The eras you can ride
In short: Cyclorama has six eras of history to ride on an indoor bike: World War II, World War I, the American Civil War, the French Revolution, Meiji Japan and the Viking Age. Each runs from its first day to its last along a route of 55 to 89 km, with about 500 dated moments that appear as you reach them.
All six at a glance
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| Era | Years | Classic route | Moments |
|---|---|---|---|
| World War II | 1939–1945 | 72 km | 495 |
| World War I | 1914–1919 | 60 km | 499 |
| American Civil War | 1861–1865 | 56 km | 500 |
| French Revolution | 1789–1799 | 63 km | 500 |
| Meiji Japan | 1868–1912 | 89 km | 488 |
| Viking Age | 793–1066 | 55 km | 500 |
Every era also has a Sprint of about 25 km with only the key and major events. Each route keeps its own progress, and your place is saved between rides, so a long era takes several sessions. The history text is adapted from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0, and every moment links to its source.
World War II
The ride starts on 1 September 1939 and ends on 2 September 1945. The Classic route is 72 km with 495 moments, so each kilometre moves the calendar on by about 1 month; the Sprint covers the key events in about 25 km. A few of the moments you'll pass:
- 10 Jul 1940: The Battle of Britain begins. The Battle of Britain began with Luftwaffe raids on Channel shipping.
- 6 Jun 1944: D-Day. 155,000 Allied troops landed on the beaches of Normandy in the largest amphibious operation in history and broke through the Atlantic Wall.
- 7 May 1945: Germany surrenders. At 2:41 am General Alfred Jodl signed Germany's unconditional surrender at Allied headquarters in Rheims.
World War I
The ride starts on 28 June 1914 and ends on 28 June 1919. The Classic route is 60 km with 499 moments, so each kilometre moves the calendar on by about 1 month; the Sprint covers the key events in about 25 km. A few of the moments you'll pass:
- 24 Dec 1914: A brief Christmas truce. In some sectors, soldiers leave their trenches for unofficial truces. These local encounters do not stop fighting across the wider front.
- 11 Nov 1918: The fighting stops. The armistice takes effect on the Western Front. The war's aftermath still includes hunger, upheaval and negotiations over a lasting settlement.
American Civil War
The ride starts on 12 April 1861 and ends on 6 December 1865. The Classic route is 56 km with 500 moments, so each kilometre moves the calendar on by about 1 month; the Sprint covers the key events in about 25 km. A few of the moments you'll pass:
- 12 Apr 1861: Fort Sumter is fired upon. Confederate batteries bombard Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor. The attack begins the Civil War's open fighting.
- 1 Jan 1863: The Emancipation Proclamation. Lincoln's proclamation takes effect in designated rebel-held areas. It makes emancipation a Union war aim and authorizes Black military service.
French Revolution
The ride starts on 5 May 1789 and ends on 10 November 1799. The Classic route is 63 km with 500 moments, so each kilometre moves the calendar on by about 2 months; the Sprint covers the key events in about 25 km. A few of the moments you'll pass:
- Jul 1789: The storming of the Bastille. An armed crowd takes the Bastille in Paris. The fall of the fortress becomes a symbol of the collapse of royal authority.
- Sep 1792: The republic is proclaimed. The National Convention abolishes the monarchy. France enters a new political era as a republic.
Meiji Japan
The ride starts on 3 January 1868 and ends on 30 July 1912. The Classic route is 89 km with 488 moments, so each kilometre moves the calendar on by about 6 months; the Sprint covers the key events in about 25 km. A few of the moments you'll pass:
- Oct 1872: Japan's first railway opens. A railway links Shimbashi in Tokyo with Yokohama. Rail transport becomes a visible emblem of modernization.
- Feb 1889: The Meiji Constitution. The emperor promulgates a constitution creating an elected lower house while preserving extensive imperial authority.
Viking Age
The ride starts on 1 January 793 and ends on 31 December 1066. The Classic route is 55 km with 500 moments, so each kilometre moves the calendar on by about 5 years; the Sprint covers the key events in about 25 km. A few of the moments you'll pass:
- 793: The raid on Lindisfarne. Raiders attack the monastery at Lindisfarne. The event is a conventional starting point for the Viking Age, though Scandinavian contacts began earlier.
- 874: Settlement in Iceland. Later Icelandic tradition places Ingólfr Arnarson's settlement around this time. Earlier visits preceded the growth of a permanent Norse population.
- 911: Rollo's settlement in Normandy. A settlement traditionally dated to this year grants Rollo a position in northern France. Norse leadership becomes part of the region's new ruling order.
See the full Viking Age timeline, 793 to 1066.
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