Wright Cycle Company, Dayton

The Wright Cycle Company, founded by the Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur Wright, started as the Wright Cycle Exchange in 1892. They originally focused on bicycle repair, rental, and sales, while also running a print shop. Their bicycle business gradually expanded and relocated six times within Dayton.

In 1896, they began designing and manufacturing their own bicycles, including the Van Cleve and the St. Clair models. The company introduced innovations like the self-oiling hub and left-hand threads on the crankarm and pedal to prevent unscrewing. Their shop on South Williams St., where they worked from 1895 to 1897, is still standing and part of the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park.

The profits from their bicycle business funded their aviation experiments. By 1901, they were using a modified St. Clair bicycle to test airfoil designs and built a wind tunnel in their shop at 1127 West Third St. This site was where they also designed and built their first airplane, the Wright Flyer, which cost less than $1,000. The shop closed in 1909 as they shifted their focus entirely to aviation. The final shop building was moved to Greenfield Village in Michigan in 1937 with Orville's cooperation.