A history of the bicycle
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The Celerifere 1790
The first invention to roughly resemble a bicycle was constructed around 1790 by Comte Mede de Sivrac of France. Called a Celerifere, it was a wooden scooter-like device with no pedals or steering. This of course made it a pretty unwieldy item and so it didn't catch on.
The Draisienne 1817
In 1817 Baron Karl Drais von Sauerbronn invented the "Laufmaschine" or "Running Machine" that would help him get around the royal gardens faster. His design employed two same-size in-line wheels, the front one steerable, mounted in a frame which you straddled. The device was propelled by pushing your feet against the ground, thus rolling yourself and the device forward in a sort of gliding walk. The machine became known as the Draisienne or hobby horse. It was made entirely of wood. Von Sauerbronn's invention was first exhibited in Paris on April 6, 1818. This enjoyed a short lived popularity as a fad, not practical for transportation in any other place than a well maintained pathway such as in a park or garden.
Kirkpatrick MacMillan 1830
The first mechanically-propelled 2-wheel vehicle was believed to have been built by Kirkpatrick MacMillan, a Scottish blacksmith, in 1839. Reportedly a rear-wheel drive design using mid mounted treadles connected by rods to a rear crank, similar to the transmission of a steam locomotive. Proponents associate him with the first recorded instance of a bicycling traffic offence, when a Glasgow newspaper reported in 1842 an accident in which MacMillan is said to have knocked over a pedestrian on the pavement and was fined five shillings. Cycling on the pavement remains illegal in the UK to this day.
The Velocipede or Boneshaker 1865
The next appearance of a two-wheeled riding machine was in 1865, when pedals were applied directly to the front wheel, a development by Pierre Michaux and Pierre Lallement. This machine was known as the velocipede, but was popularly known as the bone shaker, since it was originally made entirely of wood, then later with metal tyres, and the combination of these with the cobblestone roads of the day made for an extremely uncomfortable ride. The boneshaker also became popular for a time.
The High Wheel Bicycle (a.k.a. the Penny Farthing in the UK) 1870
In 1870 the first all metal machine appeared. (Previous to this metallurgy was not advanced enough to provide metal which was strong enough to make small, light parts out of.) The pedals were still atttached directly to the front wheel with no freewheeling mechanism. Solid rubber tires and the long spokes of the large front wheel provided a much smoother ride than its predecessor. The front wheels became larger and larger as makers realised that the larger the wheel, the farther you could travel with one rotation of the pedals. You would purchase a wheel as large as your leg length would allow. This machine was the first one to be called a bicycle ("two wheel"). These bicycles enjoyed a great popularity among young men of means (they cost an average worker six month's pay), with the hey-day being the decade of the 1880s.
Because the rider sat so high above the center of gravity, if the front wheel was stopped by a stone or rut in the road, or the sudden emergence of a dog, the entire apparatus rotated forward on its front axle, and the rider, with his legs trapped under the handlebars, was dropped unceremoniously on his head. Thus the term "taking a header" came into being.
The High Wheel Safety
Improvements to the design began to be seen, many with the small wheel in the front to eliminate the tipping-forward problem. These designs became known as high-wheel safety bicycles.
The Hard-Tyred Safety 1887
The further improvement of metallurgy sparked the next innovation, or rather a return to previous design. With metal that was now strong enough to make a fine chain and sprocket small and light enough for a human being to power, the next design was a return to the original configuration of two same-size wheels, only now, instead of just one wheel circumference for every pedal turn, you could, through the gear ratios, have a speed the same as the huge high-wheel. The bicycles still had the hard rubber tyres, and in the absence of the long, shock-absorbing spokes, the ride they provided was much more uncomfortable than any of the high-wheel designs. Many of these bicycles of 100 years ago had front and /or rear suspensions. These designs competed with each other, your choice being the high-wheel's comfort or the safety's safety.
The Pnuematic-Tyred Safety Bicycle 1887
The pnuematic tyre was first applied to the bicycle in 1887 (and patented in 1888) by a Scottish-born veterinarian who was trying to give his young son a more comfortable ride on his tricycle. This inventive young man's name was John Dunlop. Now that comfort and safety could be had in the same package, and that package was getting cheaper as manufacturing methods improved, everyone clamoured to ride the bicycle.
John Kemp Starley (1854 - 1901)
John Kemp Starley was an English inventor and industrialist who is widely considered the inventor of the modern bicycle, bringing together most of the elements of the present day bicycle and supplying it as an affordable means of transportation. He was also the originator of the name 'Rover' (you knew there had to be a tie-in somewhere!).
Starley was born in Walthamstow, Essex, and was the son of a gardener. In 1872 he moved to Coventry to work with his uncle, the inventor James Starley. He worked with his uncle and William Hillman for several years building Ariel cycles.
In 1877 he started a new business Starley & Sutton Co with William Sutton - a local cycling enthusiast. They set about developing safer and easier to use bicycles than the prevailing penny farthing or "ordinary" bicycles. They started by manufacturing tricycles, and by 1883 their products were being branded as Rover.
In 1885 Starley made history when he produced the Rover Safety Bicycle - a rear-wheel-drive, chain-driven cycle with two similar-sized wheels, making it more stable than the previous high wheeler designs. Cycling magazine said the Rover had 'set the pattern to the world' and the phrase was used in their advertising for many years. Starley's Rover is usually described by historians as the first recognisably modern bicycle. This new "safety bicycle" was an immediate success and was exported across the world.
In 1889 the company became J. K. Starley & Co. Ltd and in the late 1890s, it had become the Rover Cycle Company Ltd.
John Starley died suddenly in 1901 and was succeeded as managing director of the firm by Harry Smyth. Soon after his death the Rover company began building motorcycles and then cars, which continues to this day in the form of the Land Rover range of vehicles.
1902
English manufacturer Sturmey-Archer develops a three-speed wheel hub for bicycles, allowing riders to cover hilly terrain with less effort.
Circa 1910
The dawn of the automobile age slows the pace of bicycle development. Smaller bikes designed for children are introduced, but the market for kids' bicycles doesn't really take off until the post-World War II 'baby boom' begins.
1940s
Built-in kickstands are developed. They appear on post-war bikes. European bike racers begin using derailleurs that gave them five speeds, and later 10, for climbing mountains tracks.
1963
American Manufacturer Schwinn introduces the Sting-Ray, the first bike with a 'banana' seat and high-rise handlebars, a style that became popular in the UK in the 1970s in the shape of the Raliegh 'Chopper'. The Sting-Ray / Chopper style is the precursor to BMX bikes that became popular in the UK in the 1980s.
Schwinn Fastback
Raliegh Chopper Mk2
1970s
Bicycling became more popular because of environmental awareness and the early 1970s oil crisis, with it's resulting fuel shortages. In 1978, more bikes than cars were sold in the US. California cyclists began to modify 'klunkers' for off-road use. The first mountain bikes are mass-produced in the US in the early 1980s.
1984
Cogs added to the rear gear cluster on some bikes allow the number of speeds to increase from 15 to 18, 21, and 24.
1996
Mountain bikes first compete at the Olympic Games.
Modern Developments
Disc Braking, fork and frame suspension, LED lighting and cycle computers are all relatively recent developments designed to aid the cyclist.
Land Rover Bicycles
Land Rover continue to market a range of bicycles through their appointed distributor, 2x2 worldwide.
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