Bicycle frames and components continue to get lighter and more aerodynamic without sacrificing strength largely through the use of In recent years, bicycle designs have trended towards increased specialization, as the number of casual, recreational and commuter cyclists has grown.

In the early 1980s, Flying Pigeon was the country's biggest bike manufacturer, selling 3 million cycles in 1986.

The dangerous nature of these bicycles (as well as Although French and English inventors modified the velocipede into the high-wheel bicycle, the French were still recovering from the Franco-Prussian war, so English entrepreneurs put the high-wheeler on the English market, and the machine became very popular there, In the United States, Bostonians such as Frank Weston started importing bicycles in 1877 and 1878, and Pope also introduced mechanization and mass production (later copied and adopted by Even so, bicycling remained the province of the urban well-to-do, and mainly men, until the 1890s,Aside from the obvious safety problems, the high-wheeler's direct front wheel drive limited its top speed. The chain drive improved comfort and speed, as the drive was transferred to the non-steering rear wheel and allowed for smooth, relaxed and injury free pedaling (earlier designs that required pedalling the steering front wheel were difficult to pedal while turning, due to the misalignment of rotational planes of leg and pedal).

Drais invented his Laufmaschine (German for "running machine") in 1817, that was called Draisine (English) or draisienne (French) by the press. Bicycles continued to evolve to suit the varied needs of riders. While the English racer was no racing bike, it was faster and better for climbing hills than the cruiser, thanks to its lighter weight, tall wheels, narrow tires, and internally geared rear hubs. It has grown into an international sport with several different disciplines such as Freestyle, Racing, Street, and Flatland. In Dutch the name of these bicycles is Omafiets ("grandma's bike"). Automobiles became the preferred means of transportation.

Recent years have also seen a resurgence of interest in In addition to influences derived from the evolution of American bicycling trends, European, Asian and African cyclists have also continued to use traditional This article is about the history of the bicycle itself. It is believed that he copied the idea having recognised the potential to help him with his local drapery business and there is some evidence that he used the contraption to take his wares into the rural community around his home. in 1853. $9.95 + $2.99 shipping . From the term "hobby horse" came the expression "to ride one's hobby-horse", meaning "to follow a favourite pastime", and in turn, the modern sense of the term hobby. Over the 1920s, bicycles gradually became considered children's toys, and by 1940 most bicycles in the United States were made for children. Originally a civil servant working for the Grand Duke of Badenia's forestry service, he later became a professor of mechanics. Drais went to Brazil for a few years before returning to his native Germany.

The steering was also much improved and already bore a slight resemblance to a modern headset.And on a sidenote: The disciples of Drais are active to this very day.

Major manufacturers in England were Raleigh and BSA, though Carlton, Phillips, Triumph, Rudge-Whitworth, Hercules, and Elswick Hopper also made them. The mountain bike's sturdy frame and load-carrying ability gave it additional versatility as a utility bike, usurping the role previously filled by the roadster.

In 2005, avid Austrian Walter Werner rode the entire length of the Danube on a

In 1817 he rode it for 14 … It quickly became popular with adult cyclists seeking an alternative to the traditional youth-oriented cruiser bicycle. After years of living all over Europe, he left London to go back to his native town of The first widespread and commercially successful design was French. Johnson used an iron fork in front and two iron stays in the rear instead of the clunky wooden braces used by Drais.

In 1813, about 400 years after Fontana buil…

There is no record of Dalzell ever having laid claim to inventing the machine. In the late 1950s, U.S. manufacturers such as Schwinn began producing their own "lightweight" version of the English racer. These publicity stunts were later followed by a marketing trip to Paris, where the The success of the hobby horse was short-lived, though. MI Lansing Birds Eye View Street Trolley Car 1909 Horse & Buggy postcard A01. In 1934, the While historically most bike frames have been steel, recent designs, particularly of high-end racing bikes, have made extensive use of carbon and aluminum frames. We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. The exhibit holds the honour of being the oldest bike in existence today.Once again Germany was the center of innovation, when Philipp Moritz Fischer, who had used the Draisine since he was 9 years old for going to school, invented the very first bicycle with pedals. The history of the bicycle begins with an unhappy man with a very long name: Karl Friedrich Christian Ludwig Freiherr Drais von Sauerbronn. 1910 POSTCARD TROLLEY TRAIN ON WASHINGTON AVE LANSING MICHIGAN #7G. The pneumatic tire and the diamond frame improved rider comfort but do not form a crucial design or safety feature. Because of his support for the revolution, the authorities that had crushed the revolt tried to declare him mentally incompetent. Safety was an issue, too: Apart from cranks and pedals, many Yet Drais' idea did not disappear entirely: In 1819 British coachmaker Denis Johnson started production of an improved draisine in London.