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Posted on April 1, 2006 by Sima Fontanilla | Posted under Recreation and Sports
8 Stages In The History Of The Bicycle
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1. The 17th centuryThese two wheeled vehicles were quite a crude little machine. It was in 1690 when a Frenchman invented what was to be called the celerifere. The celerifer was made of a wood beam to which the wheels were attached. There were no handlebars and no seat. The ride simply sat on a cushion on the beam. It was propelled by foot motion. The rider would push his feet along the ground. The first form of a bicycle was very crude. 2. The early 19th centuryIt was in 1816 that a German noble man designed the first two wheel bike with a steering device. It was called the draisine after the inventor. The handlebar pivoted on the frame enabling the front wheel to turn. Later on French, German, and British inventors made improvements to this two wheeled vehicle. In England these models were call a hobby horse and the expensive model that hit the market in 1818 was called the dandy horse. The dandy horse which was technically called the pedestrian curricle was patented in the US in 1819 but was paid little attention to. 3. The mid 19th centuryIn 1839, the first bike with driving levers and pedals was invented. In 1846, an improved model was designed by a Scotsman and was called the dalsell. It was very popular in England. In 1855 the precursor to the modern bike was invented in France and was called the loose pedaled velocipede. The frame and the wheels were made of wood while the tires and pedals were made of iron. In England this machine was called the boneshaker. 4. The late 19th century bicycleIn 1869, in England, the first solid rubber tires were mounted on steel rims and it was the first machine patented under the current name bicycle. In 1873 an English inventory named Starley produced the first bicycle that incorporated most of the features into one bicycle. Over the next 15 years, several modifications and improvements were made including the ball bearing, pneumatic tire, weldless steel tubing, and spring seat. These improvements improved the popularity of the bicycle and by 1899 the Americans were producing 1 million bicycles a year 5. The early 20th centuryBecause of the automobile by 1909 the US bicycle industry had become virtually non existent and it would be years before it's popularity returned. 6. Mid 20th centuryBy the 1960's and 1970s, automobile exhaust was become quite a crisis and as people became more concerned, bicycle popularity once again grew. Some cities and towns were busy designing bike lanes and special bike lanes to encourage the use of the bicycle. By the early 1980s, physical fitness was really emphasized which added popularity to the bicycle and by the mid 1980s there were over 80 million bicycles in the US. 7. Late 20th centuryBy the late 1980s and early 1990s, the styles and designs available in bicycles had growing tremendously. There were ten speeds, twelve speeds, touring bikes, lightweight frames, and all terrain bikes. There were also a host of options becoming available as well as new style breaking systems, narrower tires, waffle tires. Bicycle riding was becoming America's past time. 8. Early 21st centuryThe style and types of bikes continues to grow and so does their popularity. Bicycles are replacing the vehicle for commuting to and from work. More and more people are taking to the trails for leisure time and exercise. It is expected their popularity will continue to grow well into the later 21st century The bicycle is rich in history and could actually be thought of as one of the first steps in the vehicle world. With technology changing rapidly it is certain that the bicycle will continue to enjoy a rich and interesting history well into the 22nd century. About The Author: Sima Fontanilla is the Editor and Publisher of Article Click. For more FREE articles for your ezine and websites visit - http://www.articleclick.com |
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