Like any serious invention that can significantly simplify a person’s life, the bicycle has undergone many stages of creation. Little is known about the first phases of development of this popular vehicle today, or rather, there is different information, most of which are falsification.
Background
The history of the invention of the bicycle dates back to the appearance of the first wheel, which took place about 5-6 thousand years ago. This discovery greatly simplified transportation, but over time people also switched to using horse traction.
As the needs for movement and transportation only increased, the most inquisitive and progressive mechanics and engineers thought about creating something radically new.
First prototype
Now it is very difficult to say in which year the bicycle was invented, because for this it is necessary to determine what exactly is considered the first bicycle. About four hundred years ago, the seemingly rather impractical idea came up with the Dutch mathematician Simon Steven. He thought about using wind power to move the crews, but the implementation of such an idea seemed folly, because it is impossible to determine when the wind will be fair and if it will be at all.
Later, engineers thought that they could use their own forces for transportation. The first such vehicle was built in 1685 by a Nuremberg watchmaker Stefan Farfler. It was a three-wheeled crew, for the movement of which a handle was used, working on the principle of a clockwork, which the rider was supposed to twist.
But can this year be rightfully considered the date when the bicycle was invented? Hardly, after all, such devices appeared everywhere and it is difficult to establish whether this instance was the first.
The first Russian prototype
Russia was no exception, and attempts were also made to create such a device. In 1752, the serf scientist Leonty Shamshurenkov created something resembling a modern bicycle. This device was given the name "self-running wheelchair."
Four decades later, Ivan Petrovich Kulibin, a well-known mechanic who became the creator of more than 30 successful projects from various fields of knowledge, invented the three-wheeled “scooter”. On this device, the efforts of the rider were transmitted via pedals to the wheels through a complex system of levers. It is difficult to say where the bicycle was invented and who was its author, but these first attempts became a good basis for the future discovery.
Who was the first?
Given how long and complex the history of this now popular vehicle was, researchers and historians cannot reach full agreement on this issue. Some people think that the first was the brilliant Renaissance master Leonardo da Vinci.
After this great artist and inventor, many sketches and layouts remained, a significant part of which has not yet been deciphered. On one of these models, the great Leonardo portrayed something similar to a modern bicycle. Maybe you should consider that it was then that the history of the bicycle began?
First instance
The official date for the creation of the first instance is considered to be 1808, when a Parisian scientist created a device consisting of two wheels and a wooden crossbar connecting them, but this very first instance still had no steering wheel or pedals. How was the movement carried out? Very simple: the rider kicked off the ground.
This first device for movement was significantly modified after five years by the German forester Karl von Dreiser, who changed the design by making one of the wheels, namely the first, manageable.
A significant contribution to the development of the bicycle in its modern form was the improvement of the simple working Dalzel, who designed the linkage system, thanks to which the work was carried out with the help of hands. But since the rider's hands quickly got tired, Dalzel changed his invention and made sure that all the levers moved with the help of his legs. Most likely, this was the moment when the bicycle was invented, as close as possible to its modern look.
Dalzel’s achievements did not lead to mass production and use of this device, but only attracted the attention of manufacturers who saw an interesting children's toy in the first bicycle. They decided to add a third wheel for the safety of the child, but the device was still a curiosity and was not widespread.
First steel bike
In 1865, the first steel bicycle was created in Europe, the engineers of which were the French scientists Michaud and Lalman. However, the wheels of this device remained wooden with an iron rim. In these models, the first wheel was significantly larger than the rear (its diameter could reach 1.6 m), so the first such instances had the unofficial name “Spider”.
The mass of such a product was about 35 kg, and the speed that it could reach was equal to 12 to 20 km / h. Contemporaries using this device said that it was quite difficult to manage, even to ride a bicycle was difficult.
In 1869, the first bicycles appeared another modification, the author of which was the Englishman Cowper. He simply added ball bearings to the basic equipment, which made it possible to greatly simplify the course of the device.
When was the bicycle invented in its modern form?
This device acquired its final form in 1884, when the front and rear wheels became the same size. This was initiated by the fact that the front wheel, which was much larger than the rear, caused many traumatic situations.
The new modification was given the name "bicycle". He quickly gained popularity all over the world and by the end of the 19th century was already one of the most popular means of transportation.
So, to summarize, it should be noted that it is difficult to name the exact date of when the bicycle was invented, because it has undergone many changes since its inception. The only fact that remains undeniable is that very many people had a hand in its creation. Perhaps the bicycle can be considered a collective invention. Nevertheless, this does not detract from one iota how widespread this vehicle was able to gain in such a short time.