Bicycle
The year 1817 marked a quiet moment in Mannheim, Germany. Baron Karl von Drais introduced his Laufmaschine to the public that spring. This wooden frame with two wheels had no pedals. Riders pushed off the ground with their feet while steering the front wheel. The machine traveled at walking speeds but offered a new way to move forward on two wheels.
A Scottish blacksmith named Kirkpatrick MacMillan built a mechanically propelled version in 1839. His design used foot-operated levers connected to the rear wheel by rods. A Glasgow newspaper reported an accident involving this vehicle in 1842 when it knocked over a little girl. The rider received a fine of five shillings for the collision.
French inventors Pierre Michaux and Pierre Lallement added pedals directly to the front wheel in the early 1860s. These velocipedes became the first mass-produced bicycles. They featured iron frames and solid rubber tires. The ride felt rough compared to later models.
Englishman J.K. Starley solved the handling problems of high-wheeled designs in 1885. His Rover model introduced a chain drive connecting cranks to the rear wheel. This safety bicycle placed the seat lower and distributed weight better. The double-triangle diamond frame emerged shortly after as the standard shape for modern bikes.
A cyclist leans into a turn to keep the center of mass over the wheels. This motion requires countersteering where the handlebars turn briefly opposite to the desired direction. The combined weight of rider and machine must stay balanced while moving forward.
Up to 99% of energy delivered by pedals reaches the wheels on most bicycles. Gearing mechanisms can reduce this transmission efficiency by 10 to 15 percent depending on design choices. Air drag increases dramatically with speed since it is proportional to the square of velocity.
An upright rider creates about 75% of total drag on the bicycle-rider combination. Seating positions that streamline the body reduce resistance significantly. Covering the bike with an aerodynamic fairing cuts drag further still.
The fastest recorded unpaced speed on flat ground reached 133 kilometers per hour as of 2016. This record required specialized equipment and conditions beyond normal riding scenarios. Energy expenditure remains remarkably low compared to walking or driving motor vehicles.
Alloy steels appeared in higher quality machines during the late 1930s. Aluminum welding techniques improved enough by the 1980s to allow safe use of aluminum tubes instead of steel. Most mid-range bikes now feature aluminum alloy frames due to their light weight.
Carbon fiber frames weigh less than one kilogram for typical models. Professional racing bicycles almost exclusively use carbon fiber because of its superior strength-to-weight ratio. Designers manipulate the lay-up process to make frames both stiff and compliant simultaneously.
Bamboo has served as a natural composite material since 1894. Modern versions glue metal connections to bamboo primary frames. Titanium and advanced alloys appear occasionally in specialty builds.
The global market value reached $61 billion in 2011. Production shifted heavily toward Asia where over 60% of world bicycles are made today. Lower labor costs drive this manufacturing concentration despite rising domestic usage in China and India.
Wilbur and Orville Wright ran the Wright Cycle Company during the bike boom of the 1890s. They designed, manufactured and sold bicycles before turning their attention to flight. Their experience provided training grounds for later automotive industries.
Bicycle manufacturing developed advanced metalworking techniques for frames and components like ball bearings. These skills enabled skilled workers to create parts for early automobiles and aircraft. Vertical integration practices adopted by Pope were later copied by Ford and General Motors.
Aggressive advertising consumed as much as 10% of all US periodical advertising in 1898 according to historical records. Bicycle makers lobbied for better roads which improved sales while providing free publicity. Annual model changes became standard practice despite being derided as planned obsolescence.
Morris Motors Limited began in Oxford making bicycles before producing cars. Škoda also started in the bicycle business. Alistair Craig's company emerged as engine manufacturer Ailsa Craig after starting in Glasgow in March 1885.
The White Bicycle plan launched in Amsterdam in 1965 as the first bicycle sharing system. Yellow bicycles followed in La Rochelle and green ones appeared in Cambridge shortly after. These initiatives complement public transport systems to reduce congestion and pollution.
Cycling is so popular in Delft that parking capacity at train stations often exceeds available space. The Trampe bicycle lift in Trondheim, Norway assists cyclists on steep hills. Buses in many cities now carry bicycles mounted on their fronts.
Over 2 billion bicycles exist globally today with children, students, professionals and seniors riding them daily. Two billion bicycles are in use around the world according to recent estimates. Riding remains the lowest carbon intensity form of travel available.
Italy saw 1.75 million bicycle sales surpass new car sales in 2011 during European financial crisis conditions. China produces more than half of all bicycles made worldwide while domestic usage declines there due to affordable cars and motorcycles.
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Common questions
Who invented the first bicycle in 1817?
Baron Karl von Drais introduced his Laufmaschine to the public in Mannheim, Germany during the spring of 1817. This wooden frame with two wheels had no pedals and riders pushed off the ground with their feet while steering the front wheel.
When did Kirkpatrick MacMillan build a mechanically propelled version of the bicycle?
Scottish blacksmith Kirkpatrick MacMillan built a mechanically propelled version in 1839. His design used foot-operated levers connected to the rear wheel by rods and caused an accident reported by a Glasgow newspaper in 1842 when it knocked over a little girl.
What year did Pierre Michaux and Pierre Lallement add pedals directly to the front wheel?
French inventors Pierre Michaux and Pierre Lallement added pedals directly to the front wheel in the early 1860s. These velocipedes became the first mass-produced bicycles featuring iron frames and solid rubber tires.
How much energy reaches the wheels on most bicycles from the pedals?
Up to 99% of energy delivered by pedals reaches the wheels on most bicycles. Gearing mechanisms can reduce this transmission efficiency by 10 to 15 percent depending on design choices.
Who stated that the bicycle emancipated women more than any single thing in the world?
Susan B. Anthony stated in a New York World interview on the 2nd of February 1896 that the bicycle had done more to emancipate women than any single thing in the world. She described the feeling of self-reliance and independence gained when taking a seat on the machine.
When was the White Bicycle plan launched as the first bicycle sharing system?
The White Bicycle plan launched in Amsterdam in 1965 as the first bicycle sharing system. Yellow bicycles followed in La Rochelle and green ones appeared in Cambridge shortly after these initiatives to complement public transport systems.