If one was to review the history and development of the bicycle, they would encounter a number of interesting and unexpected facts. Most people would be amazed to learn that the first bicycles didn't even have pedals. Instead, they required the rider to run along with their feet, and use the wheels for propulsion.
The word bicycle is actually a French word, and didn't appear to almost 50 years after the bicycle was invented. It was originally called a Draisine, and invented in Germany around 1817. The Draisine was also known as a velocipede, and required the rider to balance on its wooden frame and propel themselves along the road. It didn't take long for an improved version to appear in Britain, but riders found their boots wearing out rapidly. It took a French metalworker to solve the issue, when he added pedals to the design.
Another flaw in the original design resulted in the riders experiencing quite a rough ride. The ride was so bad that Americans and Britons would commonly refer to bicycles as "Bone-Shakers". The addition of solid rubber tyres went a great way towards improving the quality of the ride, and the Bone-Shaker tag disappeared into history.
Riding a bicycle was originally reserved for the daring young men in society. Bicycles were quite dangerous to ride, especially the high-wheeled versions, such as the Penny-Farthing. Although the high wheels allowed the rider to travel at greater speeds, it unfortunately meant that an accident could result in more serious injuries than a low wheeled bicycle. It wasn't until the late 1800's that cycling became a viable transport alternative for the masses, when the introduction of the "safety bicycle" making cycling a safe travel method.
From that period, until the early 1900's became known as the "Golden Age of Bicycles". New bike designs now had equal sized wheels, and in addition to that, the front wheel was made steerable. The improved design and safety of bicycles was met with better performance features. A rear wheel drive chain allowed the bikes to go at greater speeds, while pneumatic tyres made the ride more comfortable. Mass production forced down costs, and cycling became popular throughout Europe and America for both transport and leisure.
With its new found popularity in the early 20th century, the bicycle is considered by many to be one of the main reasons behind the changing dress standards of women. Their large dresses were too impractical and cumbersome for riding bicycles. The need to use bicycles for transport paved the way for a new line of less restrictive clothing, taking women from the old-style dresses, all the way to the team cycling clothes of today.
Team cycling clothing hasn't been the only evolution over the last century, with the bicycles themselves eventually adopting features such as gears and advanced braking. Now models are made to suit different conditions, with BMX and mountain bikes being a couple of options off-road, with racing bikes customised for high speed on-road use. Considering the early bicycles had no pedals, it has certainly been an interesting progression over the years. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adam_C_Williams |
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