A Few Things About the History of Bicycles

We rarely ask ourselves how the bicycle appeared, who invented the bicycle and how did it occur to him to invent such a thing. All these are very common questions, but they are very helpful in finding out how this revolutionary vehicle got to change our lives. Therefore, here is a short history of the invention we now know as a bicycle.

The first one ever to invent this vehicle was the German baron Drais von Sauerbronn. He invented the Laufmachine or the "running machine", as it was also known. This ancestor of the bikes we ride today was all made of wood and it didn't feature any pedals. The one who rode the bicycle was supposed to touch the ground every time they wanted to move forward, a technique which was similar to the one used by the Flintstones. This invention was presented on the 6th of April 1818.

The next similar invention which moved things a step forward appeared in 1865, when another two-wheeled vehicle was invented. This was the first time when mankind saw a bicycle with pedals, these being mounted on the front side of the bike. The vehicle was also known as a "bone shaker", this nickname being as justified as it could be. The vehicle got this nickname as it was made of wood and it was then equipped with a metal band which was attached to the wheels so that the bicycle would be more resistant. Therefore, this vehicle and the roads in those times didn't really match that well, this being the reason why people were not very comfortable on this particular bike.

A lot of people know about the next step. The next evolutionary step in the history of bicycles was the vehicle which had a very big front wheel and a much smaller back one. This machine was invented in 1870 and it came as the result of a period when there were no frames and other devices which could hold a bike. The pedals were still attached to the wheel in the front, but it was the first time when rubber was used in order to make the ride more enjoyable. The front wheel was very big because it ensured a rotation of the pedals which could help the bike rider cover longer distances. This was actually the first such vehicle which was known as a "bicycle".

While men risked getting hurt on such bicycle, the ladies wearing long skirts needed something else. This is how the tricycle appeared. Tricycles has a different appearance and lawyers and doctors also used to ride them.

However, the further technological steps bicycles have followed have lead us to the bicycles we know today. The carbon frames and the weights exceeding seven kilograms are no longer unusual, but we should not forget that this is mainly the result of the work done by the first inventors of the vehicle we know today as a bicycle. Of course, technology has played a very important role, but every industry starts from an idea.

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