Bicycles were a novelty. Then the military decided to incorporate them in the Infantry. The 25th Infantry - Buffalo Soliders rode 1900 miles - Missoula, MT to St. Louis, MO to test out the feasibilty of bicycle usage in the military. Originally refered to as Velocipedes, bicycles revolutionized military tactics. First used in the Franco-Prussian War the United States first used them in the connecticut National Guard. Years later bicycles were instrumental in Afghanistan in wartime becasue bicycles didn't give off heat seeking properties and came in quietly. The Japanese military also utilized bicycles to great success.