The bicycle is widely used for transportation, recreation and sport. But how it came to be? Let's have a look.
In 1817, a German named Karl invented a two-wheeled machine which was the precursor to today's bicycle. It was made completely of wood with no pedals. To move forward, riders would push their feet against the ground. Unluckily, it wasn't allowed to use later because it was dangerous to people who were walking.
Then in 1864, pedals were added to the front wheel in Paris, which was an important event in the development of the bicycle. And the first official bicycle race took place in the very city in May, 1868. The new machines were popular. However, these early bicycles were clunky because of the heavy wooden structure.
"Ordinary bicycles" became popular in the 1870s. They had a very large front wheel and a much smaller back wheel. If riders had to stop suddenly, it could be dangerous. The true revolution of bicycle history arrived in 1885 when the Englishman John released his first Rover Safety Bicycle, a bicycle with two wheels of equal size and a chain system. It was similar to the modern bicycle. Around the 1900s, the production of bicycles increased. That made them available for the average person. And today, with the development of technology, shared bikes come to people's life. In China, shared bikes are very popular. The rider just needs a smart phone, scans a QR code and then the bicycle is unlocked very easy and simple. It's so convenient that it's popular among people of all ages.
