The Bulletin And Good Roads

The Bulletin And Good Roads front cover
đź“– League of American Wheelmen (L.A.W.), Boston, USA
📆 1896-07-03 to 1898-06-24
📚 25 issues

The Bulletin and Good Roads is a late-19th-century American cycling journal tied to the League of American Wheelmen, combining advocacy for road improvements with practical cycling coverage. It publishes U.S. division reports (Massachusetts, Ohio), travel and transport notes (Tampa, Florida; Canadian railways; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), legal analyses (Pennsylvania court bicycle rulings), race commentary (six-day events), technical reviews and advertisements (Palmer pneumatic tires; repair tools, Chicago/New York offices), club news, manufacturing and labor anecdotes (Pennsylvania wheel factory), tips and warnings, humor and verse, international industry critiques (French press on American cycles), and letters from members nationwide advocating good public roads.


52 Issues

Vol 24
Vol 26
Vol 27
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 24, No 1 (1896-07-03)
Issue (July 3, 1896) covers Pennsylvania Railroad's 60¢ wheel charge vs. B.&O. free carriage, horse-car track hazards advocating grooved rails, cornering etiquette, Brooklyn 'Whirling Dervishes' courtesy pledge.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 24, No 2 (1896-07-10)
July 10, 1896 L.A.W. Bulletin: causes of rear-wheel punctures, bicycle tramps begging, toe-clip fit (bow‑legged), hill-assist pushing, Coney Island ruts, seat-rust stains, debate on women riders.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 24, No 3 (1896-07-17)
July 17, 1896 L.A.W. Bulletin: letters on streetcar-track hazards, a strict bicycle ordinance (6 mph, bell requirement), Mt. Hamilton coasting danger, L.A.W. assistance after wheel damage, and club conduct.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 24, No 4 (1896-07-15)
Letters on railroad bicycle shipping charges, rust removal for wool trousers, defense of forward riding posture, uphill assistance technique, Utica cycle paths' superiority, and Nova Scotia left-hand rule/ticket deposit.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 24, No 5 (1896-07-31)
L.A.W. Bulletin (1896) reports Montclair added 137 members, a stolen '95 wheel (#13,913) anecdote, rust-removal tips (pyro-developer, oxalic acid), Louisville waives lantern/bell laws for '96 Meet.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 24, No 6 (1896-08-07)
1896 L.A.W. Bulletin: cycling inner-tube swimming aid; Paterson wheel damage resolved by L.A.W. via C. Frank Kireker; Jos. T. Whitehouse praises membership benefits; editorials urge local good-roads action.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 24, No 7 (1896-08-14)
Issue covers touring attire recommendations, Wakefield MA signage improvements, Erie Canal towpath access for wheelmen, road-courtesy advice, an experiment on wheel revolutions (gear 72, 7" crank), and membership rules.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 24, No 8 (1896-08-21)
Aug 21, 1896 LAW Bulletin: celebrates Louisville Meet; reports Champlain Canal tow-path permission; steamboat/rail wheel-fare disputes; urges patronizing friendly carriers; promotes Standard Cyclometer and road improvements.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 24, No 9 (1896-08-18)
Reports on hiring American bicycles in Paris/Dieppe/Brighton; Rambler/G.&J. incentives and records (1896); English heavy enclosed-chain machines; League buttons giveaway controversy; petition for Seventh Avenue bicycle path.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 24, No 10 (1896-09-01)
Letters debate wheelmen conduct (Massapequa pump defense, anti-tramp riding), Rambler/Gormully & Jeffery 3,000-mile gold-souvenir and mileage contests (Detroit Rambler Club leads), free wheel transport on Gloucester boats.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 24, No 11 (1896-08-20)
Medicinal warning on aromatic sulphuric acid; church acceptance of bicycles; thorns causing punctures in Delaware; hard vs soft tire debate; handlebar riding styles; L.A.W. Racing Board denies wheel bans.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 24, No 12 (1896-09-16)
Letters propose graded, colored tour-maps; praise C.R.R. of New Jersey for free bicycle transport while Erie charges; urge city street sprinkling; complain of Long Branch harassment of women; T.C. Durant.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 24, No 13 (1896-09-18)
LAW Bulletin letters (Sept 1896): wheel-repair transport method; passing etiquette and bell use; defense of cyclists versus horse drivers; Sunday riding debate; rubber-band aeolian-harp on Long Island wheels.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 24, No 14 (1896-10-02)
Oct 2, 1896 L.A.W. Bulletin: letters praise lady riders, recount whip-carriage accident, report membership perks in Buffalo/Niagara, laud Nantucket macadam road, catalogues from Geo. A. Clark and W.C. Johnston.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 24, No 15 (1896-10-09)
L.A.W. Bulletin debates soft versus hard tires and pneumatics for comfort and punctures; reports safety nuisance fads—rubber-band “olian harp” and brass gongs—prompting park orders and police removal.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 24, No 16 (1896-10-01)
LAW Bulletin letters discuss pro vs. amateur ethics in racing, Portsmouth (R.I.) State-sample road (J.B. Carr, Vanderbilt), Grand Trunk R.R. complaint, chain maintenance tips, Cyclists Supply Co. ad.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 24, No 17 (1890-10-09)
Debate on hard vs soft tires linked to saddles and handlebars; riders report inflation practices and longevity. Knee ailments attributed to saddle height; safety urged after Fairmount Park tunnel collision.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 24, No 18 (1896-10-23)
Reports Swiss 'Hare and Hounds' bicycle meets at Vevay; debates road rules and 'royal purple' ribbons; Memphis cyclists' response to drivers; Port Byron–Clyde shortcut; candidate support; decal popularity.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 24, No 19 (1896-10-30)
Louis Rubenstein defends Montreal cycling; animal anecdotes (rabbits, squirrel, nightingales); multiple letters report cycling curing sciatica; saddle adjustment advice; Connecticut Division issues 27-map road book.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 24, No 20 (1896-11-07)
Nov 1896 L.A.W. letters: Tom Wallace Jr.'s rubber-and-handkerchief tire repair; complaint about bicycle gongs; Philadelphia flooding causing tandem falls (Oct 28, 1896); road-map and good-roads discussions.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 24, No 21 (1896-11-20)
Nov 20, 1896 issue debates oldest clubs (Boston Bicycle Club founded Feb 11, 1878); details Binghamton election parade tackings, Quincy horse-kick wreck, lamp tips, and Samuel Barnett's fatal fork failure.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 24, No 22 (1894-11-27)
Advocates hard tires; proposes sectional road maps and NJ‑NY cooperation; Philly L.A.W. division organization plan; membership appeal and benefits; touring tips (wind trainer, gear advice); Broad Street subway note.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 24, No 23 (1891-11-27)
LAW Bulletin (late Nov. 1891): club statistics (Hudson, Appleton, Old Essex), dispute over oldest club, League-ticket fraud in Birmingham, nail puncture anecdote, and hard-versus-soft pneumatic-tire debate.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 24, No 24 (1896-12-11)
Dec 11, 1896 L.A.W. Bulletin: testimony of bicycle-restored health, bicycle etiquette for escorting two ladies, Kentucky road/toll complaints, Brighton Bicycle Club history, Rear Admiral Gherardi joins L.A.W., missionary proposal.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 24, No 25 (1896-12-18)
Dec 18, 1896 L.A.W. Bulletin: crank-and-gear advice (32" wheel; 72" cranks; 25-tooth sprocket); Madison County 50¢ bicycle tax for sidepaths; Frank Van Doorn demands good roads in Rochester.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 24, No 26 (1896-12-25)
L.A.W. Bulletin (Dec 25, 1896): League membership claims (Rushville, Klamath Falls, Lamar), NJ press-bureau cooperation, Chicago Cycle Show poster exhibit, Sterling Elliott defends publishing, circulation figures reported.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 27, No 1 (1898-01-07)
Jan 7, 1898 issue reports Palmer Jiffy repair tool and 1898 Palmer Tires, debate over six‑day races' hours, coast‑to‑coast cycle‑path offer, Canadian travel tips, tire‑sabotage tacks.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 27, No 2 (1890-01-01)
Late-1880s LAW bulletin: New York bicycle road rules, Eau Claire–Chippewa Falls cycle path construction, League proposals taxing bicycles for roads, mechanical tips (lubricants, spanners), touring book, Manson Cycle Co. ad.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 27, No 3 (1897-11-01)
McIlrath's 1897 Asia tour praises and criticizes Palmer Tires; toll-road photo of Bedford–Chambersburg Pike; Massachusetts cycle-path protection bill; Greater New York winter ride route; novel Wheatena tube repair.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 27, No 4 (1898-01-28)
Sterling Cycle Works ad and agency listings; $20,000 coast‑to‑coast cycle path proposal; European touring/customs advice (Pennell, Weston); L.A.W. membership debate; practical flagstaff, shipping damage complaints.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 27, No 5 (1898-02-04)
Promotes Palmer Tires' superiority; L.A.W. pushes Ohio permanent Highway Commission (Senator Martin Dodge); reports bad roads in Iowa and Louisville; member Canada trip; repair tip: collodion.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 27, No 6 (1898-02-11)
L.A.W. road-improvement advocacy (Worcester membership), benefits of wide wagon tires, English dress guard at National Cycle Show, A.J. Cassatt's road reforms, safety advice, club notices.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 27, No 7 (1898-02-18)
Palmer Tires portrait contest; enamel removal using potash/caustic soda; advocacy for oiling chains and detachable repair links; new rim-clamping brake; 555-inch sprocket; Niagara County side-paths and toll debate; L.A.W. Assembly.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 27, No 8 (1898-02-25)
Sterling Cycle Works '98 model ad with prices and agents; Bermuda bicycling tips and customs duty; pneumatic hub innovation; heated pedals/handlebar; Sidepaths paper launch; L.A.W. good-roads advocacy.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 27, No 9 (1895-03-01)
Carpenter tests show Victor Straight Line Sprocket preserves efficiency in wet sand (98.1%). Overman ad, South Jersey bicycle mail route, graphite lubrication gains, practical repair and riding tips.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 27, No 10 (1898-03-11)
Repairs (pedal-shaft bolt fix), lubricants (vaseline vs oil, graphite), magnetic ball-lifter, English 1897 trends (disc hubs, brazeless joints, chainless), Niagara '98 bicycle giveaway by Buffalo Wheel Company.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 27, No 11 (1898-03-18)
Palmer Pneumatic Tire contest; German "Troubador" cycle music device; proposed NY–NJ bridge elevated boulevard with bicycle path; 1868 velocipede relic description; Vineland sidewalk ban; toll-road debate; road-instruction advocacy.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 27, No 12 (1898-03-25)
Issue covers a folding-bicycle design; supplemental passenger seat; Hudson River steamers' bicycle carriage policies (Mary Powell free, others charge); Gauntlet gloves request; John Mulvey car-injury verdict; E.E. Eaton chain-repair tips.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 27, No 13 (1898-04-01)
April 1, 1898 issue: contest named amateurs Peabody, Ertz, Becker, Powell; Niagara County side-path advocacy by Chas. T. Raymond; tow-paths open on Erie Canal; summary of 1897 cycle patents.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 27, No 14 (1898-04-08)
Reports Everett’s Chambersburg and Bedford Pike condition; hauling-power road statistics; warning against magnets in bearings; debate over a Touring Department; Century Wheelmen branch plans; England touring tips.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 27, No 15 (1898-04-01)
April 1898 issue: Palmer Tire testimonials on Sterling tandem endurance; W. S. Stevenson stops runaway horse on Fairmont Avenue; Scranton tack sabotage; L.A.W. enforcement; Clearfield log-drive photograph.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 27, No 16 (1898-04-22)
Calls to repair Hudson County boulevard; debate on using magnets for bicycle bearings; praise of Savannah's paved and scenic touring roads; warnings about defective chains and the rise of chainless wheels.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 27, No 17 (1898-04-29)
Palmer tires' extreme mileage claims; Chicago bicycle funerals proposed; animal oils damage rubber; set‑screws reappear; anti‑side‑slip tire compound; cyclometer fitting issues; L.A.W. Bulletin masthead (Apr 29, 1898).
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 27, No 18 (1898-05-06)
1898-05-06 L.A.W. Bulletin reports English high-gear craze needing stronger frames, a cyclometer magnifying-lens patent, chain-sprocket geometry, bottle-litter hazards, and Prince of Wales learning to ride.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 27, No 19 (1898-05-13)
May 13, 1898 issue covers a Rambler/Gormully & Jeffrey libel investigation, Snohomish cedar cycle-path, obsolete 'cob' mount patterns, criticism of the word 'bike', and L.A.W. masthead.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 27, No 20 (1898-05-20)
May 20, 1898 L.A.W. lists state-by-state mileages (J.H. George 32,479; Mrs. A.M.C. Allen 21,026), discusses crank origins, repair tip for stuck cone, Hardy monologue, Gormully & Jeffery reward.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 27, No 21 (1898-06-15)
L.A.W. Bulletin reports League Cycling Club of Philadelphia's country house, Ambia, Indiana street protest, Northwestern Military Academy bicycle corps offering government service, debate on wide tires and separate cycle paths.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 27, No 22 (1898-06-03)
June 3, 1898 L.A.W. Bulletin: advocacy for Long Island side-paths, educational value of cyclepaths, chain-joining instructions, Franklin Park police complaints, Lancaster Turnpike hazard, club news and notices.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 27, No 23 (1895-05-10)
Advice on pedal threading (right/left), Mr. Bennett's aerial-cycle trials at Crystal Palace with Mr. Spencer, Bar Harbor's fluted roads, careful 500–1000 mile wheel comparison, Spanish seizure anecdote.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 27, No 24 (1898-06-17)
Explains two-/three-/four‑point hub ball‑bearing constructions; reports Ohio cycle‑path law with $1 license and metal tag; New Bedford twelve‑map series by South Bristol League Club; L.A.W. Bulletin masthead.
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The Bulletin And Good Roads, Vol 27, No 25 (1898-06-01)
Reports: L.A.W. membership card aided a Massachusetts volunteer in Tampa; Pennsylvania court ruled bicycles not 'vehicles'; review of an upright English bicycle design; Brazil's weak bicycle market; Missouri good-roads advocacy.