Boy, 1945 seems modern compared to the first bicycles!
Portion from an article I wrote minus the pictures.
What Country Makes The Best Bicycle?
(and how much they cost$$)
By Robert Bonavolta, LMT, EMT-P
Asked, and always answered, ???
I don't want to step on toes internationally, but I lean Italian, no, the USA, No Belgian, no Spain?? Huh?
Let's start with some history.
The first "bicycle" was invented in 1817 by German Baron Karl von Drais. Technically it was a velocipede (a two-wheeled human-powered vehicle). It had no pedals; to operate it, you had to run. For this reason, it was nicknamed "the hobby horse."
Beginning in the 1860s, several different French inventors, including Pierre Lallement, Pierre Michaux, and Ernest Michaux, developed prototypes with pedals attached to the front wheel. These were the first machines to be called "bicycles," but they were also known as "boneshakers" for their rough ride.
Interest in the two-wheeled machines exploded, and by the 1890s, Europe and the United States were amid a bike craze. A New York Times article from 1896 gushed that "the bicycle promises a splendid extension of personal power and freedom, scarcely inferior to what wings would give."
Every country wanted to make the best bicycle; the virtual race was on!!
Looking at World Tours:
On July 1, 1903, 60 men mounted their bicycles outside the Café au Reveil Matin in the Parisian suburb of Montgeron. The five-dozen riders were mostly French, with just a sprinkle of Belgians, Swiss, Germans, and Italians. A third were professionals sponsored by bicycle manufacturers, the others only devotees of the sport. All 60 wheelmen, however, were united by the challenge of embarking on an unprecedented test of endurance—not to mention the 20,000 francs in prize money—in the inaugural Tour de France.
The race was on.
Man invent wheel.
Wheel become bike.
Bike get man woman.