2025The Use Of Bicycles In Professions - 1st Group - Set

The history of the bicycle dates back to the 19th century, when, in 1817, Baron Karl Drais, a German inventor, created the Draisine, as a forerunner to this type of vehicle. The Draisine was essentially a platform where the rider sat and used their feet on the ground to propel them forwards; a vertical axis linked to the front wheel allowed the vehicle to be steered. This machine could reach speed of 20 km/h on descents, and for that reason was also known as the velocipede, meaning “fast feet”. In 1861, the Frenchman Pierre Michaux and his son Ernest adapted a Draisine by adding a dual crank and a set of pedals, creating the first functional prototype of the bicycle. This innovation had considerable impact on the popularisation of the bicycle and their company was the first to mass produce pedal-powered velocipedes.