It's always good to keep up with history and invention that revolutionize what we have today it's a common saying that history makes the world go round, proper documentation of past records keeps the world go round let's trace back and travel back in time and keep up with some interesting cycling history that fine tune what brought about revolution of two wheel drive we have today.
Fun fact
Did you know in the early seventeenth century there were no cycling invention around! people walk miles and thousands of miles on foot, they carry out their daily locomotives activities through traditional means like camel and and horses and other animal these means of transportation could take days even months to complete.
Early cycling
Early cycling invention began to surface in the early eighties! Although like every other innovation the early cycling invention faced lots of criticism which lead to their ban from public use because they were not suitable for riding, not until several years interval when more advanced design began to surface by early investors which got approved by authorities for public use these early designs lead to what gave birth to the cycling industry we are seeing today.
Materials used in the early 80s were quite different from what are been used today there have been upgrade in design and use of material as technology advance in the later 80s cast iron, woods, pneumatic tire and chain drive were used in the later 80s which are now out of use in this advance era where exotic materials like titanium, aluminum, and carbon fibers are used for making bicycle frames and other essential parts to make bicycles stronger and lighter.
The swiftwalkers
The first bicycle was invented by a German inventor in 1817 his name goes by Karl von Drais we could honor him as the brain behind the first two wheel drive which was name the swiftwalkers as it name goes this early bicycle does not have a pedal it was designed having two wooden wheels, an iron rim and a leather covered tires a rider need to walk on top of the bike with his feet leaving the ground.
This early design did not attract users attention as it wasn't such a good ride option perhaps riding this early bicycle would require a lot of momentum this lead to public decision of banning the swiftwalkers from general public use in the early 80s.
Velocipedes
While the early swiftwalkers did not gain public attention in the mid eighties a new invention was introduced named Volocipedes this new invention was a modification of the swiftwalkers as it had pedal for riding the bicycle the pedal were attached to the hub of the bicycle, it had a handbar for steering, two wooden tires a saddle on a wooden frame and pedal on the axle of the front wheel.
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The velocipede was nicknamed boneshaker as it does not absorb any vibration a rider feels every bump on the way while riding. Can't imagine myself on those early days bicycle design aside it's none vibration absorption riding those early days bicycle where very exhausting I'm not sure they serve the purpose of been used as an exercising tool but rather a means to revolutionize the design of modern days two wheels bicycle we are witnessing today thanks to all the early inventors who birth the idea of what we are enjoying today.
Modernization of two wheels
What we have today are light weight bicycle made from refined processing materials the early wooden frame, cast iron frames have been replaced with steel tubing, aluminium, titanium and carbon fibers can be used to design bicycle their price can be dependent on the quality of materials one wants their bicycle to be designed with.
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There is also a shift from the use of pedal chains to the use of electric powered bicycles which can be driven with easy they are more lightweight eco friendly used for conveying people to their destination with easy.
From the swiftwalkers bicycle in early eighties that brought about cycling designs with no pedal to the velocipedes that introduced pedals on the front wheel axle to what we had in 90s manufactured from processed materials that could absorb shocks and vibration to the electric powered cycling system we have today it's a long path of development in the cycling space and here we are today enjoying what technology has in fold for all.
Enjoy your ride always friends!