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National Bicycle History Archive of America
Historical Sources / Museums / Exhibits - (Africa, America, Asia, England, Ireland, Europe)
Chronology of the Growth of Bicycling and the Development of Bicycle Technology
by David Mozer
Note: Many people claim credit for inventing the first bicycle. The answer to the question often depends upon the nationality of who you ask; the French claim it was a Frenchman, Scots claim a Scotsman, the English an Englishman, and Americans often claim that it was an American. Since the early 1990's theInternational Cycling History Conferences, has worked to get past the jingoism. Our current understanding of the history of the bicycle suggests that many people contributed ideas and developments:
Date Development
| 1418 | Giovanni Fontana, a fifteenth century Italian physician and engineer, is credited with building the first human powered land vehicle -- it had four wheels and used an continuous rope, connected via gears to the wheels. Images and more detailed description don't seem to exist. Source: R. John Way, The Bicycle - A Guide and Manual. |
| 1493 |  Other bicycle histories websites include a sketches showing a primitive version of a bicycle, purportedly drawn by Leonardo da Vinci, that surfaced in 1974.Experts consider the sketches a hoax: Further examination of the drawings indicates these are not in da Vinci's hand. The speculation that these are a sketch by a pupil after a lost drawing by da Vinci is also considered false. A test to date the document was performed, but the library in Milan (belonging to the Vatican) conceals its negative outcome, see http://www.cyclepublishing.com/history/leonardo%20da%20vinci%20bicycle.html . For a graphic investigation into the ins and outs the Leonardo debate and other controversies about the history of the bicycle see https://leonardosbicycle.co.uk/ |
| 1791 | Comte Mede de Sicrac is credited with building the "celerifer" - purportedly a hobby horse with two wheels instead of a rocker.Nothing else is known about Mede de Sicrac, not even when he was born or died. This is probably because he never lived. This is now considered a patriotic hoax created by Baudry de Saunier, a French historian in 1891. It was debunked by a French researcher in 1976. In fact, a Jean Sievrac (!) of Marseille obtained an import price for a four-wheeled horse drawn coach called celerifer in 1817. See http://www.answers.com/Q/Who_is_comte_mede_de_sivrac |
| 1817 |  Variously called the running machine, velocipede, Draisienne and dandy horse, it was invented by Karl Drais, in response to widespread starvation and the slaughtering of horses, the consequence of a crop failure the year before (caused by the eruption of Tambora, Sumbawa Island, Indonesia). It had a steerable front wheel. This is the first appearance of the two-wheeler principle that is basic to cycling and motorcycling and minimizes rolling resistance. The velocipedes were made entirely of wood and needed to be balanced by directing the front wheel a bit. People then did not dare to lift the feet off safe ground, therefore the velocipedes were propelled by pushing off with the feet. After a successful harvest in 1817, riding velocipedes on sidewalks was forbidden worldwide, since the velocipeders used the sidewalks, and because they could not balance on the rutted carriageway, the fad passed. It took nearly 50 years, until a roller-skating boom created a new public with a better sense of balance. For more information see: http://www.karldrais.de/?lang=en&sid=bd15ff8c6ef29db0e7dd1d7e6e1680ae |
| 1839 | Another entry in bicycle lore: Kirkpatric Mcmillan, a Scottish blacksmith adapted a treadle-type pedals to a bicycle, is considered a hoax, see the David Herlihy's book. |
| ca 1845 | Heinrich Erdmann Christian Mylius' pedal bicycle (only one fabricated), the Heimat Museum, Themar, Germany. See https://hiveminer.com/Tags/museum,themar |
| 1863 |  Boneshaker or Velocipede: Made of stiff materials, straight angles and steel wheels make this bike literally a bone shaker to ride over the cobblestone roads of the day. The improvement is a front wheel with peddles -- direct drive, fixed gear, one speed. This machine was officially the velocipede ("fast foot"), but was popularly known as the boneshaker, They also became a fad, and indoor riding academies, similar to roller rinks, could be found in large cities. |
| 1870 | Ordinary or Penny Farthing: These are better know as the "high wheelers". It is more comfortable to ride than its predecessor, but it requires an acrobat so they popularity has always been limited. This was the first all metal machine to appeared. (Prior to this metallurgy was not advanced enough to provide metal strong enough to make small, light parts.) The pedals were still attached  directly to the front wheel with no freewheeling mechanism. Solid rubber tires and the long spokes of the large front wheel provided a much smoother ride than its predecessor. The front wheels became larger and larger as makers realized that the larger the wheel, the farther you could travel with one rotation of the pedals. You would purchase a wheel as large as your leg length would allow. These bicycles enjoyed a great popularity among young men of means (they cost an average worker six month's pay), with the hey-day being the decade of the 1880's. Because the rider sat so high above the center of gravity, if the front wheel was stopped by a stone or rut in the road, or the sudden emergence of a dog, the entire apparatus rotated forward on its front axle, and the rider, with his legs trapped under the handlebars, was dropped unceremoniously on his head. Here the term "taking a header" came into being. This machine was the first to be called a bicycle ("two wheel"). |
| 1872 | Friedrich Fischer (German) invented a precision ball bearing making machine, which mass-produces steel ball bearings. Ball bearings were patented by Jules Suriray in 1869. |
| 1876 | Browett and Harrison (English) patent an early caliper brake. |
| 1878 | Scott and Phillott (English) patent the first practicable epicyclic change-speed gear fitted into the hub of a front-driving bicycle. |
| 1878 | The first American manufacturer of cycles begun with the Columbia Bicycle at the Weed Sewing Machine Company factory in Hartford, Ct. The first regular trade catalogue was twenty pages long. The first bicycles were the 60" High Wheelers and sold for $125.00 when sewing machines sold for $13.00. |
| 1879 | Henry J. Lawson (English) patents a rear wheel, chain-driven safety bicycle, the Bicyclette (his earlier models were lever driven). |
| 1880 | Thomas Humber (English) adapts the block chain for use with his range of bicycles. |
| 1880's |  While the men were risking their necks on the high wheels, ladies, confined to their long skirts and corsets, could take a spin around the park on an adult tricycle. These machines also afforded more dignity to gentlemen such as doctors and clergymen. Many mechanical innovations now associated with the automobile were originally invented for tricycles. Rack and pinion steering, the differential, and band brakes, to name a few! |
| 1880 | Bicycle Activism: Good roads society organized by bicyclist and lobbied for good roads -- paving the way for motor vehicles! |
| 1881 | Gustave Trouvé experimented with electric drive on a Starley Coventry Lever Tricycle. Ove the next twenty years inventors made significant development on electric power assist bikes. See https://www.electricbike.com/e-bike-patents-from-the-1800s/ |
| 1884 | Thomas Stevens struck out across the country, carrying socks, a spare shirt and a slicker that doubled as tent and bedroll. Leaving San Francisco at 8 o'clock on April 22, 1884, he traveled eastward, reaching Boston after 3700 wagon trail miles, to complete the first transcontinental bicycle ride on August 4, 1884. After a pause, he continued east, circumnavigating the earth, and returning to San Francisco on Dec 24, 1886. See Around the World by Bicycle and Around the World on a Penny Farthing - Reenactment. |
| 1885 | Bicycle Playing Cards are introduced and become the most recognizable brands of playing cards sold in the United States. They are currently manufactured by the United States Playing Card Company. |
| 1888 | Pneumatic tire: First applied to the bicycle by John Boyd Dunlop, a Scottish born veterinarian, working in Ireland, who was trying to give his sickly young son a more comfortable ride on his tricycle. Now that comfort and safety could be had in the same machine, and the product was getting cheaper as manufacturing methods improved, everyone clamored to ride the bicycle. |
| 1890 |  Safety Bike: As the name implies the safety bike is safer than the ordinary. The further improvement of metallurgy sparked the next innovation, or rather return to previous design. With metal that was now strong enough to make a fine chain and sprocket small and light enough for a human being to power, the next design was a return to the original configuration of two same-size wheels, only now, instead of just one wheel circumference for every pedal turn, you could, through the gear ratios, have a speed the same as the huge high-wheel. Initially, the bicycles still had the hard rubber tires, and in the absence of the long, shock-absorbing spokes, the ride they provided was much more uncomfortable than any of the high-wheel designs. Many of these bicycles of 100 years ago had front and/or rear suspensions. These designs competed with each other, your choice being the high-wheel's comfort or the safety's safety, but Dunlop's pneumatic tires innovation tolled the death of the high-wheel design. This is basically the same design as standard contemporary bikes. The safety bike allowed large numbers of people to take up cycling. Bikes were relatively expensive so use was somewhat restrict to the elite. |
| 1890 | Mass Production: The bicycle helped make the Gay Nineties what they were. It was a practical investment for the working man as transportation, and gave him a much greater flexibility for leisure. Women would also start riding bicycles in much larger numbers. |
| 1890s |  Kittie Knox, an African-American bicyclist from West End, Boston, was an activist for the integration of the League of American Bicyclists, and broke racial barriers to enter (and win) cycling races and contests. |
| 1894 |  Change In Social Order: Betty Bloomer's bloomers become very popular. Ladies, heretofore consigned to riding the heavy adult size tricycles that were only practical for taking a turn around the park, now could ride a much more versatile machine and still keep their legs covered with long skirts. The bicycle craze killed the bustle and the corset, instituted "common-sense dressing" for women and increased their mobility considerably. American Music and women bicyclists. Women and bicycles. |
| 1894 1894 | Bamboo bikes are manufactured. The bicycle messenger business started in California when the Pullman Railway Strike halted mail delivery West of the Mississippi and the Bay Area in particular. Arthur C Banta, the owner of Victor Cyclery, Fresno, is credited with the idea to delivering the mail by bicycle. Totaling 210 miles, divided into 8 relays of approximately 30 miles, and taking 18 hours, the route offered to carry a letter via bicycle from one end to the other for $0.25. See https://www.missionbicycle.com/blog/210-miles-120-years-ago |
| 1894-95 |  Annie Cohan Kopchovsky (a.k.a. Annie Londonderry) was a Latvian Jewish immigrant to Boston, whotraveled around the world by bicycle. She started in Boston in June 1894 on her Sterling bike and finishing her ride in Chicago in Sept 1895. She was probably the first woman to take a bicycle on a world trip. Reports suggest that she traveled mainly on ships and trains -- riding her bicycles mostly to and from the main ports. She was sponsored by The Londonderry Lithia Spring Water Co. |
| 1895 | Ignatz Schwinn and Adolph Arnold formed Arnold, Schwinn & Company to produce bikes. Albert Pope purchased 75 small bicycle manufacturers to form the American Bicycle Company. |
| 1895 | One of the first patent for electric bicycle was issued to Ogden Bolton Jr. |
| 1896 | "Let me tell you what I think of bicycling. I think it has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world. I stand and rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a wheel. It gives woman a feeling of freedom and self-reliance." Susan B Anthony |
| 1897 | An African-America army corps road 2000 miles from Montana to St. Louis - an amazing story. The Stuhr Museum made a video, "The Bicycle Corps: America's Black Army on Wheels" (2000). |
| 1898 1899 1900 | Major Taylor was the American cycling sprint champion, and he topped all European champions as well. Taylor was one of the first black athletes to become a world champion in any sport. (Major Taylor is celebrated in number of books.) See also: The Major Taylor Association, The Major Taylor Society and The Major Taylor Velodrome. |
| 1899-1901 | Bicycles first used in conflict in the Second Anglo-Boer War in South Africa. |
| 1903 | Internal hub gears invented by Sturmey Archer. By 1930 these were used on bikes manufactured around the world. The dominance continued until the 1950s when the parallelogram derailleur was introduced, though internal geared hubs still are used. See also Sturmey Archer Bicycle Hubs. |
| 1920 | Children's Bikes: The focus of planning and development of the transportation infrastructure was the private automobiles. Bicycles use declined and the bicycle was considered primarily as children's toys. Kids bikes were introduced just after the First World War by several manufacturers, such as Mead, Sears Roebuck, and Montgomery Ward, to revitalize the bike industry (Schwinn made its big splash slightly later), these designs, now called "classic", featured automobile and motorcycle elements to appeal to kids who, presumably, would rather have a motor. If ever a bike needed a motor, this was it. These bikes evolved into the most glamorous, fabulous, ostentatious, heavy designs ever. It is unbelievable today that 14-year-old kids could do the tricks that we did on these 65 pound machines! They were built into the middle 50s, by which time they had taken on design elements of jet aircraft and even rockets. By the 60s, they were becoming leaner and simpler. |
| 1923 | Bosch launches a dynamo (magneto) bicycle lighting system. |
| 1930 | Tullio Campagnolo patents the quick release hub. |
| 1930's | Schwinn introduced the fat tire, spring fork, streamline Excelsior, designed to take the abuse of teenage boys, which was the proto-mountain bike. The Schwinn Excelsior frames became the model for the early mountain bikes almost fifty years later. See Classic Cycles |
| 1934 | Recumbents banned from racing. This had the effect of putting the recumbent bicycle design in the closet for fifty years, until it was re-discovered, primarily by MIT professor David Gordon Wilson and his students. |
| 1938 | Thomas M McDonald filed for a patent for a hub motor. This is the basic technology used in most electric bike motors to this day. |
| 1938 | Simplex introduced their cable shifted derailleur. |
| Historic European footage of unusual bikes from the late 1930s and early 1940s. www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdlpJqHxLxk | |
| 1940 | Women bicyclists in the French Resistance, by Rebecca G. Halbreich, published in Ex Post Facto, San Francisco State University, CA., 1994 |
| 1950s |  Tullio Campagnolo introduced cable-operated, parallelogram derailleur. Campagnolo. For two decades Campagnolo equipment dominated true racing bikes. Eventually, he acquires 135 patents. |
| 1958 | Women ride in the first-ever World Championships on the road and track. Balina Ermolaeva becomes the first women's World Sprint Champion; Elsy Jacobs takes the road race. |
| 1962 | Renaissance: President's Council of Physical Fitness. Renewed interest in bicycle for recreation and fitness. This was the seed of a new major bicycle boom that accelerated through the 60's. The "English 3-speed" was the fancy consumer model of the time. Before the end of the decade it was the 10-speed derailleur "racing bike" which dominated the American market (the derailleur had been invented before the turn of the century and had been in more-or-less common use in Europe since). |
| 1969 | Audrey McElmury is the first American to wins the first World Road Cycling Championship, in Brno, Czechoslovakia, opening the door for American women to compete regularly in World Road cycling competition. |
| 1970 | Earth Day: Increased awareness of westerns civilization's level of consumption of natural resources, air pollution, and destruction of the natural environment. This generated a new spurt in the growth of bicycle sales and bicycling, especially around college campuses. |
| 1973 | Oil embargo: Fuel shortages and shifts in relative price of transportation options created an environment which encouraged bicycle commuting. Many of the new recruits to bicycling stuck to it after the end of the embargo and became enthusiasts. There was also reinvigorated interest in the engineering of bicycles, including renewed interest recumbents and fairings. |
| 1976 | Bikecentennial organized thousands of Americans to ride coast-to-coast to celebration the United States' bicentennial. The project raised the profile of bicycle touring in North America and continues to this day as the Adventure Cycling Association. |
| 1977 | The prototype of the mountain bikes were first developed in Marin Co, California, north of San Francisco. Joe Breeze, Otis Guy, Gary Fisher, and Craig Mitchell were the earliest designers, builders and promoters. |
| 1978 | A new round of steep oil prices increases further encouraged bicycling. More bikes than cars were being sold in the USA. Triple chain-ring cranks had become widely available, adding to the types of terrain and range of conditions that bicyclists could challenge. |
| 1980's | Renewed interests in health and fitness, by the middle- and upper-class perpetuated the acceptance and growth of commuting, recreational and touring bicycling. |
| 1980's | Bike messengers develop shoulder backs to carry large envelopes flat. The style migrates into general use as an alternative to back packs, rucksacks and purses. |
| 1980's | Aerobic exercisers take the padding out of bike shorts and use them in exercise class. The style migrates into general use -- some wearers haven't exercised in decades. |
| 1984 | Tour de France Feminine run for the first time (winner: Marianne Martin.) |
| 1984 | Women's road race included in the Olympics for the first time (winner: Connie Carpenter.) Successes by American racing cyclist in the 1984 Olympics drew attention and added prestige to cycling. The ranks of racing cyclists grew substantially. |
| 1984 | Cogs began to be added to the rear gear cluster the number of speeds increased from 15 to 18, 21 and 24. |
| 1984 | Three-time national XC champion Jacquie Phelan founds the Women's Mountain Bike and Tea Society; the first formal outreach organization for women. WOMBATS is dedicated to introducing women to mountain biking in a fun, non-competitive environment. |
| 1986 | Department of the Interior and Nielson surveys show that bicycling is the third most popular participatory sport after swimming and general exercise. |
| 1990 | Shimano (Japanese) introduces integrated brake/gear levers. |
| 1992 | Vector Services Limited offered and sold an electric bicycle dubbed Zike. Since the oil crisis of 1973 there was renewed interest in electric power assist bikes and inventors and engineers improved the batteries, components and controls for ebikes. The next year, Yamaha builds the first mass-producible crank-drive pedelec motor supporting and reinforcing active pedaling. |
| 1994 | Sachs (SRAM) introduces PowerDisc, the first mass-produced hydraulic disc brake system. |
| 1996 | Mountain Bike compete at the Olympic Games for the first time in Atlanta, GA USA. |
| 1998 | Ebikes begin a period of rapid growth in Asia (China and India, in particular) and Europe. Worldwide they are the fast growing segment of the bicycle market in the new millennium. |
| 2000 | Rohloff Speedhub 14 speed internal hub gearing system, with no overlapping ratios and a gear range as wide as a 27-speed derailleur system. |
| 2002 | Campagnolo introduces 10 cog rear cluster, allowing for 30 speed bicycles. |
| 2009 | Shimano introduces the first commercially successful electronic shift system, the Di2. Early products had been developed by Sun Tour (1990), Mavic (1992), Sachs (1994), and Campagnolo (2005) |
| 2010s | Dockless bike share systems are developed in China. They grew to involve over 100 cities and millions of bicycles. |
| 2013 | Dutch cyclist Jonkheer Sebastiaan Bowier broke the previous world speed record for unassisted cycling in a Human Powered Vehicle, clocking in at 133.78 kilometers per hour, over a 200 meter stretch. |
| 2017 | Dockless bike share system are introduced into North America, some companies include ebikes in their fleets. |
Evolution of Bike Frame. GIF by Power Meter City
Infographic 50 Years of Bicycle Design
Infographic and narrative:58 Milestones from Bicycle History
Infographic:Evolution of the Bicycle
National Bicycle History Archive of America
Curator: Leon Dixon
"The rising interest in bicycle history has brought about an increasing demand for oldbicycle information. As enthusiasts and collectors become more sophisticated, the qualityof information becomes more important. Unfortunately far too little accurate informationexists, despite a growing number of collectors, vendors, books, publications, etc.Furthermore, it is a hit-and-miss proposition when seeking personalized answers tospecific needs and questions.
"Normal histories of most bicycle companies are non-existent or poorly documented.Information regarding specific years, precise details, and clear explanations of specificmodels is either non-existent or obscure at best. Nearly every bicycle book ever publishedcompletely deletes or glosses over the history of American-made bicycles of the period of1920 to 1965. The few books which have attempted to address this era have been riddledwith inaccuracies and/or missing information. Thus, the National Bicycle History Archiveof America (NBHAA) has been organized to provide accurate and detailed information."
What is NBHAA?
It is an archive of historical materials related to bicycles. Materials of NBHAA have been around informally since the 1970s. However since 1993, The Archive has been actively in the process of formally organizing both itself and the history of bicycles. A computerized database is being compiled and an index will soon be available to interested parties, organizations, schools and libraries via the Internet at www.nbhaa.com.
NBHAA focuses on the history of American bicycles and the American bicycle industry.This interest also includes history of bicycle dealers, wholesaler/distributors, industrypersonalities, etc. Of course the bicycles themselves are a central focus of The Archive.
What does the NBHAA Contain?
NBHAA is a library of over 60,000 original catalogues, photos, books, documentsrelated to bicycles (mainly domestic, but including much foreign). NBHAA also containsover 300 old original bicycle films such as Six Day Bike Rider and the 1930s safety film,On Two Wheels. The time range of the serious historical data starts in the 1860s andstretches to the 1970s. Additional pieces lead up to the present.
Examples of some original printed matter are bound volumes of League of AmericanWheelmen (L.A.W.) bulletins from the late l800s to the 1930s; CTC Gazettes from 1800s tothe 1930s; mint, autographed turn-of-century books from Thomas Stevens, Major Taylor, KarlKron and others; one of the first known English language bicycle books (from 1869); anearly complete run of Columbia bicycle catalogues from 1877 through 1990; industry tradepublications such as American Bicyclist, Bicycle World, Bicycle Journal, - and much more.Photos range from tin types to 8xl0 glossies to color transparencies.
Archives of several bicycle (and bicycle-related) companies including Cleveland WeldingCompany, Shelby, Delta Electric, TroxeI, Colson, Whizzer Motor Bike, Bowden (Bomard), H.P.Snyder, D.P. Harris, Sears Roebuck, Spiegel, Montgomery Ward, Western Auto, Murray-Ohio,Monark-Silver King, Mead Cycle, Manton & Smith and many others have been largely savedand categorized. These archives include original catalogues, photos, factory letters,dealer books, original advertisements and related data.
Of special interest is the historical area of Classic Bicycles (1920 through 1965).These were the deluxe (usually American) bicycles with streamlined styling, fat tires,built-in gadgets such as lights, horns and speedometers. These bicycles were particularlywell known to the baby-boomer generation.
NBHAA is still seeking to acquire photos, movies and historical catalogues and printedinformation
How to Contact NBHAA?
Write, call or E-mail. Be sure to enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope forreplies. Due to the volume of inquiries, we cannot provide unlimited identificationswithout a minimum fee. Also be sure to enclose photographs of any bike or part inquestion.
Address: NBHAA, PO Box 787, Davis, CA 95617
Tel: 714-335-9072. Email: OldBicycle(at)aol.com
History of Bicycles and Bicycling
Books on theHistory of Bicycles and Bicycling
FAQs
What were bicycles originally called? ›
Known by many names, including the “velocipede,” “hobby-horse,” “draisine” and “running machine,” this early invention has made Drais widely acknowledged as the father of the bicycle. But the bicycle as we know it today evolved in the 19th century thanks to the work of several different inventors.
How was the bicycle originally made? ›The first bicycles were made from wood, with steel "tires". The frame shapes were also rather wild and typically curved. Manufacturers moved towards a diamond-shaped body, made from steel tubing as it was much stronger and lighter.
Why was the first bicycle invented? ›Curious contraptions. Drais built his machine in response to a very serious problem: a dearth of real horses. In 1815, Indonesia's Mount Tambora erupted and the ash cloud that dispersed around the world lowered global temperatures.
Who first invented bicycle? ›Bicycle
What was the purpose of the bicycle? ›The bicycle is the most efficient means yet devised to convert human energy into mobility. Bicycles are widely used for transportation, recreation, and sport (see cycling). Throughout the world, bicycles are essential to moving people and goods in areas where there are few automobiles.
How did bicycles impact society? ›For the first time in history, the masses were mobile, able to come and go as they pleased. No more need for expensive horses and carriages. The “people's nag,” as the bicycle was known, was not only lightweight, affordable, and easy to maintain, it was also the fastest thing on the roads.
Why is a bicycle called a bicycle? ›The name comes from these two words - the prefix "bi-" meaning two, and the suffix "-cycle" meaning wheel. It is powered by a person riding on top, who pushes the pedals around with his or her feet.
Where was the first bicycle ever made? ›Two hundred years ago, on June 12, 1817, in Mannheim, Germany, Baron Karl von Drais introduced the world's first bicycle. It was made of wood and had no pedals, gears, or chains. He pushed himself along first by one foot and then the other.
How did bicycles become popular? ›The bicycle became part of a grassroots recreation movement, with people using their newfound leisure time after the Civil War to get out of the city and into the country. Tricycles were manufactured in the 1880s too, though not as a child's plaything.
What is the bicycle short story about? ›In “The Bicycle”, by Jillian Horton, Hannah devotes all her time to playing the piano, with hopes that one day she will become famous. Transitions from ignorance to knowledge, from selfishness to selflessness, and from idealism to realism display Hannah's change from childhood to adolescence.
How does a bicycle work simple explanation? ›
To ride a bicycle, the rider sits on the seat and places the feet on the pedals. The pedals are connected by a chain to the back wheel. When the rider pushes on the pedals, the back wheel turns. This moves the bicycle forward.
What are the uses and benefits of bicycle? ›- burns calories.
- builds strength.
- increases balance.
- builds endurance and stamina.
- increases flexibility.
- defines shape and muscle tone.
- increases cardiovascular fitness.
- improves joint mobility.
The development of the safety bicycle was arguably the most important change in the history of the bicycle. It shifted their use and public perception from being a dangerous toy for sporting young men to being an everyday transport tool for men and women of all ages.
When did people start using bicycle? ›German Inventor Karl von Drais is credited with developing the first bicycle. His machine, known as the "swiftwalker," hit the road in 1817.
How do bicycles affect the environment? ›No Gas, No Pollution
By not using any gas, bikes don't release harmful emissions that pollute the atmosphere, nor any carbon dioxide that contributes to climate change. Just moderate increases in bicycle use each year could save an estimated 6 to 14 million tons of CO2.
also -ˌsī- : a vehicle with two wheels tandem, handlebars for steering, a saddle seat, and pedals by which it is propelled. also : a stationary exercise machine that resembles such a vehicle. bicycle.
What type of word is bicycle? ›bicycle (noun) bicycle (verb) bicycle shorts (noun) tandem bicycle (noun)
Which is the oldest cycle brand? ›Edoardo Bianchi S.p.A., commonly known as Bianchi ([ˈbjaŋki]) is the world's oldest bicycle manufacturing company in existence, having pioneered the use of equal-sized wheels with pneumatic rubber tires. The company was founded in Italy in 1885 and in addition to bicycles it produced motorcycles from 1897 to 1967.
How has the bicycle improved over time? ›While the basic frame design has stayed the same for over a hundred years, the use of space age material like titanium and carbon fiber have created bikes far lighter and stronger than creators of the early iron and wooden models could ever have imagined.
Who uses bicycles the most? ›| Country | Population | Cyclists |
|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | 16,652,800 | ~99.1% |
| Denmark | 5,560,628 | ~80.1% |
| Germany | 81,802,000 | ~75.8% |
| Sweden | 9,418,732 | ~63.7% |
What were bikes called in the 1800s? ›
1817 to 1819: The Draisine or Velocipede
Karl von Drais patented this design in 1818, which was the first commercially successful two-wheeled, steerable, human-propelled machine, commonly called a velocipede, and nicknamed hobby-horse or dandy horse.
The Penny Farthing was the first machine to be called a bicycle. Its name came from its large front wheel and smaller back wheel, which resembled the largest and smallest coins of the time. The Penny Farthing bicycle was designed by British Victorian inventor, James Starley.
What is a Victorian bike called? ›The penny farthing was invented in the 19th century. It received its odd name as a result of the different sizes of its wheels – the front wheel was large and related to the penny, while the back wheel, the “farthing”, was significantly smaller, giving the bicycle its odd front-heavy appearance.
When was the term bicycle first used? ›But better bicycles were coming soon, and in 1869, the term “bicycle” was coined. By 1870, in order to get more speed for each pedalstroke, high-wheels, or penny farthings, were introduced.
Why is it called a bicycle? ›The name comes from these two words - the prefix "bi-" meaning two, and the suffix "-cycle" meaning wheel. It is powered by a person riding on top, who pushes the pedals around with his or her feet.
What is the oldest bicycle brand? ›Edoardo Bianchi S.p.A., commonly known as Bianchi ([ˈbjaŋki]) is the world's oldest bicycle manufacturing company in existence, having pioneered the use of equal-sized wheels with pneumatic rubber tires. The company was founded in Italy in 1885 and in addition to bicycles it produced motorcycles from 1897 to 1967.
Where was the first bicycle invented? ›Two hundred years ago, on June 12, 1817, in Mannheim, Germany, Baron Karl von Drais introduced the world's first bicycle. It was made of wood and had no pedals, gears, or chains. He pushed himself along first by one foot and then the other. He called it a Laufmaschine (running machine in German).
What is a female bicycle called? ›Traditionally, bicycles with a step-through frame were known as "ladies'", "women's", or "girls' bicycles" mainly due to their advantage to riders wearing skirts or dresses. Bicycles with a high top tube (cross-bar), known as a diamond frame, were known as "men's", "gents'", or "boys' bicycles".
What is a bike lover called? ›biker. noun. a motorcyclist, especially one who belongs to a group.
What are the 3 types of biking? ›Each style of cycling uses different muscle groups and requires different training. “At their core, road cycling, mountain biking and cyclocross are all about pedaling, but each sport is quite different,” says Ted King, a U.S. professional road-racing cyclist who rides for Cannondale Pro Cycling.
Why were old bicycles so tall? ›
The high wheeler/ordinary/penny-farthing was developed in the 1870s and had a huge front wheel, which allowed the bicycle to travel greater distances with each pedal stroke, and provided a smoother ride on shoddy roads.
How old is a vintage bicycle? ›What is a vintage bicycle? Vintage bikes are typically defined as bikes that were produced between the 1920s and the 1990s, although the earlier date is open to debate.
What is a bike with 6 wheels called? ›Introduction: How to Make the Bus Bike, a 9 Person, 6 Wheeled Bicycle. By Cleveland MotleyCleveland Motley Follow More. A few years ago i decided biking with my friends would be more fun than biking alone, and what better way to bike with friends than for everyone to be on the same bicycle! Thus the Bus Bike was born.