The history of the bicycle (1)

Can you ride a bicycle? Did you know that the first bicycle was invented over 200 years ago? Back then, it was not called a bicycle yet. It was called a “dandy horse” or “running machine.” It was invented by a German man named Karl Freiherr von Drais in 1818. He also invented the first typewriter with a keyboard. The dandy horse looked a bit like a balance bike for children because, uniquely, it did not have pedals or breaks. Therefore, to ride the dandy horse, riders had to use their legs to kick the ground. This machine was more economical than a carriage because people did not need to feed their horses or take care of their horseshoes.

In 1861, Pierre Michaux, who worked as a blacksmith in Paris, France, built a factory together with his son Ernest Michaux. They started the mass production of  bicycle known as the velocipede. However, because this bicycle was made by wrapping an iron band around a wooden wheel, it was uncomfortable to ride on the cobblestone roads of Europe. In England, this bicycle became known as the “bone shaker.” Through mass production people became familiar with bicycles and bicycle races began to be held in Paris, centering on the aristocratic class.