A LITTLE BICYCLE HISTORY--
As snow showers pestered my view of the woods I found myself pondering my road bicycle. You see, it lives in my living room—a furnishing violation only achievable by bachelors, of course.
With a delightful summer of riding experiences behind me, the bike’s inanimate continence compelled wistful thoughts of rides yet to come.
It also nudged my curiosity toward this marvelous machine’s history.
Yup, with a few keystrokes, I soon learned Baron Von Drais invented a walking machine that looked surprisingly like today’s bikes in 1817. It was made entirely of wood. The contraption was steerable and propelled by straddling it and pushing yourself around with feet on the ground.
The next appearance of a two-wheeled riding machine was in 1865 with the Velocipede (fast foot). This contrivance also was of wood with two identically sized wheels but, with pedals attached to the front wheel.
It also was known as the bone shaker because the cobblestone roads of the time were certainly not conducive to a smooth ride.
The first all metal machine, the high wheel bicycle, appeared in 1870. Prior to that metal was not strong or light enough for the small parts necessary. And, the large, front wheel equipped with the new solid rubber tire, metal rim and long spokes helped smooth the ride, but the high center of gravity brought considerable peril to the rider.
Their hey-day was in the 1880s and cost the average worker about six months pay.
About the same time high wheel tricycles came along and allowed the ladies, confined to their fashion of long skirts and corsets, to ride merrily about town. These cycles also introduced mechanical innovations such as the differential, rack and pinion steering and band brakes.
Further advances in metallurgy allowed the introduction of chains and sprockets which also brought gears thus giving the riders considerable mechanical advantage over previous designs.
The pneumatic tire was introduced to bicycles by an Irish veterinarian and patented in October 1888.
For the ladies the bicycle craze of the Gay Nineties killed the bustle and corset while introducing “common sense dressing.” In 1896 Susan B. Anthony said, “The bicycle has done more for the emancipation of women than anything else in the world.”
By the middle 1950s bikes had evolved into “The Classic Era”. These were the balloon tired, ostentatious 50 pound behemoths that today’s golden agers enjoyed in their youth.
Current bikes while of a decidedly modern look remain surprisingly similar to their counterparts of over 100 years ago. Metal frames have now morphed into carbon fiber material which is even stronger and much, much lighter.
And, as many or more than 27 gears are quite common; rather silly if your riding is mostly confined to bike trails, but, you will use all of them and sometimes wish for more if your preferred terrain is the hilly variety.
Now, let’s see; how many more days until spring?
STOP!
As snow showers pestered my view of the woods I found myself pondering my road bicycle. You see, it lives in my living room—a furnishing violation only achievable by bachelors, of course.
With a delightful summer of riding experiences behind me, the bike’s inanimate continence compelled wistful thoughts of rides yet to come.
It also nudged my curiosity toward this marvelous machine’s history.
Yup, with a few keystrokes, I soon learned Baron Von Drais invented a walking machine that looked surprisingly like today’s bikes in 1817. It was made entirely of wood. The contraption was steerable and propelled by straddling it and pushing yourself around with feet on the ground.
The next appearance of a two-wheeled riding machine was in 1865 with the Velocipede (fast foot). This contrivance also was of wood with two identically sized wheels but, with pedals attached to the front wheel.
It also was known as the bone shaker because the cobblestone roads of the time were certainly not conducive to a smooth ride.
The first all metal machine, the high wheel bicycle, appeared in 1870. Prior to that metal was not strong or light enough for the small parts necessary. And, the large, front wheel equipped with the new solid rubber tire, metal rim and long spokes helped smooth the ride, but the high center of gravity brought considerable peril to the rider.
Their hey-day was in the 1880s and cost the average worker about six months pay.
About the same time high wheel tricycles came along and allowed the ladies, confined to their fashion of long skirts and corsets, to ride merrily about town. These cycles also introduced mechanical innovations such as the differential, rack and pinion steering and band brakes.
Further advances in metallurgy allowed the introduction of chains and sprockets which also brought gears thus giving the riders considerable mechanical advantage over previous designs.
The pneumatic tire was introduced to bicycles by an Irish veterinarian and patented in October 1888.
For the ladies the bicycle craze of the Gay Nineties killed the bustle and corset while introducing “common sense dressing.” In 1896 Susan B. Anthony said, “The bicycle has done more for the emancipation of women than anything else in the world.”
By the middle 1950s bikes had evolved into “The Classic Era”. These were the balloon tired, ostentatious 50 pound behemoths that today’s golden agers enjoyed in their youth.
Current bikes while of a decidedly modern look remain surprisingly similar to their counterparts of over 100 years ago. Metal frames have now morphed into carbon fiber material which is even stronger and much, much lighter.
And, as many or more than 27 gears are quite common; rather silly if your riding is mostly confined to bike trails, but, you will use all of them and sometimes wish for more if your preferred terrain is the hilly variety.
Now, let’s see; how many more days until spring?
STOP!
(my bike's tail light) The end.
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