When I read these 10 fun facts about bicycles, the first thought I had was that everyone who owns a bike should be given the opportunity to enjoy reading the following ten fun facts on this two-wheeled vehicle. So, here they go:

1.In 1817, Karl von Drais, a German baron, invented a horseless carriage that would help him get around faster. The two-wheeled, pedal-less device was propelled by pushing your feet against the ground, The machine became known as the “draisine,” and led to the creation of the modern-day bicycle.

2.The term “bicycle” was not introduced until the 1860s, when it was coined in France to describe a new kind of two-wheeler with a mechanical drive.

3.Orville and Wilbur Wright, the brothers who built the first flying airplane, operated a small bike repair shop in Dayton, Ohio. They used their workshop to build the 1903 Wright Flyer.

4.Fred A. Birchmore, 25, circled the globe by bicycle in 1935. The entire trip, through Europe, Asia, and the United States, covered forty thousand miles. He pedaled about 25,000 miles. The rest was traveled by boat. He wore out seven sets of tires.

5.There are over a half billion bicycles in China. Bikes were first brought to China in the late 1800s.

6.About 100 million bicycles are manufactured worldwide each year.

7.Over the past 30 years, bicycle delivery services have developed into an important industry, especially in cities, where the couriers have earned a reputation for their high speed and traffic-weaving skills.

8.Americans use their bicycles for less than one percent of all urban trips. Europeans bike in cities a lot more often—in Italy 5 percent of all trips are on bicycle, 30 percent in the Netherlands, and seven out of eight Dutch people over age 15 have a bike.

9.The Tour de France is one of the most famous bicycle races in the world. Established in 1903, it is considered to be the biggest test of endurance out of all sports.

10.Bicycle Moto Cross (BMX), an extreme style of bicycle track racing, became a sport in the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China. Maris Strombergs, of Latvia, received the gold medal for Men’s BMX, and Anne-Caroline Chausson, from France, took home the gold in the first Women’s BMX Olympic event.

Facts taken from:
Bicycle: The History by David Herlihy
The World Almanac Book of Records: Firsts, Feats, Facts & Phenomena by Mark Young

If you are passionate about bikes, there’s a good chance you have enjoyed these 10 fun facts.

Also, if you are one of those interested in everything that has to do with bikes, then you probably already know that there are roughly one billion bicycles in the world (about twice as many as motor vehicles). Besides, in 2007 an estimated 130 million bicycles were produced worldwide, which means that the bike production outnumbered with more than twice the 52 million cars produced that same year.

What’s truly amazing, is to know that there are at least 400 bicycle clubs in America, with membership ranging from 10 to 4,000 members; and, 10% of New York City's work force, approximately 65,000 people, commute by bicycle, according to Transportation Alternatives.

As far as safety goes when riding a bicycle, a study has shown that almost three-quarters of fatal crashes (74%) in NYC involved a head injury and nearly all bicyclists who died (97%) were not wearing a helmet. Helmets have been found to be 85% effective in preventing head injury, therefore it is a must to use one when riding a bike.

Read more on how a bike helmet can save your life:
http://www.bikepartsusa.com/Post-srk/A-Bike-helmet-can-save-your-life-bek/

So, ride the bicycle, have fun and be safe! Get the bike helmet that suits you, from:
http://www.bikepartsusa.com/Product-Directory-Helmets-Apparel-/Product-Directory-srk/Helmets-drk/