An all metal Velocipede built in France circa 1870/73. A rear mounting step, wire spoke tension wheels, and rubber tires vastly improve the ride-ability of this velocipede. From this technological point onward (1870) all wooden wheeled velocipedes were referred to as “Boneshakers”. Tension wheels are far superior to the older wooden wagon wheel. Lighter in weight and held true by tensioning the spokes, these offered a degree of suspension over their wooden counter-parts. They could be repaired or made "true" by tensioning spokes.
This Velocipede has a plate on the saddle chock that identifies the owner and his address as Louis Normand - 81 Rue de Silly, Boulogne (Seine)
Louis Normand appears on a roster of members of a scientific society in the 1890's.
