The Wheels of Chance

The Wheels of Chance is one of H. G. Wells’ comic novels, published in 1896. It satirizes the era’s craze for cycling in Britain, soon after bicycles became easily available and affordable, and before the rise of the automobile.

The novel features the experiences of a humble draper’s assistant, Mr. Hoopdriver, who buys a second-hand bicycle and sets off on a touring holiday. Partway through his trip he encounters an attractive young woman dressed in cycling gear: that is, with pants rather than a skirt. When it appears that the young lady is in trouble, Hoopdriver comes to the rescue, and a series of amusing incidents ensue. As part of its comedy, the book makes some sharp observations about British class structure.

The Wheels of Chance was published shortly after Wells’ first venture into science fiction with The Time Machine. Because they were both short works, some early editions paired the two books into one volume.

This book is part of the Standard Ebooks project, which produces free public domain ebooks.