This story illustrates how bicycles challenged societal norms and ignited a movement toward independence for women. Through archival images and vintage footage from 1899, the project underscores the bicycle’s role in shaping modern notions of gender, freedom, and resilience. It dissects fabricated health anxieties, such as 'bicycle face' (a term coined in A. Shadwell's 1897 National Review article, 'The Hidden Dangers of Cycling'), to show that these fears originated in concerns about gender roles and morality, not on a factual basis. And highlights how, during a 1897 protest by Cambridge University's male students, an effigy of a woman on a bicycle was created and mutilated. Women were unable to receive a full degree from Cambridge University until as late as 1948.

The project also emphasised pioneering women like Annie Londonderry and Tillie Anderson, who broke records and stereotypes. At its core, the story is a tribute to the relentless spirit of women who used the bicycle as a tool for change, inspiring generations and embodying the enduring power of movement, both on wheels and in life. The project bridges past struggles with today’s ongoing conversations about gender equality, body autonomy, and female empowerment, reminding us that the fight for freedom is a timeless quest. We must continue to "Ride Forward!".

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