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Guy On A Bike: Backpedaling

By Guy Still, WCCO-TV

It seems each year brings new bicycle lanes to Minneapolis, and with it the popularity of the two-wheeled transport appears to be at an all-time high. But the largest city in the upper Midwest is actually experiencing a resurgence of the sport. In 1901, the Minneapolis Journal estimated "a wheeling population of not less than 35,000," or 18 percent of inhabitants. And if you ever searched the internet for turn-of-the-century cycling pictures from the area, chances are you've seen the name Frederick Roach. I recently came across the name, along with some great historic pictures, taking me down a rabbit hole that would lead me to a relative, and lots of interesting facts about the mysterious figure from cycling days of yore.

Until the late 19th century, bicycles were both dangerous and inaccessible for most of the population. In 1885, the "safety bicycle" was introduced, boasting equally sized wheels and the diamond-shaped frame we see on most bicycles today. The sport took off with fervor: bicycle paths were built, time trials and 100-mile races drew large crowds and, by the turn of the century, Minneapolis police threatened to arrest those scofflaws who had not procured a bicycle path tag. Bicycles were in high demand and, in 1887, Roach and his brother Arthur opened up a shop in their family home, located at 519 Hennepin Avenue.

A Rambler bicycle could be had at Roach's shop for $35. Business was so brisk that, in 1889, Roach razed the Hennepin Avenue home and replaced it with a proper storefront. In 1903, an advertisement stated that Roach had the only "exclusive salesroom in the city." The proprietor even offered $1,000 if anyone who could prove that the Rambler he offered didn't outnumber any other brand by a margin of 2-to-1 in the city. When the snow started to fly Roach offered to "store your wheel for the winter and have it repaired right."

Roach Guarantee
(credit: Minneapolis Journal, April 5, 1901)

By all accounts, Roach was not only a businessman, but also a cycling enthusiast. At one time, he acted as treasurer for the Flour City Cyclists, a long defunct club of crackerjack wheelmen. An August, 1904 newspaper article noted that Roach reported to the County Commission that Minnetonka bicycle path was in good condition, "with exception of a growth of weeds," which should be tended to immediately. Roach was often also listed among the contributors of the prizes up for grabs at local cycling competitions, such as the 100-mile Lake Harriet road race.

With growing competition and the increasing availability of the automobile, Roach sought to expand business ventures. Advertisements bragged of various exclusive items to Minneapolis, including the only lawn mower grinder and ball-bearing skate grinder, both of which may have been the same device. Roach also sold both Yale and Indian Motorcycles. The successful businessman's name was regularly listed as the mortgagee in foreclosure notices posted in Minneapolis Finance & Commerce, indicating that he was also lending cash to home buyers.

Roach was also a visionary, and a man ahead of his time. In a February, 1901 Minneapolis Journal editorial, Roach was lambasted for an earlier article in which he proposed a network of "charging plants" at popular tourist destinations of the time (including Minnetonka Beach, Excelsior, Como and White Bear) in order to charge the batteries of electric automobiles. Today there are more than two dozen electric car charging stations in the Twin Cities metro area.

Roach On A Bike
(credit: Claudia Schuman)

It is unclear when Roach left the bicycle business, but a 1910 edition of Motorcycle Illustrated characterized Roach as, "an erstwhile dealer and rider who is now living on 'Easy Street,'" indicating he got out when popularity of cycling began to decline, as automobiles became the preferred method of transport in America. He passed away, with little fanfare, in Minneapolis in 1960, at the age of 92.
While Roach's Rambler bicycles no longer roll on the cobblestones along Mill Ruins Park, and his name is all but forgotten, the spirit of the pioneers of Minneapolis cycling lives on. Names like Frederick Roach, A.A. Hansen (who once held the record for the quickest 1,000 mile ride) and C.H. Vanderhoof have been replaced by their contemporaries, such as Hurl Everstone, Martin Rudnick and Adam Turman, all of whom bring a passion to the sport which continues to make Minneapolis one of the greatest cities to be a cyclist.

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