Bike business in P-town ruined by ... prostitutes?

This episode of the Offbeat Oregon History podcast tells the fascinating and often overlooked story of Fred T. Merrill, a pioneering bicycle entrepreneur who brought the bicycle craze to Portland in the late 19th century. From his early days as a child inspired by stunt rider Cary Moore to becoming the Northwest's first bicycle dealer and a master promoter, Merrill helped fuel a national bicycle boom. He capitalized on the safety bicycle revolution, staged daring public events, and even influenced social change by helping liberate women through mobility. However, the episode reveals a surprising twist: the bicycle's decline wasn't due to the rise of the automobile, but rather to a bold and strategic move by Portland’s North End madams, particularly Liverpool Liz Smith, who turned bicycle racing into a form of entertainment and prostitution. By outfitting their girls in flashy, revealing attire and racing them for public betting, they effectively drove respectable women off the streets—both literally and socially—leading to the fad's sudden collapse by 1903. The story ends with Merrill’s colorful later life as a politician, auto dealer, and roadhouse owner, before his quiet retirement and death in 1944. The episode blends humor, history, and social commentary to challenge assumptions about technology, gender, and urban culture.