items in your shopping basket

total: $0.00

Customer Support

(954) 418-2921

BikePartsUSA MAVIC Logo CONTACT BLOG

History of Bicycles

Author: admin / Comments: 0

Being passionate about bicycles makes you want to know more and more about where these awesome “creations” came from. Those of you who are not that familiar with the history of bicycles may want to read on as the information below is very interesting as well as fascinating…

Bicycling was so popular in the 1880s and 1890s that cyclists had formed the League of American Wheelman that still exists today and it’s called the “League of American Bicyclists”. What the League lobbied for was better roads – which meant, literally paving the road for the automobile.

  • The Walking Machine
  • The Walking Machine

    In 1817 Baron von Drais invented a “walking machine” that would help him get around the royal gardens much faster. This walking machine had two same-size in-line wheels, the front one steerable, mounted in a frame which you straddled. The device was propelled by pushing the feet against the ground, rolling yourself and the device forward in a sort of gliding walk. The machine soon became to be known as the Draisienne or the ‘hobby horse’. It was manufactured entirely of wood. However it enjoyed a short term popularity as it wasn’t quite useful for transport in any other place except on well-maintained pathways such as parks or gardens.



  • The Velocipede or Boneshaker
  • The Velocipede or Boneshaker

    The following debut of a two-wheeled riding machine was in 1865. Pedals were applied on the front wheel. This machine had been named: the velocipede, which meant "fast foot". Also it was popularly known as the ‘bone shaker’, since it was also made entirely of wood. Later on it was manufactured with metal tires; however the combination of these with the cobblestone roads from that time, made for an extremely uncomfortable ride.



  • The High Wheel Bicycle
  • The High Wheel Bicycle

    In 1870 the first all metal made machine had come into the picture. The pedals were still attached directly to the front wheel with no freewheeling mechanism. Solid rubber tires and the long spokes of the large front wheel provided a much smoother ride than its predecessor. The front wheels became bigger and bigger as the manufacturers had realized that the bigger the wheel, the further you were able to travel with one rotation of the pedals. The purchase of a wheel was done according to the person’s leg length. This machine was the first one to be called a bicycle - "two wheels". These bicycles enjoyed a great popularity especially among young men of means (as their cost was an average worker’s six month's pay).

    Because the rider sat so high above the center of gravity, if the front wheel was to be blocked by a stone for example or rut on the road, the entire mechanism would rotate forward on its front axle. The rider, with his legs being trapped under the handlebars, would immediately be thrown on his head.

  • The High Wheel Tricycle
  • The High Wheel Tricycle

    Ladies could take a spin around the park on an adult tricycle. These machines also allowed more dignity to gentlemen such as doctors and clergymen. Many mechanical innovations now associated with the automobile were originally invented for tricycles. Rack and pinion steering, the differential, and band brakes, just to name a few…






  • The High Wheel Safety
  • The High Wheel Safety

    Improvements concerning the design began to be seen, many with the small wheel in the front to eliminate the tipping-forward problem. One exemplary was promoted by its manufacturer by being ridden down the front steps of the capitol building in Washington, DC. These designs became known as high-wheel safety bicycles. Since the older high-wheel designs had been known simply as bicycles, they were now referred to as "ordinary bicycles" in comparison with the new-fangled designs, and then simply as "ordinaries."



  • The Hard-Tired Safety
  • The Hard-Tired Safety

    With metal it was finally strong enough to make a fine chain and sprocket, small and light enough for a human being to power. The next design was a return to the original configuration of two same-size wheels, except now, instead of just one wheel circumference for every pedal turn, you could, through the gear ratios, have a speed the same as the huge high-wheel. The bicycles still had the hard rubber tires, and in the absence of the long, shock-absorbing spokes, the ride they provided was much more uncomfortable than any of the high-wheel designs. Many of these bicycles of 100 years ago had front and/or rear suspensions. These models were in competition with each other, the buyer’s choice remaining to choose between the high-wheel's comfort and the safety's safety.

  • The Pneumatic-Tired Safety
  • The Pneumatic-Tired Safety

    The pneumatic tire was primary used for the bicycle by an Irish veterinarian who was trying to give his young son a more comfortable ride on his tricycle. The creative young doctor's name was Dunlop. Now, comfort and safety had been available in the same package, and that package was getting cheaper as manufacturing methods improved because everyone desired to ride the bicycle. The 1898 Yale uses a shaft drive to dispense with the dirty chain.

    It seemed to be a practical investment for the working man as transportation, and it had given these people a much greater flexibility for leisure. Ladies, therefore consigned to riding the heavy adult size tricycles that were only functional for taking a turn around the park. The bicycle craze killed the bustle and the corset, and it instituted "common-sense dressing" for women and increased their mobility considerably. In 1896 Susan B. Anthony stated that "the bicycle has done more for the emancipation of women than anything else in the world."

  • The Kid's Bike
  • The Kid's Bike

    Popularized only after the First World War by several manufacturers, such as Mead, Sears Roebuck, and Montgomery Ward, in order to revitalize the bike industry, these designs, now called "classic", featured automobile and motorcycle elements to appeal to kids who, apparently, would rather have a motor. These bikes developed into the most glamorous, fabulous, heavy designs ever made. They were built in the middle of the '50s, by which time they had already taken on design elements of jet aircrafts and even rockets as well. By the '60s, they started to become leaner and simpler.

If you know more on this topic, please post your comments below.




Comments

Posting comment as guest.
If you already have an account, please LOGIN.
If not, you may consider creating on. It’s FREE!

» Login
» Sign up


Popular new stories

5/19/15 Encouragements on the Way

Categories

Editors list

Adam (Adam)

Admin (admin)

Adrianne (Adrianne)

Anna (Anna)

George (George)

Grace (Grace)

Tags

beach cycling   bike gift items   riding the bike   accessories   advantages   aluminum rim wheels   backpacks   bait bikes   baskets   beach ride   benefits   benefits of cycling   best apps when cycling   better life   better person   bianchi   bicycle   bicycle accessories   bicycle bags   bicycle chain   bicycle concept   bicycle culture   bicycle friendly state   bicycle functions   bicycle games   bicycle gift   bicycle racks   bicycle repair   bicycle sharing systems   bicycles   bicycling   bike   bike benefits   bike chain   bike components   bike facts   bike fun facts   bike gift items   bike helmet   bike helmets   bike locks   bike obstacle course   bike parts   bike parts furniture   bike performance   bike protection   bike ride benefits   bike rides   bike riding   bike saddles   bike safety   bike seats   bike security   bike theft   bike trailers   bike trails   bike wheels   bike-friendly cities   bikes on the wall   biking   biking apps   biking to work   birthday party on bikes   bmx   bmx olympic event   boy birthday party   brain injuries   brake   brake pads   brakes   burn calories   car   carbohydrates   Carbon Fiber   carbon fiber rims   chain   check   chewy english flapjack   child   christmas gift   cities of bicycles   clean your bike   clif bar shots   comfort bike   correct cycling posture   custom-built bike   cyclemeter    cycling    cycling advantages   cycling apparel   cycling as a habit   cycling benefits   cycling children   cycling clothing in autumn   cycling computer   cycling computers   cycling gloves   cycling in the rain   cycling injuries   cycling lights   cycling right   cycling tips   cycling to work   cyclingnews tour tracker    cyclists   david mozer   dehydration   dietary protein supplements   dr. christopher millett   drinks   eating plan   education   effective exercise   electronic commerce   electronic shifting   encouragements   energy bars   environment   erika keaveney   exercise   fall cycling clothes   family   famous bicycle races   fenders in the frame and fork   first bicycle    first manufacturers   fit bicycle   fitness level   frame bags   Frames   fun bicycle games   fun facts   get slimmer   gift   gift certificate   good diet   google maps   gps   great time outdoors   Handlebar   head injuries   head injury   health   healthy eating   healthy habits   healthy kids   healthy life   healthy lifestyle   healthy meals   healthy nutrition   healthy snacks   healthy traveling   healthy workouts   heart rate monitors   helmet   helmets   high quality   history   history of bianchi   history of bicycles   how to buy a bike   how to choose a bike   how to live longer   how to start eating healthy   hydrating right   hydrating while biking   hydraulic   infographics    infographics about bicycling   infrastructure   innovation   inspirational quote   inspirational quotes   insurance policies   keep fit   kids on bicycles   kids riding   kindergarten   legislation   lights   lock   long ride   longer life   lose weight   lose weight by cycling   lose weight fast   lotus outreach international   lubricant   map my ride   MAVIC   mavic bike parts   mavic history   mavic seat-pads   mavic tests   messenger bags   morning bike ride   motivation for cycling   motivational quotes   mountain bike   muscle cramps   new product   new year’s resolution   new year’s resolutions   nutrition   old bikes   one-time gift   online   online bike parts store   online stores   padding   panniers   pedals   peloton magazine   people-friendly   physical activity   physical safety   post   prepare bike    professional advice   professional bicycle   properly fitting helmet   protein truffles   public health   quality bike   quiet bike path   race bikes   racks   rail-trails   rain bikes   reasons   reasons to eat healthy   recycling bike parts art   recycling bike parts decorations   research the routes    ride   ride the bike to keep fit   ride your bike   riding in style   riding the bike   riding the bikes in the fall   right bike    routine maintenance   saddles   safety   san francisco charity   save money   school   seat   seat bags   seat-pads   seats   secure your bike   SHIMANO   shoe covers   small stocking stuffer   sport   sport seat   SRAM   steady cycling   stolen bikes   strava   style   stylish bikes   successful christmas gift   sustained stamina training   technologies in cycling apparel   test ride   the benefits of running   the best bikes   the road to success   time   tip for cycling in wet weather   tips   tips for cycling   tires   tracking bikes   traffic congestion   traffic safety   trailers   trails   training   transportation   travel with child   twitter   types of bikes   ultegra   vegan flapjack treats   water   ways to ride the bike   what to drink to hydrate   wheel   wheels   wheels accessories   women   women’s saddles   workout and hydration   yellow bike project  

Login

Checking Username and password. Please wait...

Username or password incorect. Please try again.

Please complete all the fields in the form before sending.