She believed bikes would liberate women

"A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle," reads a feminist catchphrase from the 1970s. A bicycle in Cady Stanton's era made it possible for a woman to travel without the assistance of a male. By the 1890s, biking had gained popularity and had come to symbolize the contemporary lady of the late 19th century, free from constrictive societal and marital expectations.

The bicycle, according to an 80-year-old Stanton who spoke to The American Wheelman magazine, "would inspire women with more courage, self-respect [and] self-reliance," ultimately leading to women's suffrage. She is attributed for saying "woman is riding to suffrage on the bicycle," along with Susan B. Anthony. They could see beyond the convenience of getting from point A to point B: Bikes symbolized a new freedom for women.