History (Sources listed below) |
Human beings raised themselves above the animals through the usage of tools. The tool might be something as simple as stone hammers to complex computers that are used today. The main concern for this website is to learn and understand the range of tools that led to the current types of bicycles we have today. Bicycle is a human tool that takes advantage of human muscles in a near-optimal way to get most work out from it. A great example of human powered machinery in the early days would be the early seventeenth century, Roman galleys. This machine had fifty four sweeps with five men on each. Although the largest muscles in your body are the legs, the galleys did not utilize them since they did not have a sliding seat of today’s competitive rowers. For this reason, most of the action came from their arms and back muscles. This concept applies the same for farm and forestry work since hoeing, digging, sawing and chopping all uses predominantly arm and buck muscle with little use of leg muscles. Other relatively satisfactory uses of muscle powered machineries were inclined treadmill by Leonardo da Vinci’s drum.
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| Detailed history of bikes is as follows: | |
(Herlihy, Bicycle) |
More than three centuries ago, French mathematician Jacques Ozanam pointed out the theoretical advantages of human powered carriage “in which one can drive oneself where one pleases, without horses” His design was published in 1696 in Recreations Mathematiques et Physiques |
(Herlihy, Bicycle) |
Most important discovery in the development of bicycle was made by Baron Karl von Drais in 1817 – He developed a machine know n as running machine “lauf-maschine”, soon to be known as a “draisine” or “velocipede”, which was the first human-powered land vehicle that gained serious public acceptance.. Although Drais has been referred as the first person to invent bicycle, there is a distinct difference between “aid-to-walking” and “pedal-powered two-wheeler”. The term that we use everyday now “bicycle” did not come official until 1860’s when it was coined by France to describe a new kind of machinery which two wheels and a mechanical drive. |
(Herlihy, Bicycle) |
In the early 1840’s, Williard Sawyer of Dover produced a four-wheel carriages. |
(Oliver, Berkebile) |
1868 – Velocipede in about 1868 |
(Herlihy, Bicycle) |
In the late 1860’s Thomas McCall built a rear-drive bicycle, now at the London Science Museum. |
(Herlihy, Bicycle) |
By mid-1870’s, the majestic high wheeler emerged as the standard bicycle. This attracted a lot of young athletic men of Britain. This type of bicycle was very sensitive to cross winds had the tendency to tip over in a reaction to a bump on the riding surface. |
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1870’s High wheeler invaded Europe, North America, South America, Mexico, the West Indies, India, Japan, Australia and south Africa. There was a growth of recreational and sport interests. |
(Herlihy, Bicycle) |
1878, Boston Bicycle Club started. I thought this was an interesting fact |
(Herlihy, Bicycle) |
1878 – Starley’s novel two-track Coventry Rotary Tricycle was introduced. It as a large driving wheel on one side and two smaller guiding wheels parallel to the driving wheel. Also it has conventional rotary pedals and tangential-spoke wheels. |
(Herlihy, Bicycle) |
1879 – New design for bicycle was introduced by Henry J. Lawson. This bicycle known as the Bicyclette did not too well; however, historians believe that it failed to catch on not because it was inferior product by because the market at the time was not optimistic about radical changes. |
(Herlihy, Bicycle) |
1879 – First bicycle club in the US was hosted by Harvard. Other IVY League schools picked this up quickly as well. Here is a picture of 1891, Yale bicycle club (it was the end of high wheeler’s reign). |
| 1880- Tricycles became popular amongst woman. A three-track machine with front-wheel steering and two rear driving wheels connected by an axle with a differential gear. The tricycles were powered by a chain and rotary pedals. | |
(Herlihy, Bicycle) |
1884 – The Humber Safety Bicycle was introduced. This bicycle abandoned a single-tube backbone in favor of the stiffer and more compact diamond pattern. It also has a coil-spring suspension system just above the front wheel. |
(Herlihy, Bicycle) |
1885 – A member of Washington Bicycle Club riding down the steps of the United State’s Capitol. It was a stunt performed early in the morning to avoid arrest. Could this be the beginning of freeriding? |
(Herlihy, Bicycle) |
1886- It was very aware amongst the public that bicycling was a very dangerous sport/transport. The Family doctor warned the dangers associated with cycling. It was a growing concern amongst the population. |
| 1890- By this time period, most builders settled on the sturdier and safer diamond pattern. | |
(Herlihy, Bicycle) |
1891- Military bicycle gained little circulation in the U.S. |
(Oliver, Berkebile) |
1895- Columbia Model 41 Bicycle – “customized” woman’s safety bicycle (p22) |
(Oliver, Berkebile) |
1900 – Pierce Bicycle, in New York |
| 1903 - Beginning of Tour de France! | |
| 1914 – Joanny Panel invents the derailleur, and later Albert Raimond commercially produces its first. – beginning of multi geared bikes | |
| 1925 – modern bicycles - Iver Johnson Bicycle (woman’s) | |
(Oliver, Berkebile) |
1935 – German-made Reinhardt bicycle that Fred Birchmore rode on his journey around-the-world |
(Oliver, Berkebile) |
1949 – Raleigh Bicycle in NY. has lightweight tubular frame in the modern diamond type and is supported on two Dunlop metal rimmed wheels. |
(Oliver, Berkebile) |
1965 – Schwinn Super Deluxe Sting-Ray Bicycle, primary for youngsters as a fun bike rather than for serious road riding. |
| 1976- first downhill off-road race by Chalie Kelly and his buddies. | |
| 1979 – Charlie Kelley helps Fisher MoutainBikes make the first off-road bicycles. Beginning of mountain bike era. | |
| 1983 - NORBA, National Off-Road Bike Association was founded by Glen Odell | |
| 1988 – IMBA, International Mountain Bicycling Association was formed | |
| 1988 – Number of mountain bikes sold in the US exceeds than road bikes | |
| 1990 – First official Mountain Bike World Championships | |
Current - The concept of freeriding has been there for a while (any extreme mountain biking); however it hasn’t been official until the bike manufactures have actually started to make the bikes. For instance makers such as Cannodale and Rocky Mountain and Kona were fast at responding to this new type of riding. In some cases, the freeriding frames are designed and named after good free riders whom are sponsored by these makers. An example of this would be “Chase” frame made by Cannodale. The frame was designed by Aaron Chase. In the past, bikes were not made just for freeriding; however, recently (since about 3 to 4 years from what I recall) there have been a change in the bike market. The bike manufactures have started to produce freebikes since it has gained increasing popularity. The manufacturers only build bikes that they feel will make profit and for that reason it takes some time before specialized bikes are produced. In general free ride bikes have heavy duty components and strong frames; however, not as bulky as downhill bikes. |
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The following sources were very helpful in obtaing the graphics and informations. For those who are interested in finding out more detail and seeing more great pictures, please refere to the sources listed in (Acknowledgements, Souces)
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