HISTORY OF THE BICYCLE

BY ANDY JACOBS | MAR 23, 2017 |

https://www.backroads.com/blog/history-of-the-bicycle/

From Hobby Horse to Wine Touring, We Retrace 200 Years of Bicycle History

Happy 200th birthday to the bicycle! While today we rely on bikes for exercise, commuting and touring beautiful places, it may surprise you to learn that the bicycle originated in difficult times.

It all began in 1815 after a large volcano, Mt. Tambora, erupted in present-day Indonesia. So much debris was ejected into the atmosphere that global temperatures cooled and crops around the world were ruined, leading to famine and starvation for horses and livestock. In this pre-automobile era, this disaster raised the question of how to transport people without horses.

It was then that a German inventor named Karl Drais decided he would build a propulsion device that could replace horse riding. Two years later he presented his invention – a two-wheeled contraption that came to be called a velocipede. Being only a simple saddle atop two wheels, with no pedals or propulsion, the velocipede was a rather amusing sight to see. People enjoyed laughing at this new running machine, calling it a “dandy horse,” “hobby horse” and “whirlygig.”

More designs were soon to follow. As decades went by, the world saw the humorous and accident-prone penny-farthing (one giant wheel, one small wheel) come and go like a fad.

Then finally, in 1885, a design with two equal-sized wheels, the front for steering, was invented. This “safety bicycle” caught on so well that women’s fashion evolved to accommodate riding them – an empowering invention indeed!

The invention of human propulsion also piqued the interest of challenge-seekers. Could humans beat a horse-drawn coach now? Races ensued first between man and horse, then the English and French, and ultimately the challenge became man vs. nature as cyclists pursued cross-continental tours as long as 20,000 miles.

So what is the history behind using the bicycle for adventure, like Backroads has so artfully mastered today?

Recreation and sport seemed to ensue almost from the beginning of the bicycle, with accounts of teenagers touring France on the velocipede. It would seem that people have always had an inherent love for being active and exploring far from home. It was not long before the bicycle and backroad touring became popular in the United States as well.

To be continued. A nice news report by Andy Jacobs. Please read it more at  https://www.backroads.com/blog/history-of-the-bicycle/