Wright Cycle Company
From an early age, Wilbur and Orville were always interested in making money. Before they began making planes, they started creating bicycles.
In 1892, the brothers first opened a bicycle shop called the Wright Cycle Exchange, which was later changed to the Wright Cycle Company. The company was doing very well and the brothers soon started repairing bicycles as well as selling them.
In 1895, Orville and Wilbur decided to expand their business by manufacturing their own bicycles. They created a low-priced bicycle called the Wright Special that sold for a cost efficient amount of $18. In a bicycle catalog the brothers announced the Van Cleve model, which was named after their great grandmother. The Van Cleve was much higher priced than the Wright Special at a total of $65. In the catalog it stated, "will be a wheel of the highest grade, and will embrace several novel features in our own invention. We are confident it will credit to our city and ourselves." The brothers operated their bicycle business until 1908.
In 1892, the brothers first opened a bicycle shop called the Wright Cycle Exchange, which was later changed to the Wright Cycle Company. The company was doing very well and the brothers soon started repairing bicycles as well as selling them.
In 1895, Orville and Wilbur decided to expand their business by manufacturing their own bicycles. They created a low-priced bicycle called the Wright Special that sold for a cost efficient amount of $18. In a bicycle catalog the brothers announced the Van Cleve model, which was named after their great grandmother. The Van Cleve was much higher priced than the Wright Special at a total of $65. In the catalog it stated, "will be a wheel of the highest grade, and will embrace several novel features in our own invention. We are confident it will credit to our city and ourselves." The brothers operated their bicycle business until 1908.