the most popular models was the MD-1 (“Men’s Road”). It was produced from 1932 to 1940 at the bicycle plant in Moscow. Importantly, it was actively used not only for civilian purposes but also in the Red Army. MD-1 units moved self-propelled detachments, as well as police in cities.
Bicycle MVZ MD-1 1940 from the collection of the Velomuzey Andrey Myatiev / Photo: vk.com/velomuzey
Golden Bicycle Childhood
After the end of the Great Patriotic War, bicycle production in the USSR continued to develop actively. Factories were located throughout the country. The popularity of this type of transport became so great that many children in the Soviet Union had their lives divided into periods accompanied by a specific brand.
Collage. Bicycles “Schoolboy” (left) and “Friend” (right) from the collection of the Andrei Myatiev Velomuseum
Preschoolers rode “Druzhok,” elementary school students rode “Shkolnik,” then they bought “Orlyonok,” and closer to the end of school, young men switched to “Salut,” while girls chose the ladies’ “Kama.” In addition to these, there were other popular bicycle brands for teenagers and adults: “Minsk,” “Aist,” and “Desna.” The price ranged from 75 to 110 rubles, almost a monthly salary for a novice Soviet engineer.
Bicycle “Salyut-S” / Photo: vk.com/glazbike
Those who were into cycling purchased more serious models. The brand “Sport” had models with 6 and 8 gears. Professional athletes preferred “Start-Shosse.” This bicycle boasted 10 gears and began production in the late 1960s.
Russia: A Cycling Country
The enthusiasm for cycling in the USSR allowed the domestic bicycle industry to successfully survive the turbulent 1990s, although it had to slow down. Today, bicycles are still willingly used as personal transport, and their popularity is growing again. In major cities, bike lanes are appearing; for example, in Moscow, according to city authorities, there are about 850 km of them. The bike rental network is actively developing.
Even the Center for Traffic Safety in Moscow has created a special bike patrol. As stated by Maxim Liksutov, the head of the Department of Transport and Development of Road and Transport Infrastructure of the city of Moscow last summer:
– The traffic safety center’s bike patrol has been operating in Moscow for five years; employees not only help road users but also monitor infrastructure. This corresponds to the task set by Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin to increase travel safety.
At the same time, domestic bicycle production is developing quite successfully. The Russian company “Velomotors” produces models of popular brands Stels and “Desna,” considered leaders in the domestic market in terms of sales. Another well-known company is “Velobalt,” represented by two brands – Stinger and Novatrack. The company Stark Bikes from Pskov produces quality budget bicycles, and its models are presented on the international market. The company “Forward” offers a wide range of bicycles, and it was through their efforts that the popular Soviet bicycle brand “Kama” was revived last year.
Now Russian enterprises produce about 1 million bicycles a year / Photo: vk.com/glazbike
To tell our publication about the development of the domestic bicycle industry, the organizer of the annual exhibition “Velocult-2024” Alexey Spirin said:
– The popularity of cycling and bike culture is growing. The corresponding infrastructure is seriously developing, and numerous festivals and races are held. Speaking about the current state of the Russian bike market, the majority of it is shared by domestic and Chinese manufacturers. In the USSR, up to 3.5 million bicycles were produced per year. Now in Russia, this number is estimated at about one million. There is a tendency for this figure to grow, especially since well-known global manufacturers have left. I think we shouldn’t expect new large companies to enter the market yet, nevertheless, we will still see new brands.
By Dmitri Sokolov