Want to Know more about Biking?

First things first, a little history about biking and the the bicycle.

The first modern day bicycle was made in 1839 by Kirkpatrick Macmillan, a blacksmith living in a village near Dumfries, Scotland. In 1870 James Starley built a bicycle with a large front wheel and a small back wheel. It was called the "penny-farthing" bicycle.

The gear mechanism made the wheel turn twice with each rotation of the pedals. The front wheel was equally high as the rider's leg length. The advantage was that there was more of a distance for each rotation which made for an easier ride.

The average bicycle weighed forty-five pounds and a bicycle used for competition weighed twenty pounds. The trouble with the penny-farthing was that it was very unsafe because if the rider were to stop the rider could fall backwards.

Likewise it was dangerous going down a hill as the rider could fly head-first over the handlebars.

There was a lever that was controlled a spoon brake which could cause the rider to

fall and a special gear mechanism that made the wheel turn twice for each rotation. In 1882 having high front wheels was popular.

The first bicycle with a chain was made in 1874 by H.J. Lawson. The bicycle was comprised of two wheels the same size driven by a chain on the back wheel. It was known as the safety bicycle. In 1878 the first bicycles in America were manufactured by A.A. Pope. In 1888, Scotsman John Boyd Dunlop introduced the first practical pneumatic tyre which before long became universal.

Shortly after, the rear freewheel was developed, enabling the rider to coast. This refinement led to the 1905 invention of 'coaster' or back pedal brakes, Derailleur gears and hand-operated cable-pull brakes. Bicycle brake systems were likewise developed during these years, but were only slowly adopted by casual riders. By the turn of the century,biking and cycling clubs flourished on both sides of the Atlantic,

In the 1930's Bicycles became more streamlined and more efficient. From 1900 through the 1950's there wasn't much enhancement on the bicycle because of the invention of the car. Bicycles appeared similar for almost 50 years with thick rubber tyres, one gear wheel, and metal frames.

All throughout the 1970's and 1980's Mountain bikes and BMX became popular and are still very popular today.

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