Bikes
As children many of us anticipated the day where we learned to ride a real bike, free of training wheels. We long for the moments where we are able to operate the simplest form of vehicle out there. That is the beauty of bikes; anyone can operate one at any age, at any time, in any place. While many people use their bicycle for recreational reasons, there are many people who rely on their bicycle for their primary transportation. Since their creation in the 19th century bicycles have become an extremely important part of everyday life for many people around the world. Everyone at one point in their lifes will ride a bicycle; whether it is to ride through the mountains and explore nature or to get to work on a daily basis. There are not many modern inventions that have such significance to so many people in the world today.
There is not one person who can take full credit to inventing bikes, as we know them today. It has developed over many years of enhancement and change to already existing designs. The first ancestor of the modern bicycle was introduced in Europe in 1817. Called a hobby horse, it was made from a wooden frame that was connected to two wheels. The rider sat on the frame and pushed themselves along . This most modern form of bike had no sort of steering device, nor petals to push it forward. If anything it was more of a portable bench that could be used to sit on and walk, instead of walking upright. In the 1860’s two Frenchmen took the design of the hobby horse into their work shop in hopes of enhancing it. They added a mechanical crank to the front wheel that could be controlled by pedals that were placed on the side of the wooden frame.
This addition was followed by many more that were designed to make the current edition more useful when it came to transportation. The mechanical crank designed for the front wheel was implemented on both wheels, making for stronger power exerted from the pedals. A steering device was added so riders could steer the bicycle by the handles instead of just with leaning their body. Additionally it was discovered that if the handles were connected to the center of the front wheel the bike could be easily controlled by the rider. In 1869 a French inventor made the first bicycle frame of iron, instead of the wood frames that were typical of the time. These bicycles were commonly called “penny farthings” and they are the first style of traditional bicycles that resemble the bicycles of today. The penny farthing had a steel frame which was mounted to wire spoked wheels that held rubber tires. These bikes were often hard to control and to ride because of their un-proportioned wheels and highly placed seat.
As time passed more models of bikes were released, many which corrected the faults of the penny farthing model. The front wheel was shrunk to the same size as the rear wheel. Additionally the seat was placed lower and farther back so it was more comfortable and made for easy riding. However a problem still faced by many bikers was the task of having to exert so much energy to move the bike even for the smallest distances. Two English inventors soon fixed to problem introducing the chain drive to their model of bicycle. The chain connected the pedals to the front and rear wheels so that pedaling not only moves the front wheel into rotation but also the rear wheel. Additionally the new chain allowed riders to build up momentum that could be continued through the chain to both the front and back wheels even while not pedaling. Eventually this model of bike was named the rover and is the firs bicycle that contains all the elements of bicycles manufactured today.
Modern bikes have few extreme renovations that are changed drastically from the model of the rover. The placement of the wheels, tires, and chain systems remain the same for every modern model. However in the 20th century breaks were introduced so that riders did not have to scuff their feet on the ground to stop the bicycle. Even today the types of breaks used still differ by model. Many models for smaller children have a breaking system that is initiated in both wheels when one pedals backwards instead of forwards. In many adult models hand breaks are in place that allow riders to initiate front or rear wheel breaking systems. Additionally a gear system has been placed on many models of recreational bicycles. This allows riders to change the resistance of their chain making it easier to ride on certain terrains.