Bicycle History | Fact & Information

Bicycle

Bicycles are vehicles with two wheels, a handlebar, and a seat. They do not have an engine and are propelled by foot pedals. They are the principal mode of transportation in many countries. Cycling is also a popular form of sport and leisure activity.

Bicycles vary in shape, size, and use. They are used by people for many different purposes including recreation, exercise, and transportation. They are common throughout the world and especially in Chino, lndia,Brazil,ltoly, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and the United States. Cycling is also an Olympic sport.

Early attempts

Many attempts were made to invent the bicycle. The bicycle was not invented by one single person. In 1490, Leonardo Da Vinci made the first known drawing of a bicycle. Jean Teson invented a bicycle like vehicle in 1645 in France. It resembled a bicycle but was a four-wheeled machine. It had no brakes, pedals, or steering mechanism and needed foot movement.

Celerifere

Comte Mede de Sivrac, a Frenchman,
invented an early form of the bicycle in 1790. It was called celerifere.The celerifere consisted , of a wooden beam, which had wheels attached to it. It did not have a handlebar. The rider had to sit on a cushion on the beam and propel the
vehicle by pushing his feet on the ground.

Laufmaschine

In 1816, a two-wheeled vehicle was invented by Baron Karl von Drais of Germany. It was called the laufmaschine. It had a steering device and a handlebar built on the frame. This enabled the front wheel to turn. The passenger had to sit and push himself by running on the ground. It was almost completely made of wood and had no pedals. It was also called a draisine.

First true bicycle

In 1839, a Scottish blacksmith, Kirkpatrick Macmillan, added pedals to a draisine type two wheeled bicycle. His invention was the first true bicycle. It had wooden wheels and was called the ‘hobby horse’. It had a 76 cm front wheel and 101 cm rear wheel. The foot pedals of the vehicle were attached to the rods connecting the rear wheel. This vehicle allowed the rider to keep his feet of the ground. It was propelled by a downward and forward thrust of the foot. Later, an improved model of this vehicle was made in 1846 that was widely used in England.

Tricycle

The tricycle was invented in the 19th century. It evolved from a three-wheeled horse-drawn carriage used in 1828. Adult pedal tricycles were made in the 18605, which were not much safer than bicycles. In the late 18803, tricycles called ‘sociables’ became popular. These tricycles could be steered by two people
sitting side-by-side or one behind the other.

Velocipede

The velocipede was an early model of the modern bicycle. Velocipede is a French name for the bicycle. This loose-pedaled vehicle was common in France in 1855. The velocipede had a wooden frame and wheels. The tires were made of iron and the pedals were connected to the front wheel. The front wheel was higher than the rear wheel. Later, a Frenchman, Pierre Lallement, made a velocipede with steel wheels in the 1860s.

Penny-farming

Penny-farthing is also called the ‘high’ or ‘ordinary’ bicycle. Iames Starley, a British engineer, invented the first model in 1871. It evolved after the velocipede and other early cycles. It was the first efficient bicycle. It consisted of a small back wheel and large front wheel turned around on a simple tubular frame
with rubber tyres.

Rover safety bicycle

The Rover safety bicycle was designed by John Kemps Starley in early 1885.It was a diamond-framed bicycle with two similar sized wheels and was first exhibited in London. It was built quite close to the ground and was driven
by a chain. This bicycle became a universal mode of transport.