| While there has been some disagreement among | | | | An all-metal version of a bicycle was not introduced |
| historians regarding the inventor of the bicycle, with | | | | until 1870, when advancements in science allowed the |
| some texts referencing French inventors Pierre and | | | | creation of intricate and study metal components; |
| Ernest Michaux and others giving credit to German | | | | however, even these all-metal versions still utilized the |
| inventor Karl Drais von Sauerbronn, credit for the | | | | larger front wheel design. Rubber was eventually |
| earliest recorded imaginings of a bicycle can safely be | | | | added to the wheels, though these early rubber tires |
| awarded to Lionardo DaVinci. DaVinci's 1490 sketch | | | | were not inflated or evenly distributed in many cases. |
| of a modern bicycle easily predates the Michaux's and | | | | British inventors brought many of the more advanced |
| von Sauerbronn's creations by several centuries; | | | | components of the modern bicycle into play, with the |
| however, there is no evidence that DaVinci ever | | | | inclusion of ball bearings, gears, chain drives, and |
| made efforts to bring his sketch into being. | | | | metal spokes in their creations. These new |
| The Debate | | | | components eventually allowed bicycle designs to |
| Debate on the topic is clouded even further by other | | | | include symmetric wheels, eliminating the larger and |
| inventors and their creations, namely de Sivrac, a | | | | less easily manipulated front wheel from the design. |
| French craftsman, and his "celerifere." This machine, | | | | In the late 1800s, an Irish veterinarian by the name |
| with a central bar and two wheels, one in front and | | | | of Dunlop invented the modern pneumatic tire, |
| one in back of the rider, who straddled the central | | | | stabilizing bicycles even further and increasing safety |
| bar, allowed the rider to move forward and back. | | | | for riders. |
| While a precursor to the bicycle, the celerifere was | | | | Birth of the Bicycle for Everyday, Anybody Use |
| technically a walking machine, as the rider still moved | | | | Symmetry of wheel size, inclusion of more advanced |
| the machine through foot-to-ground force. | | | | components, pneumatic tire pressure, and streamlining |
| The debate moves forward to the early 19th | | | | of the frame designs allowed bicycles to be more |
| century, when von Sauerbronn created the next | | | | stable and increased the overall ability of nearly any |
| generation of walking machine in 1817. The revolution | | | | consumer to easily handle and steer one safely, |
| with von Sauerbronn's machine was the addition of | | | | thereby increasing their everyday use. |
| steering components to the walking machine bar, | | | | Women's bicycles developed with a slanted center |
| allowing the rider to not only move forward and | | | | bar to allow for early female riders to more easily |
| backward but to turn or steer the machine as well. | | | | and discretely mount and dismount bicycles in |
| Count Karl Drais von Sauerbronn's machine still | | | | dresses. The design was also intended to help keep |
| required the rider to move utilizing foot-to-ground | | | | the female rider's garments clean and away from |
| force and therefore would still not be the equivalent | | | | dirty and oily bike parts like the early chain drive. |
| of a bicycle, though it can certainly be considered an | | | | Children's bicycles were introduced after World War I, |
| ancestor. | | | | and based on the more classic and less maneuverable |
| In 1839, a Scot by the name of Kirkpatrick MacMillan | | | | early bicycle designs, perhaps intended to increase |
| created a treadle and rod bicycle. Though | | | | the safety of the rider and remove the possibility of |
| rear-propelled, MacMillan, a blacksmith by trade, | | | | the child riding too quickly or haphazardly. |
| invented his machine for use in rural Scotland where | | | | The Modern Bicycle |
| communication of and use of the invention did not | | | | Modern cycling has evolved from a long history of |
| prosper. MacMillan is therefore rarely credited with | | | | inventions that mixed to become the various models |
| distinct contribution to the official timeline of the | | | | of bicycles available on the current market. These |
| history of the bicycle, as it is difficult to determine if | | | | models include the old high-wheel bicycles with large |
| his invention or news of it had any significant impact | | | | front wheels, high-wheeled tricycles, tandem bikes, |
| on the later creations of other inventors. | | | | children's bikes and tricycles, standard bikes for the |
| The Subtle Improvements | | | | average rider, multi-speed bikes for the cycling |
| The father and son duo of French inventors, dubbed | | | | enthusiast, and racing bikes, for the professional |
| in most texts as inventors of the modern bicycle, | | | | competitor or semi-professional adventurist.Build Your |
| Pierre and Ernest Michaux, introduced the | | | | Own Single Speed Bike. Big Shot bikes is your route |
| "velocipede" in 1865. This machine, originally | | | | to a great quality, unique fixie single speed bicycle at |
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| Early versions of walking and riding machines had a | | | | Fixie with quality components and looks to boot. Just |
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