1878: The first Columbia "high-wheel" bicycle, made by Pope Manufacturing Co., weighs 70 pounds and costs $313.
1887: Pope's company offers a lightweight "safety" racing model, weighing 22½pounds and costing $140.
1894: At the height of the bicycle boom, a typical "safety" bicycle weighs 27 pounds and has a price of about $100.
This year:
Igleheart Custom Frames offers custom touring, racing, or cyclocross bicycle frames built of steel tubing starting at $1,000, with forks starting at $300. iglebike.com.Independent Fabrication of Somerville offers its custom carbon XS model for $5,995, at 2.75 pounds assembled. This model was chosen as a "Dream Bike" by Bicycling magazine in 2007. ifbikes.com.Parlee Cycles of Peabody produces the all-carbon-fiber Z1, costing $5,400 and weighing 2.1 pounds (frame only). It is Bicycling's top Editor's Choice of 2007. parleecycles.com.Seven Cycles in Watertown offers the custom Elium SG model, made of carbon and titanium. Frames start at $3,995 and weigh 2.6 pounds; it also ranks as a "Dream Bike." sevencycles.com.NOTE: Prices and weights may vary.
© Copyright 2007 Globe Newspaper Company.
