Herlihy Sheds Light on ‘The Lost Cyclist’

When bicycles were introducedin the 19th century, they were largely condemned as hazardous fads;nevertheless, by the end of the century, bicycling had become not only acrucial mode of transportation, but also a popular pastime. That popularityincreased after the invention of a new, safer model, the forerunner of themodern road bike. In 1892 Frank Lenz, an entrepreneurial 25-year-old Pittsburghbookkeeper, decided to take advantage of this exciting new world of travel onthe “mechanical horse”as well as seek personal fame and fortuneby announcingthat he would cycle the globe.

Lenz' story is captured inDavid Herlihy's new book, The LostCyclist: The Epic Tale of an American Adventurer and His MysteriousDisappearance. While a global ride had been accomplished in tandem, Lenz'sjourney was uniqueand more dangerousbecause he chose to go it alone. The Lost Cyclist is a true story that followsLenz' around-the-world attempt, which began on May 15, 1892. Lenz started hisjourney with a 57-pound bike, 13 pounds of camera gear and 25 pounds of otherequipment and supplies. The trip, sponsored by Outing magazine, was scheduled to cover 20,000 miles and span threecontinents.

Sadly, however, Lenz vanishedafter crossing into Turkey,a country submerged in ethnic tensions and violent fighting. After Lenz goesmissing, the book turns its focus to another man, William Sachtleben, along-distance cyclist who set off in search of Lenz (at the behest of Outing) in hopes of shedding light onhis disappearance. The joint stories of Lenz and Sachtleben portray the joysand dangers of bicycling as told through the incredible adventures of these twomen. The Lost Cyclist is awell-researched story about our nation at the turn of the 20th century, as wellas the world of American biking, in particular. This riveting tale ofpride and tragedy is brilliantly captured in Herlihy's historical detail andvivid descriptions.

Herlihy, who also authoredthe in-depth Bicycle: The History,has been featured on NPR and Voice of America. The Wheelmen, an association ofantique bicycle collectors, awarded Herlihy the McNair History Award for hisresearch in 1999. The Lost Cyclistwas named one of Amazon.com's “Best Books of the Month” in June. 

Herlihy will speak at Boswell Book Co. at 7 p.m. on July 13in an event co-sponsored by COG Magazine.