Muscle on Wheels
Louise Armaindo and the High-Wheel Racers of Nineteenth-Century America
Format:Hardback
Publisher:McGill-Queen's University Press
Published:21st Aug '18
Currently unavailable, our supplier has not provided us a restock date
This book explores the untold history of women's high-wheel bicycle racing, focusing on Louise Armaindo's remarkable journey and contributions to the sport.
In Muscle on Wheels, readers are taken on a captivating journey through the world of high-wheel bicycle racing, highlighting one of North America's pioneering female athletes. The high-wheel bicycle, with its distinctive design and rubber tires, became the standard mode of transport in the mid-1870s. Contrary to popular belief, women were not restricted by Victorian norms from participating in cycling; in fact, they had been riding various forms of bicycles since the early 19th century. This book challenges the notion that cycling was solely a male-dominated sport, revealing the vibrant history of women's racing in the 1880s and early 1890s.
At the heart of Muscle on Wheels is the inspiring story of Louise Armaindo, one of Canada's first professional female athletes. Armaindo began her career in the 1870s as a strongwoman and trapeze artist before transitioning to high-wheel bicycle racing. Her journey showcases not only her remarkable talent but also the evolving landscape of women's sports as more women entered the competitive scene. Initially racing against men, Armaindo eventually found herself competing alongside other female cyclists, further solidifying her legacy in the sport.
The narrative delves into the lives of other women cyclists and the various men who influenced the sport, including managers, trainers, and editors of cycling magazines. Muscle on Wheels celebrates the achievements of working-class Victorian women who utilized their athletic abilities to forge a path in a challenging environment, illuminating a significant yet often overlooked chapter in sports history.
"Fixing a feminist gaze on the turn-of-the-century cycling phenomenon, M. Ann Hall's Muscle on Wheels is an impressive account of a gifted and highly successful professional athlete and performer whose sensational career spanned North America." Nancy B. Bouchier, McMaster University
"In Muscle on Wheels, [Hall] tells a story set mainly south of the border, where talented women could earn real money thanks to wide-scale betting on the spectacle of sport, and watch it vanish into the pockets of agents, managers, and event organizers. Though Armaindo appears to have held her own amongst these "fast" men, decking and dumping those she realized were ripping her off. One newspaper account had Armaindo and her agent and coach, Tom Eck, wrestling it out when she felt he was not treating her fairly. Given the sensationalistic nature of sports news, it is hard to really know – but let's hope her incredible strength came in handy in every avenue of her life. Muscle on Wheels transports the reader to the racetrack, to the exciting days when Armaindo rode every other North American woman (and many men) into the ground." Literary Review of Canada
“In reading M. Ann Hall’s fascinating biography of Quebec-born professional cyclist Louise Armaindo, one can’t help wondering what other remarkable stories of athleticism have been downplayed, ridiculed, or outright ignored over the past century…Her stories of how these women persevered despite the financial, physical, and sexual exploitation they experienced is disturbing in its parallels to recent #MeToo stories from contemporary professional athletes. Yet Hall’s book still feels like a celebration.” Quill & Quire
"This engaging book tells the amazing story of a French-Canadian woman and 20 other women who were professional cyclists in the late 19th century. It also recounts the history of wome's high-wheel (tri)cycling in the 1880s and women's so-called "safety" (
"More than a biography of a fascinating bicycle racing pioneer, Muscle on Wheels treats a wide variety of characters, men and women, mostly unknown today. Hall does an excellent job correcting the oversights of authors focusing on cycle history." idrottsf
ISBN: 9780773554658
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
248 pages