The depiction of bicycles on stamps began in 1899 with a Cuban special delivery stamp, although unofficial (local or cinderella) issues had been previously released in Germany (1887/8), in the United States (1894),^[1] and in Australia (1896).^[2] The number of bicycle-related postal items (stamps, postal stationery, etc.) exceeds 30,000 as of 2024.^[3] As a thematic topic, bicycles are notable for the wide variety of subjects that they are used to illustrate.^[4]

The definition of what constitutes a bicycle stamp is open to interpretation.^[5][6][7] A bicycle stamp^{[Note 1]} has one or more of the following characteristics:

• It depicts a human-powered cycling machine. This includes a whole (or part of) bicycles, tricycles, unicycles, toy cycles, tandems, rickshaws, exercise/standing bicycles, etc. It excludes powered or unpowered wheelchairs and motor-driven or motor-assisted cycling machines, e.g. motorcycles, mopeds.^{[Note 2]}
• It depicts a bicycle or cyclist in a social context. For example, a cyclist in a street scene, cycling as an energy-efficient, green, mode of transport, or cycling promoting road safety.
• It depicts a building used specifically for cycling sport, i.e. a velodrome.
• It depicts a person notable for being a cyclist, e.g. a winner of the Tour de France, or cycling events at the Olympic Games.
• It depicts the process of manufacturing a bicycle, or a notable bicycle manufacturer (individual or firm).
• It depicts the word "bicycle" in the local language, even if the image of a bicycle is not included. The word triathlon without an image of a bicycle is excluded.

The following types of material are excluded (although they may also be collected by bicycle stamp enthusiasts):

• Postal stationery, e.g. a postcard depicting a bicycle with a non-bicycle stamp affixed.
• Cinderella, local, private or personal issues, i.e. unofficial stamps.
• Non-postal stamps, e.g. revenue stamps such as the French 1940s "Impôt sur les vélocipèdes".^[8]
• Stamps issued by non-existing/unrecognized countries and/or in excess of actual postal requirements.

The first bicycle stamp of the 20th century was a 1900 stamp issued for local postal delivery during the siege of Mafeking, depicting Cadet Sgt. Major Goodyear on a bicycle.^[9] The United States issued a special delivery bicycle messenger stamp in 1902. Bulgaria issued a cycling stamp as part of a set commemorating the Balkan games of 1931. In 1935 the USSR issued a bicycle stamp to commemorate the World Spartacist Games. Denmark issued a stamp showing King Christian X on horseback as part of his silver jubilee celebrations in 1937; in the background of the street scene are three cyclists.

These early issues illustrate the wide variety of subjects depicted on bicycle stamps.

• 
  Siege of Mafeking local stamp 1900
• 
  United States special delivery bicycle messenger stamp 1902
• 
  Bulgaria Balkan games racing cyclists stamp 1931
• 
  USSR World Spartacist Games 1935
• 
  Denmark street scene 1937

Cycle sports include:

• Indoor
  • Cycle racing
  • Velodromes
• Outdoor
  • Event racing, e.g. cycling to raise money for charities
  • Tour racing, e.g. the Giro d'Italia

Subjects depicted on non-sport bicycle stamps include:

• The history of the bicycle
• Bicycle industrial manufacturing
• Bicycle mail transportation and postal delivery
• Bicycles for commercial delivery
• People transportation e.g. by rickshaw
• Bicycle military use
• Bicycles as toys
• Bicycle tourism
• Bicycles in street scenes
• Bicycles to symbolize alternative, energy-efficient transport
• Bicycles depicting or encouraging road traffic safety

• Sudbury, Ronald F. (1976). The bicycle and the postage stamp. Batley: Harry Hayes. p. 62. ISBN 9780905222141.
• Sudbury, Ronald F. (1981). Stamp collecting for the cyclist. Batley: Harry Hayes. p. 60. ISBN 9780905222424.
• Mangin, Jean-Pierre; Geslin, René (1988). Le cycle et la poste (in French). Bar le Duc: J.-P. Mangin. p. 319. OCLC 465817564.
• Gindling, Dan (1997). Bicycle stamps: bikes and cycling on the world's postage stamps. Osceola, WI: Motorbooks International. p. 144. ISBN 9780933201781.

• Bicycle Philately: The home of bicycle stamps collectors
• Bicycle Stamps Club
• American Topical Association ATA
• British Thematic Association