Pierre Lallement a 22 year old French mechanic travels to America July 1865 with parts of his bicycle he built in Paris two years earlier. Lallement settles in Ansonia, CT in the fall working as a machinist and improving his bicycle after hours. With an improved bicycle he does trial runs around Ansonia and Derby in the later fall of 1865. Spring 1866 Lallement continues road testing of his bicycle with longer trips to New Haven, April 4th cited in the Palladium "An enterprising individual propelled himself about the Green last evening on a curious frame sustained by two wheels, one before the other, and driven by foot cranks.". James Carroll intrigued by the novelty invests the money to apply for a patent of the Velocipede (bicycle) in May, granted on Nov 22. The cycling seed was planted in Ct in 1866 but America was not yet ready to take to the pedaling wheel. Disillusioned Lallement returns to France the following year only to see his original attempts on the streets of Paris had influenced others to begin to production of bicycles to a growing audience. It was not till the late summer of 1868 that the velocipede craze spread across the Atlantic to New York City then rapidly fan across the national for a 9 month wild fire. Lallement's patent would play a key role into controlling and licensing velocipedes in America and 10 years later when the high bike era reigned.

2016 offers the unique celebration of 150 years of bicycling in America. Bicycling as an industry has employed hundreds of thousands over the years, US production was at 2 million annually in 1897. Bicycling as a sport has given millions annually the thrill of speeding across the landscape relying only on one's own strength. Bicycling as a transport upon introduction immediately expanded one's own world on your own terms. Historically bicycling laid the paths for improved roads, pushed technology for lighter and stronger construction, and many innovations later to be applied to the motorcycle and automobile trades.

The Sesquicentennial celebration of the bicycle wishes to included all aspects of cycling historic and contemporary, all cyclists racer, cross country, and weekend warriors, all ages seniors to kids. The celebration is to honor not only the past but the current viability of the humble bicycle.

The celebration would include a number of rides open to all: a Century (100 miles) ride for distance riders, races Criterium style with a wide range of class bikes raced from Bone shakers to modern racers, family ride, critical mass, leisure tour of New Haven, and trip to Ansonia to retrace Lallement's path.

Part of the celebration would to include the "Wheelmen" and "International Cycling History Conference" (ICHC) annual meets to make the antique bicycles and the history of cycling as accessible to as many people as possible with demonstrations, lectures, and displays.

The natural location to host the Sesquicentennial celebration is New Haven - Ansonia where the original paths were cut on a bicycle. It is hoped that the Sesquicentennial could be help during and as part of the annual New Haven International Festival of Arts and Ideas which has a strong cycling presences. Additionally hosting both the Wheelmen and ICHC annual meets at Yale perfectly located near the activities of the Arts and Ideas festival, the Green, and convenient to the public for exploring cycling history and participate in joint events.

The Sesquicentennial of Bicycling in America will be celebrated across the land, but for those who wish to make the journey to the Mecca of American cycling all eyes and wheels will be pointed to New Haven in 2016.