Michael C. Gabriele

The Golden Age of Bicycle Racing in New Jersey Michael C. Gabriele

Cycling in New Jersey began in the 1880s, when colleges and communities formed some of the nation's first cycling clubs, and the popularity of the sport quickly spread, with races held in Plainfield, Trenton and Asbury Park. The region was also home to cycling's golden era of velodromes, built in Newark and Nutley, and some of the world's most famous cyclists competed here, including Frank Kramer, Willie Honeman, Arthur A, Zimmerman and Alf Goullet. This heritage is still alive today, with the colorful annual Tour of Somerville. Historian and journalist Michael C. Gabriele traces 130 years of cycling history in the Garden State, illuminating the people and events that shaped the sport.