the Evolution of Bicycle
BICYCLE
Although Leonardo Da Vinci had envisioned the bicycle in the 15th century, the two-wheeled machine only came to life in the early 1800s in Europe; getting its present name in France in the 1860s.
Invented by Baron Karl von Drais and made of wood, the Draisine was a human-powered two-wheeler introduced in Germany in 1817. It inspired the children's walking bike of today. The invention was revolutionary and quite ahead of its time.
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This is the penny-farthing, a name which originates from British coins. Popular in the 1870s, it was the first two-wheeler to be called "bicycle." The front wheel provided high speeds while the rear one gave it stability.
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Whippet was a brand of bicycles produced by Linley and Briggs of London, from the 1880s. This is one of their earliest designs. Whippets were the first to be fitted with gears and a rear hub freewheel.
