Los orígenes del ciclismo en Bogotá. Lenguaje, significados y prácticas sociales, 1894-1900

Objective: to analyze the emergence of cycling in Bogotá between 1894 and 1900 as a social and cultural practice closely linked to the processes of urban modernization at the end of the nineteenth century. Within this framework, the article seeks to reconstruct the social meanings that the bicycle acquired during its early years of circulation by examining the language, uses, and public debates that accompanied its incorporation into urban life. In this way, it aims to understand how these elements contributed to the configuration of cycling as an emerging urban practice in the city. Methodology: The research is based on a qualitative methodology centered on the newspaper analysis of the Bogotá press of the time, through which the first uses of the terms “bicycle,” “cyclist,” and “cycling” are traced, as well as the social representations that accompanied them. To this end, normative and medical sources are also incorporated, which allow us to broaden the view of the public debates surrounding the use of the device. Originality: This article offers an original perspective by addressing the origins of cycling from a semantic and historical perspective, moving away from the epic tales of professional cycling to focus on the symbolic, social, and linguistic disputes that early defined cycling as a sport, a means of transportation, and a leisure activity. Conclusions: It is concluded that cycling in Bogotá was not a previously established practice, but rather the result of a historical and cultural process in which imaginaries about the body, gender, health, mobility, and the city converged around the bicycle, and through which the figure of the cyclist emerged as a new urban subject.