United States Bicycling Hall of Fame facts for kids
The United States Bicycling Hall of Fame is a special place in Davis, California, that helps keep the history of cycling alive. It's a non-profit group that started in 1986 in Somerville, New Jersey. Since 1987, they have honored cyclists who have achieved great success in racing or helped the sport grow. The museum has been open in Davis since 2009.
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What You Can See at the Museum
The Hall of Fame museum is located at 303 3rd Street in Davis, California. On the top floor, you can see amazing bikes that belonged to famous cyclists like Major Taylor and Frank Louis Kramer. You can also see cool items like championship sashes and medals won by Frank Kramer.
The main floor of the museum has different exhibits that change. For example, in 2010, there was a display about the Tour of California bike race. There was also an exhibit about the legendary cyclist Greg LeMond.
In the basement, there's a huge collection of historic bicycles. You can see very old models like the Draisine and the Velocipede. There are also important bikes from the 1950s to today. These bikes show how quickly bicycles have changed and improved over the years!
How the Hall of Fame Started
The Hall of Fame first started in Somerville, New Jersey. But in April 2009, they announced they would move to Davis. The new museum in downtown Davis officially opened on April 24, 2010.
Davis was a great choice because it already had a collection of historic bicycles. Plus, Davis is known for being a very bike-friendly city. It has many bike paths and a strong cycling culture. The Hall of Fame took over a building that used to be a teen center. The teen center's activities, like dances, moved to another community center.
Honoring Cycling Heroes
The Hall of Fame honors people who have made a big difference in cycling. These people are called "inductees." They are chosen for their amazing achievements in racing or for helping the sport grow. Here are some of the types of cycling heroes honored:
Road & Track Competitors
These are cyclists who competed in races on roads or special tracks. They are divided into different time periods.
- Veteran Road & Track Competitors (Before 1945): This group includes early cycling stars like Major Taylor, who was a very famous African American cyclist, and Frank Louis Kramer.
- Modern Road & Track Competitors (After 1945): This group includes more recent champions. One famous name is Greg LeMond, who was a three-time winner of the Tour de France. Other notable inductees include Connie Carpenter-Phinney and Rebecca Twigg.
Mountain Biking Stars
This section honors athletes who excelled in mountain biking, which involves riding bikes off-road on rough terrain. Famous mountain biking inductees include Juli Furtado and John Tomac.
BMX Legends
BMX stands for Bicycle Motocross. This category celebrates riders who were champions in BMX racing or freestyle. Some of the BMX legends honored are Stu Thomsen and Mike King.
People Who Helped Cycling Grow
This group includes people who might not have been racers but helped cycling in other ways. They could be coaches, bike designers, or people who organized races. For example, Eddie Borysewicz was a well-known coach. Albert Augustus Pope was important for making bicycles popular in the early days.
Special Recognition
This category honors groups or events that have had a big impact on cycling. For example, the 7-Eleven Cycling Team was a very important American cycling team. The Tour of Somerville is a historic bike race.
See also
- Mountain Bike Hall of Fame
