The "bridge" between horse and automobile was the bicycle. It came in slowly. In the 1880's it was a novelty with a big front wheel and small rear wheel. By the '90's with its two wheels of the same size, it came into common use by both men and women. Her bicycle had special style because of the very long dresses of the time. (Ladies slacks were unknown and pants were "forbidden"). The bicycle was for use of the adults not for kids.
In 1890 a bicycle club was organized in Cooperstown. At that time F.B. King set up the first bicycle repair shop.
By August of 1897, there were over 70 bicycles owned by Cooperstown people. With the heavy use of bicycles, Theodore LaForest also established a bicycle repair shop in 1899 about a half block west of the F.A. Mayer and Company Store, which was then housed in Union House. By October of 1900, he had moved his bicycle hospital and was located next door to Hanson the shoemaker, Block 59, Lot 17. For a short time about 1900, O.H. Hougen had a tin-shop and bicycle repair shop in a building on lots near the rear end of P.E. Nelson's hardware store.
Source: Cooperstown, North Dakota 1882-1982 Centennial Page 184