| Most of us got one when we were kids. Five | | | | bike ride. Bicycle sales started to go down. |
| years old seems about the age when kids are | | | | By the 1940s, the bicycle, which started out |
| ready for their first ride. Getting your | | | | as an adult form of transportation, was now |
| first bike is really a time of excitement. | | | | being viewed as a toy for kids. The bicycle |
| Most kids probably had training wheels on | | | | fell on hard times until the 1960s when |
| their first bike, these were used to keep the | | | | people had a renewed interest in their health |
| bike from falling down, while the kid was | | | | and in the environment. Bicycle sales in the |
| still on it. That was the trick with the | | | | US really went up after the oil crisis in |
| bicycle, before you could learn to ride, you | | | | 1973. In the years to follow, we began to |
| had to learn how to not fall off the seat. | | | | see more innovations with the bike; these |
| Once you learned how to ride, having your | | | | included higher performing bikes and gears |
| bike became a very liberating experience. It | | | | that went from 3 up to 18 speeds.The bicycle |
| was probably your first taste of | | | | has not only survived, but it has done as |
| independence; you could just get on your bike | | | | great job of adapting through time. It |
| and ride without needing help.The bicycle has | | | | started out as being primarily for adult use |
| to be listed as one of the greatest | | | | and then it was reduced to a toy for kids and |
| inventions ever. No single person has been | | | | today the bike has the best of all worlds. |
| given credit for that, but some of the | | | | Kids still love getting their first bikes. |
| earliest forms of bikes date back to the | | | | Bicycles are still used as a mode of |
| early 1800s. Karl Drais invented something | | | | transportation, especially on college |
| called the dandy-horse in 1817. His creation | | | | campuses. And adults realize that riding a |
| didn't have any pedals, so you had to push it | | | | bike is a good way to stay in shape. Plus, |
| with your feet. In the 1860s, Frenchmen | | | | sport has created a whole new use for |
| Michaux and Lallement created the pedal. | | | | bicycles. There is something called extreme |
| This new version of the bike with pedals was | | | | sports where some of the competition requires |
| called the boneshaker. James Starley | | | | using a bicycle to do airborne tricks. This |
| improved on the boneshaker and in 1885, he | | | | sport alone, has created massive exposure and |
| released his version of the bicycle, it was | | | | added sales for the bicycle industry.The |
| called the rover. The rover was considered | | | | bicycle has created its own niche in the |
| the first modern type bicycle.Bicycles have | | | | world and has been able to fit into so many |
| gradually evolved into a great form of | | | | different cultures. Unlike a lot of past |
| transportation. They were very popular, but | | | | inventions, the bicycle is just as vital |
| times change. The car became more affordable | | | | today as it was when it was created. |
| and people were choosing a car ride over a | | | | |