<p>H.G. Wells' 'The Wheels of Chance: A Bicycling Idyll' juxtaposes the advent of the bicycle craze in the late 19th century with the journey of a humble draper's assistant on his holiday cycling venture. This novel expertly mirrors the social mobility facilitated by the bicycle with that of the protagonist, blending adventure with a rich exploration of the societal norms of its time. The narrative is rendered with Wells' characteristic wit and a...