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Today we look at the
development of the invention that made the Tour de France possible,
beginning with the first bicycle, which was invented 86 years
earlier.
In this article,
you'll see how bicycles played a role in the development of the
airplane, motorcycles and automobiles. But first, we take a ride
back in history to see who invented the earliest versions of the
bicycle and how they've evolved over time.
The walking machine -- just like the
Flintstones did it
In 1817, Baron Karl
von Drais of Germany invented the first version of the bicycle,
called the Draisienne. It came complete with a steering bar, but it
had no pedals or brakes and was made entirely of wood. Riding it
required you to push your feet along the ground one at a time to
propel yourself forward.
Kirkpatrick MacMillan,
a blacksmith from Scotland, invented the first bicycle with foot
pedals in the 1830s to 1840s, but he never patented it and it didn't
catch on.
The velocipede – 100 percent
all-natural ingredients
Making its debut in
1865, the velocipede had pedals applied directly to the front wheel.
Like its predecessor, it was made of wood and gave a very rough
ride.
The high-wheel bicycle -- the first
one to be called a bicycle
In 1870, the first
all-metal frame appeared. With rubber tires and front-wheel spokes,
it gave a much smoother ride. This is the version with the huge
front wheel. It was believed that the bigger wheel would allow you
to go faster, and it actually did allow you to go farther with each
rotation of the tires.
The high-wheel
bicycle was the first kind to be called a bicycle, and they cost an
average worker six months' worth of pay.
In 1864, the roller
drive chain was invented, which is still used on bicycles today.
Ball bearings were first used on bicycles in 1877. Other innovations
included the use of a chain with sprockets and air-filled tires, in
the 1880s. The pneumatic tire was invented by an Irish veterinarian
named John Dunlop (as in Dunlop tires) in 1888.
In the 1880s the
high-wheel bicycle was replaced with the "safety bicycle," which
involved the use of a chain with sprockets and had two wheels of the
same size.
The high-wheel tricycle
The adult tricycle
contained two large rear wheels and one normal-sized front wheel. It
was popular with women and with men who had to wear formal clothing
to work.
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second column in this article]
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Some of the
mechanical innovations used in cars today were originally invented
for tricycles, such as rack and pinion steering, differentials and
band brakes.
Gottlieb Daimler, of
Daimler-Benz fame, mounted his gas engine on a bicycle to create the
world's first motorcycle. The Duryea brothers, Charles and Frank,
were among the first to build a successful automobile in 1896 and,
like the Wright Brothers, they were bicycle mechanics.
Recent models
Three-speed bicycles
were popular from the 1950s through the 1970s, until the 10-speed
version began to replace them. Today, the latest models are mountain
bikes and 24-speed bicycles, and the high-tech bicycles that race in
the Tour de France have aerodynamic frames and ultra-lightweight
carbon fiber wheels.
How did bicycles play
a role in the Wright brothers inventing the first airplane?
The bicycle shop that
the Wright brothers ran before they began flying produced enough
income to afford the brothers the opportunity to build and test
their airplanes. They learned many of the basics of flight from
their experiences in working on bicycles, such as how to transmit
power with a chain and sprockets and how to steer. They also used a
bicycle when testing wing designs for their airplanes.
So there you have it
-- a brief story of the long history of bicycles, from the earliest
version made of wood, which had neither pedals nor brakes, all the
way up to the current 24-speed version and the high-tech bicycle
that American Lance Armstrong is using to drive the French crazy
with his attempt at a fifth Tour de France victory.
You can see pictures
of the early bicycles mentioned here by following a
link
from
www.InventionMysteries.com.
Sources: "The Picture History of Great
Inventions," "Inventions: A Library of Congress Book," "How Things
Work,"
EnchantedLearning.com,
PedalingHistory.com.
[Paul
Niemann]
Paul Niemann is a contributing
author to Inventors' Digest magazine and he also runs
MarketLaunchers.com,
helping people in the marketing of their new product ideas. He can
be reached at niemann7@aol.com.
Copyright 2003 Paul Niemann
Last week's
column in LDN:
"Test your knowledge
of inventors and their inventions with a pop quiz"
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