Bicycle Mail - The topic of Bicycle Mail can cover two separate and distinctive areas. It can be used to describe the Thematic (Topical

Topical stamp collecting

Topical or thematic stamp collecting is the collecting of postage stamps relating to a particular subject or concept. Topics can be almost anything, from stamps on stamps, birds on stamps, to famous physicians, to the history of England.- Background :...

) collecting and or study of stamps bearing the image of bicycles, or more commonly used to describe a specific category of Special Delivery

Special delivery (postal service)

Special Delivery is a postal service for urgent postal packets. Its meaning varies among postal services and is different and separate from Express mail delivery service offered by many postal administrations...

, where mail was delivered by bicycle and is identified by stamp and or postal mark used.

History

Prior to the advent of Bicycle Mail, the most common forms of mail delivery was on foot, horse (local routes), and train for longer distances. In some countries Bicycle Mail became more prevalent during periods of railroad strikes to keep local mail routes active. It was also used as an alternative to horse and foot delivered mail in rural areas. By the 1930s most countries had greatly diminished the use of Bicycles for the delivery of mail in favor of the automobile for local delivery.

Some Bicycle Mail was used for local routes in an unofficial capacity. On example of this took place in 1896 in Western Australia

Western Australia

Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...

. In the United States during the 1890s, a specific example of Bicycle Mail being used in place of rail delivery occurred during a strike on the established mail route between Fresno

Fresno

Fresno is the fifth largest city in California.Fresno may also refer to:-Places:Colombia* Fresno, TolimaSpain* Fresno, a ghost village in Nidáliga, Valle de Sedano, Burgos* Aldea del Fresno, Madrid* Fresno de la Vega, Ribera del Esla, León...

 and San Francisco, California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

.