Which Teddy Roosevelt comes to mind at the mention of the name? Cowboy? Conservationist? Naturalist? Statesman? Slayer of Tigers and Elephants? Historian? Leader of the Rough Riders during the Spanish-American War? Lover of Poetry? Writer? One's answer is a matter of individual perception, for Roosevelt was all of these, and more. Generally ranked among the top five U.S. presidents of all time, "T.R.," as he was commonly known, is still a lion in the path of all who would understand the American character.
The bicycle presented here, a Windsor made in Kenosha, Wisconsin, may well have been ridden in one of the many parades in cities and small towns across America during Roosevelt's 1904 campaign for president. Whether or not T.R. fulfilled his progressive policies and achieved success as a combatant of "prejudice, lawlessness, and injustice" as the bicycle's campaign banner proclaims, will be open for discussion as I attempt to tell the story of America in two bicycles, juxtaposing this bike with the 1896 Buffalo Soldier Bicycle presented elsewhere on this site.
Note the red, white and blue wood rims, brass American flag bell, wood handlebars with cork grips, and original saddle.
The bicycle presented here, a Windsor made in Kenosha, Wisconsin, may well have been ridden in one of the many parades in cities and small towns across America during Roosevelt's 1904 campaign for president. Whether or not T.R. fulfilled his progressive policies and achieved success as a combatant of "prejudice, lawlessness, and injustice" as the bicycle's campaign banner proclaims, will be open for discussion as I attempt to tell the story of America in two bicycles, juxtaposing this bike with the 1896 Buffalo Soldier Bicycle presented elsewhere on this site.
Note the red, white and blue wood rims, brass American flag bell, wood handlebars with cork grips, and original saddle.
Teddy Roosevelt 1904 Campaign Bicycle ©Daniel Dahlquist