"OVERMAN BICYCLE, 1889 U.S.N.M. No. 214971... photograph No. 30650-A; plate 17, b. Made by the Overman Wheel Co.... this bicycle was their Victoria model, for women. It bears... nameplate... patent dates ranging... November 20, 1877, to July 9, 1889. ...[A] woman could sit astride without having her skirt caught on the cross bar. Its adoption... increased the popularity... and helped make cycling... sociable recreation as well as... sport and... transportation. The frame is of metal tubing, the wheels are of metal with tangential wire spokes, the thin tires are of solid rubber, and the curved handle bars are of metal with spade handles on each end. The saddle, made of leather stretched across several sets of coil springs, is adjustable vertically and fore and aft. A curved brace at the bottom of the frame serves to strengthen it. The front wheel... contains 24 spokes. The rear wheel has the same diameter but... 32 spokes. The rear-wheel sprocket... on the right side of the wheel, is driven by a block chain from the front sprocket, the latter being equipped with pedals having a nonadjustable throw of 5 3/4 inches. Adjustment of the chain tension is obtained by moving the rear axle backwards or forwards in slots at the rear end of the rear fork. There is no coaster attachment, the pedals always turning while the bicycle is in motion. Oil cups are... in the hub of each wheel. The front fork... is... designed to reduce the road shocks transmitted to the handle bars. It consists of a pair of hinged, straight arms and a set of four curved spring arms, so arranged that the straight arms, which are compression members, act to steady the movement of the spring arms, which carry the load and reduce the road shocks. Footrests are attached to the outer sides of the spring arms, for... coasting. A small mudguard is secured at the rear of the front wheel. A large mudguard is mounted over the rear wheel, a chain guard surrounds the chain almost completely, and twine laced on the mudguard and the chain guard protects the rider's skirts from becoming entangled in the wheel spokes or the chain. On the right handle bar is a pivoted lever that controls a rear-wheel spoon brake by means of a system of wires and pivoted arms. A wire spring at the spoon normally holds it away from the tire. A head lamp support is mounted on the upper part of the front fork."