Peugeot folding bicycle 1899

Peugeot Captain Gerard folding bicycle from 1899. Frame number: 57588. This is the first folding bike manufactured in relatively large numbers.

Bicycles were introduced to French army in the late 1870, and by 1890 the first cycling company was formed, based in San-Quentin. In 1893 Captain Gerard, the company's commander and cycling enthusiast, envisioned and patented a folding bicycle. Soldiers were meant to carry it on their backs over unfavourable terrain. Gerard's original design was technically poor, but in this time Charles Morel, French industrialist, worked on his version of such construction. Actually Morel's prototype was ready one year earlier, in 1892. In 1894 Gerard and Morel decided to cooperate in order to commercialise the design. Their manufacture was opened in April 1895 and was very successful. In 1899, Peugeot and Michelin in cooperation with the French army had overtaken the production. Below you can find an illustrated brochure from1901, promoting the new invention in army and in everyday life: "La Bicyclette Pliante et Portative, systeme du Capitaine Gerard". To the left: Captain Gerards's patent