Beginnings
The bike has a long and exciting history, from the penny-farthing to the modern sport bicycle. Its history started in 1817 when German inventor Karl von Drais invented the “Swiftwalker.” The Swiftwalker was a simple bike with two wheels and a wooden frame connecting them. No brakes or rubber on the tires made the ride very bumpy. The steering wheel was directly attached to the front wheel. You moved the bike by walking, as there were no pedals.
French Advancement
The first mechanically propelled bike was invented by Kirkpatrick MacMillan, a Scottish blacksmith, in 1839, although sources vary on the inventor. Ironically, he is also the first person recorded to have a cycling traffic offense. The bicycle started being mass-produced in the early 1860s. This was because two Frenchmen, Pierre Michaux and Pierre Lallement, added pedals and gears to the bike on the enlarged front wheel. The first bike with spokes was patented by another Frenchman, Eugène Meyer. Also, in this period, the famous penny-farthing was made in England and led to the first bicycle factory in England.
English Advancement
The English took over the bike industry during the late 1800s and added many new things to the bike. The English fixed some of the earlier bikes’ problems by reducing the wheel size and moving the seat further back. However, doing so required the bike to have gearing, so J.K. Starley added the first few gears. Also, the English said the seat tube, which holds the seat. But they had to remove the pneumatic tires, so the ride was bumpier.
The Age of Cycling
After the bicycle was recognizable to modern people, its popularity exploded. New bicycle races were established, and contests were held. Great cities like Amsterdam and Paris remodeled their towns for bicycle use. The E-bike was invented, and arguments have held over it. The need for bikes in America and many North American cities was questioned. We have come far since the bicycle’s invention, and I want us to go further. We need more cities like Amsterdam and Copenhagen. We need those cities to show us that there is more than just the car. There is public transportation and, most of all, bikes.
