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| would soon be superseded during the 1870s by | | | | time also that more practical designs incorporating |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