When we envision the beginning of the bicycle, we often think
of a young chap riding along an English street with hat on head.
The bike has a long history dating back to the early 17th century.
Read the 8 stages of the bicycle's history.
1. The 17th century
These two wheeled vehicles were quite a crude little machine.
It was in 1690 when a Frenchman invented what was to be called
the celerifere. The celerifer was made of a wood beam to which
the wheels were attached. There were no handlebars and no seat.
The ride simply sat on a cushion on the beam. It was propelled
by foot motion. The rider would push his feet along the ground.
The first form of a bicycle was very crude.
2. The early 19th century
It was in 1816 that a German noble man designed the first two
wheel bike with a steering device. It was called the draisine
after the inventor. The handlebar pivoted on the frame enabling
the front wheel to turn. Later on French, German, and British
inventors made improvements to this two wheeled vehicle. In
England these models were call a hobby horse and the expensive
model that hit the market in 1818 was called the dandy horse.
The dandy horse which was technically called the pedestrian
curricle was patented in the US in 1819 but was paid little
attention to.
3. The mid 19th century
In 1839, the first bike with driving levers and pedals was invented.
In 1846, an improved model was designed by a Scotsman and was
called the dalsell. It was very popular in England. In 1855
the precursor to the modern bike was invented in France and
was called the loose pedaled velocipede. The frame and the wheels
were made of wood while the tires and pedals were made of iron.
In England this machine was called the boneshaker.
4. The late 19th century bicycle
In 1869, in England, the first solid rubber tires were mounted
on steel rims and it was the first machine patented under the
current name bicycle. In 1873 an English inventory named Starley
produced the first bicycle that incorporated most of the features
into one bicycle. Over the next 15 years, several modifications
and improvements were made including the ball bearing, pneumatic
tire, weldless steel tubing, and spring seat. These improvements
improved the popularity of the bicycle and by 1899 the Americans
were producing 1 million bicycles a year
5. The early 20th century
Because of the automobile by 1909 the US bicycle industry had
become virtually non existent and it would be years before it's
popularity returned.
6. Mid 20th century
By the 1960's and 1970s, automobile exhaust was become quite
a crisis and as people became more concerned, bicycle popularity
once again grew. Some cities and towns were busy designing bike
lanes and special bike lanes to encourage the use of the bicycle.
By the early 1980s, physical fitness was really emphasized which
added popularity to the bicycle and by the mid 1980s there were
over 80 million bicycles in the US.
7. Late 20th century
By the late 1980s and early 1990s, the styles and designs available
in bicycles had growing tremendously. There were ten speeds,
twelve speeds, touring bikes, lightweight frames, and all terrain
bikes. There were also a host of options becoming available
as well as new style breaking systems, narrower tires, waffle
tires. Bicycle riding was becoming America's past time.
8. Early 21st century
The style and types of bikes continues to grow and so does their
popularity. Bicycles are replacing the vehicle for commuting
to and from work. More and more people are taking to the trails
for leisure time and exercise. It is expected their popularity
will continue to grow well into the later 21st century
The bicycle is rich in history and could actually be thought
of as one of the first steps in the vehicle world. With technology
changing rapidly it is certain that the bicycle will continue
to enjoy a rich and interesting history well into the 22nd century.
