The English manufacturers Starley and Sutton launched their Rover Safety Cycle in 1885 and so began the modern bicycle era. Their innovations had resulted in the bicycle still familiar today, much safer and easier to use than all prior styles. Within a very few years similar bicycles were being produced and sold all over the United Kingdom.

The safety bicycle appeared at a time when more people had more leisure - the six day working week was vanishing to be replaced by 5 ½ or even 5 days. A bicycle was not only a good investment for getting to and from work easily and cheaply it could give many ordinary people the chance to explore further from home than they could before.

The first cyclists conformed to the Victorian era's passion for organisation. The natural thing for a band of enthusiasts to do was form a club. The clubs elected committees, wrote some rules, organised their members and awarded prizes. The first clubs were organised by men, for men but soon cycling became an activity for the whole family.

Very quickly after the introduction of the safety bicycle designs for women appeared that accommodated their ankle length skirts. Bicycling gave women more personal freedom and they joined cycle clubs in their thousands. Special costume was developed for cycling and the craze helped to drive forward ideas about fashions, health and even politics.

Most of the Victorian and Edwardian youth organisation saw that bicycles could be fitted into their programmes. Scouting was all about 'self-reliance' and 'service' and the bicycle could be used to demonstrate both. Troops and patrols organised expeditions by bicycle, of ever increasing distance, to win proficiency badges. Others came up with ingenious ways in which the bicycle could help in 'emergencies'. Scout 'Cycle Stretcher Parties' applied many skills to their tasks.

The bicycle had been adopted by several Territorial Army formations prior to the outbreak of war in 1914. It was seen as a means of increasing their mobility without any great expense. When the Territorial battalions went to war, their bicycles went as well. Although the Western Front was not a theatre where mobility was uppermost, cyclists of the Army Cycle Corps carried out reconnaissance and carried messages between command posts.

With the development of motorised public transport bicycling began to decline in popularity. By the 1970s, when many families could afford a car, cycling was the domain of the sportsperson and the enthusiast. Few would argue that a city street, in winter, amongst assorted heavy transport, was any place for a cyclist.

Many people believed that with just a little thought and investment the streets could be made safer for cyclists. The Lothian Cycle Campaign was inaugurated in 1977 and by the end of the 20th century had become an effective agent for change convincing planners and politicians alike of the need both to encourage greater cycle use and to adapt routes so that bicyclists could travel in greater safety. Between 1991 and 1999 the number of Edinburgh residents cycling to work increased by 53%, reversing a long-term decline.