Fall 2016
Honors Physics 211
Website Project
by Tad Nelson
A Brief Bicycle History
The creation of the bicycle that we know today has three different steps in its history. The first and most important discovery in the development of the bicycle is accredited to Baron Karl von Drais because of his “running machine” which had two wheels and front wheel steering. His creation, the Draisienne, was improved on by many others into a pedal equipped bicycle, also known as a velocipede, which is the second milestone in the creation of the bicycle. More improvements to bicycles were made like rubber being added to the rims to improve comfort and tension spoking which allowed the front wheels to be made larger. Because the pedals were fixed to the front axle and gearing that we’re accustomed to wasn’t around, speed was limited to the amount of distance per pedal revolution. By creating a larger wheel, one could travel more distance per revolution and thus travel at a larger speed. These funny looking bicycles, commonly known as high rollers, were superseded by safety bicycles. These bicycles had a steerable front wheel, equally sized wheels, chain drive to the rear wheel, and a seating position in between the
A Brief Bicycle History
The creation of the bicycle that we know today has
three different steps in its history. The first and most
important discovery in the development of the bicycle is
accredited to Baron Karl von Drais because of his “running
machine” which had two wheels and front wheel steering. His
creation, the Draisienne, was improved on by many others
into a pedal equipped bicycle, also known as a velocipede,
which is the second milestone in the creation of the
bicycle. More improvements to bicycles were made like rubber
being added to the rims to improve comfort and tension
spoking which allowed the front wheels to be made larger.
Because the pedals were fixed to the front axle and gearing
that we’re accustomed to wasn’t around, speed was limited to
the amount of distance per pedal revolution. By creating a
larger wheel, one could travel more distance per revolution
and thus travel at a larger speed. These funny looking
bicycles, commonly known as high rollers, were superseded by
safety bicycles. These bicycles had a steerable front wheel,
equally sized wheels, chain drive to the rear wheel, and a
seating position in between the two wheels. Bicycle
improvements continued to be made, but the creation of
safety bicycles mark the last main milestone.