Cyclists pedal from New Haven to Ansonia and back to honor inventor of bike

Annual festival celebrates Pierre Lallement

ANSONIA - Sunday was a day for bikes and old-fashioned family fun at the third annual Pierre Lallement Festival of Bikes on Main Street.

The city's Cultural Commission and Economic Development Commission co-sponsored the event.

Lallement, a Frenchman, was living in Ansonia in the 1860s when he received the patent for the pedal bicycle, precursor of the modern-day bike. 

Cyclists make their way down Main Street at about 11:57 a.m. 
  

Children and adults joined the cyclists at Webster Hose Memorial Park on the corner of Central and East Main streets for the last leg of the trip.

A sign created by Sixth Ward Alderman Patrick Henri with help from students at Emmett O'Brien Technical High School will be placed n a prominent spot at event this year as the city celebrates its 125th anniversary.

A stunt cyclist from "Dialed," a Pennsylvania-based team, wows the crowd ...

    ... as do his teammates.

 This cyclist appears to fly over the Ansonia 125 sign across from City Hall.

New Jersey-based stunt cyclist Chris Clark performs.

And explains to a rapt audience how he does his work.

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Even P.T. Barnum (a.k.a. Dexter Dean of Naugatuck) was on hand to greet the cyclists as they entered downtown.