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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.
In the 1830s to 1840s, Kirkpatrick MacMillan, a blacksmith from
Scotland, invented the first bicycle with foot pedals, but he never
patented it and it didn't catch on.
The velocipede -- 100 percent 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 one to be called a bicycle,
and it 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.
In the 1880s, innovations included air-filled tires and the use
of a chain with sprockets. The pneumatic tire
was invented by an Irish veterinarian named John Dunlop (as in
Dunlop tires) in 1888. The high-wheel bicycle was replaced with the
"safety bicycle" in the 1880s, which involved the use of a chain
with sprockets and had two wheels of the same size.
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The high-wheel tricycle
The adult tricycle contained two large rear wheels and one
normal-sized front wheel. This model was popular with women and with
men who had to wear formal clothing to work.
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. In 1896, the Duryea brothers, Charles and Frank,
were among the first to build a successful automobile, 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 them 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 their airplanes' wing designs.
So there you have it -- a brief story of the long history of
bicycles, from the earliest wooden version with neither pedals nor
brakes, all the way up to the current 24-speed version and the
high-tech bicycle that American Lance Armstrong used to win seven
straight Tour de France victories.
[Paul Niemann]
Paul Niemann may be reached at niemann7@aol.com. You can learn
more about Invention Mysteries by visiting the official
Invention Mysteries website.
Copyright Paul Niemann 2006
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