Bicycle Stamps - Sheetlets

The average bicycle is made up of roughly 300 parts. Most of those parts have as rich a history as the bicycle itself. The first patent for the bicycle bell dates from 1877. In the Netherlands, it has been compulsory for every bicycle to have a bell since 1906. The pneumatic tyre was invented by Scotsman Robert Thomson in 1841. However, the patent expired and John Dunlop re-established it in 1888. The most popular shape for the bicycle frame is the diamond frame, dating from 1885. The first frames were manufactured from wood and steel, and materials such as aluminium, carbon and titanium were used later. The handlebars are just as old as the bicycle itself. The same applies to grips which allow the cyclist to hold onto the handlebars more easily. As early as 1897, a patent was obtained in America for grips that could turn independently of the handlebars by means of a spring mechanism. Lastly, there’s the reflector, the youngest of the bicycle parts featured on the Bicycle stamps. In 1935, a Dutch cyclist could still choose between a red rear light and a red reflector. Later, the red rear light became a legal obligation. Since 1979, the red reflector at the back of the bicycle has also been compulsory.