| Today’s modern bicycles are a far cry from our | | | | would just not do, so an adult version of the tricycle |
| earliest attempts at pedal power. In fact, what many | | | | was invented in order for proper ladies to enjoy the |
| regard as the birth of the bicycle had no pedals at all. | | | | pleasures of riding through the parks and gardens |
| It was more of a wooden hobby horse on wheels | | | | without compromising their good reputations. |
| that the rider would straddle and push the machine | | | | Later, the Safety Bicycle was introduced. This was a |
| along with his legs. While it had no pedals, it did at | | | | redesigned version of the Penny Farthing that placed |
| least have steering. It was known as the ‘running | | | | the huge front wheel at the back of the bike and |
| machine’. Compared with today’s range of | | | | the small rear wheel in the front. This new design |
| bikes, it doesn’t sound much fun really! | | | | considerably reduced the risk of being flung over the |
| Later, another wooden beast would hit the | | | | handlebars like a rag doll and ending up with a severe |
| fashionable cobblestone streets of Europe – the | | | | concussion or permanent brain damage. |
| Boneshaker. The appropriately named Boneshaker | | | | By the 1880s, the bicycle was going through further |
| had pedals, and was entirely made of wood, apart | | | | changes. The pneumatic tire, the use of ball bearings |
| from the hard, metal wheels. Thankfully, for the | | | | and the spring seat made riding a much more |
| well-to-do riding public of Europe, the Boneshaker | | | | comfortable affair. It was during this time also that |
| would soon be superseded during the 1870s by the | | | | more practical designs incorporating two wheels of |
| far more comfortable, but far more dangerous, | | | | equal size were introduced, making riding a far safer |
| Penny Farthing. | | | | and enjoyable experience. The bicycle was fast |
| The Penny Farthing was easily distinguishable from all | | | | evolving into the modern machines we enjoy today. |
| bicycles that came before it by its huge front wheel | | | | It was during the later part of the 20th century |
| and small rear wheel. It also, for the first time, | | | | however that the bicycle really started to develop. In |
| offered the relative comfort of hard rubber tires. | | | | 1963 for example, Schwinn introduced a radical new |
| The size of the front wheel was so large because | | | | bike called the Sting-Ray. The Sting-Ray borrowed |
| the larger the wheel, the more efficient the pedalling. | | | | much of its design features from the easyrider |
| While this allowed the well-heeled to hurtle recklessly | | | | motorcycles and included high-rise handlebars, a |
| at speed about the streets, it was also the cause of | | | | comfy banana seat and a stick-shift. The Schwinn |
| many serious injuries. All that was needed was for a | | | | Sting-Ray allowed its young riders to become far |
| stick to jam in the front wheel or a dog to run | | | | more adventurous in their riding and it wasn’t |
| across the bicycle’s path and the hapless rider | | | | long before wheelies, jumps and other tricks were |
| would be propelled over the handlebars and onto the | | | | being performed. The Schwinn Sting-Ray would soon |
| hard ground below, usually on his head. Helmets were | | | | lead to the development of the BMX and the rest, as |
| not a necessary accessory in those days! | | | | they say, is history! |
| For the ladies of the day, riding a Penny Farthing | | | | |