The most famous bicycles in history and their evolution

The bicycle still holds the record as the most sustainable means of transport in history, but how has it evolved and what are the most popular models? Find out by reading the article.

 

Index

• The evolution of the most famous bicycle models in history
  • The machine for racing: the Draisina
  • The bone-shaking velocipede: the Boneshaker
  • The Ariel Penny-Farthing bicycle
  • The first safe bicycle: the Safety Bicycle
  • The bicycle in the 20th century
  • The birth of mountain biking
• iO InBicy innovation
  • The multifunctional bicycle revolution

Humanity's long journey through history, from the earliest times, has been enriched by technological revolutions that have facilitated the evolution and progress of our species: one of these has certainly involved the creation of the wheelwhich was first applied in towed chariots in 3400 BC.

Since then the towed wagon and the horses were the only private means of transport within everyone's reach, until the beginning of the 19th century, when a revolutionary invention called 'running machine"which was nothing more than the primitive prototype of a means of locomotion that the whole world is familiar with today.

This is how the evolution of the means of transport that wins daily supremacy in reliability, ecology e funi.e. the bicycle.

 

The evolution of the most famous bicycle models in history

From birth of the bicycle at modern bikes there were well two centuries of developments e innovationsThe starting point is certainly the patent of the Draisina in 1817, the first draft of today's bicycle.

 

The machine for racing: the Draisina

In 1816, a brilliant German inventor named Karl Draiscreated a prototype of "running machine" (Laufmaschine) marching with human propulsion and equipped with two wooden wheels with eight spokes each and a mechanical handlebar for directionality. This 'machine', christened with the name of Draisina in honour of its inventor, in the following decades it was transformed by the addition of additional wheels (here are the first tricycles and quadricycles) and extra accessories such as manual levers, pedals e cranks.

 

The bone-shaking velocipede: the Boneshaker

A big step forward, in terms of mechanics and manoeuvrability, came in the 1960s, when Pierre Michaux and his son Ernest, two Parisian locksmiths, created the first bicycle that allowed the driver, via pedals e rotating cranks applied to the front wheel, of moving the bicycle forward by pedalling.

Manufactured with a structure of rigid metal e iron wheels certainly did not shine for comfort, in fact from 1869 onwards it was called in England Boneshaker, i.e. 'bone-shaking', due to the annoying vibrations caused by its rigid structure impacting on the dirt roads of the time, had however the first brake system and a saddle that rested on a leaf spring and also acted as a shock absorber.

 

The Ariel Penny-Farthing bicycle

The production of the boneshakerwhich had been very successful throughout Europe, soon ended after only a decade, giving way to the Ariel bicycle invented by the British James Starley e William Hillman. A vehicle with a special feature: the front wheel was much larger than the rear wheel, made specifically to increase the distance travelled with a single pedal stroke and to recall the height of horse riding, which was still the most ordinary and widespread means of transport at the time.

Its use was so complex and risky that it coined the term 'bicyclist's face", i.e. "cyclist face', the typical expression of someone who was about to mount one of these bicycles that, with the Big Bi built by the Parisian Victor Renardthey could exceed three metres in height.

 

The first safe bicycle: the Safety Bicycle

The alternative to the bizarre and risky bicycle came in 1884, by John K. Starley who realised the Safety Bicycle, "safety bicycle"also called Roverthe bike model precursor of current models since the wheels had the same diameter and smaller in size than the bicycle, thus allowing the cyclist to rest his or her feet on the ground, the triangle framewith a variant that allowed the leg to pass through and the rear chain drive.

The problems of security, precarious balance e stability were thus resolved by Rover, the first true forerunner of today's bicyclewhich had one final flaw: the rigidity in locomotion caused by the small wheels, which was finally resolved with a patent by John Boyd Dunlopan inventor who, by gluing sheets of rubber together and inflating the inner section to create an inner tube, invented the first tyreallowing the Rover to reduce friction with the ground and proceed more quickly.

 

The bicycle in the 20th century

The previous century had clarified many issues of early bicycle modelsIn fact, the development of these vehicles from the very early 1900s onwards went on until, in the Roaring Twenties theinterest in cycling has declined dramatically in most of the world because of the First World War followed a few years later by the great depression, but mainly because of the growing interest in the automobilewhich was considered the vehicle of the future.

For a revival of the bicycle we have to wait until the 1960s and 1970s, where the cultural revolution paved the way for a new concept of freedom. In the United States in particular, the bicycle has once again gained the interest of the masses thanks to the increased awareness of keeping fit and conquered the market by doubling sales several times. It was during these years that the BMX, a sports bike model inspired by motocross competitions, also appearing in many worthy 1980s cult films such as E.T. (1982), The Goonies (1985) and Rad (1986).

 

The birth of mountain biking

It was in the 1980s that the first mass production of mountain bike, a bike model designed for riding on any type of dirt terrain, from mountain trails to hikes in the inland countryside of any continent.

Originally, mountain bikes were real bone-breakers without any comfort due to the lack of suspension and the rigidity of the structure: only in the late 1980s did they start to be integrated hi-tech materials such as thealuminium and the suspension forks.

And here we are!
After more than two hundred years of history and evolution of the bicycle we come to the present day, where the revolutionin terms of lifestyle e conception of private transportwe carry it on every day we at Donno Bikeswith our brand of multifunctional bicycles InBicy.

 

The innovation of iO by InBicy

We of Donno Bikesalready key players in the innovation of the Italian market for muscle and electric cargo bikes and the functional bicycles for transporting childrenwe realised part of our dream: revolutionising the concept of personal transport by bicycle for families and those who want an environmentally friendly and affordable means of transport.

With InBicy, our 100% made in Italy brandpresented in the summer of 2022 we set out to revolutionise the multifunctional bicycle market with the model iOdesigned to satisfy every personality e needs:

• iO is fully customisablegives a unique experience of adaptability e practicality which simplifies all situations in city traffic, on dirt roads and on the most strenuous routes thanks to the electric version;
• iO is designed for all types of cyclists, come on freelancers who wish to follow a lifestyle that does not depend on the car and fuel expenses, to the families with children who want to move around safely, both for walks and for everyday tasks;
• iO enables you to cope with all your daily needssuch as taking children to school and transporting heavy objects weighing up to 120 kg.

Thanks to our special patented system Flash Switch we enable cyclists all over the world to take on any challenge without having to give up their needs and desire to cycle, from now on multifunctional.

 

The multifunctional bicycle revolution

What makes iO bicycles so special? Simple, the revolutionary Flash Switch which allows you to transform your bicycle in seconds, without the need for tools, without effort and without getting your hands dirty.

How does Flash Switch work? In your muscle or electric bike model, you want to insert a additional 2-seater luggage rack or a maxi basket or again, a seat? Or you want to enter all available accessories and carry up to three children and their backpacks, bags for your work and items weighing up to 120 kg, and then return home, dismantle everything in less than a minute by simply unhooking the accessories and leave for a sports session?

With one click you can do modify your long tail bike whatever, here is the true revolution of the iO multifunctional bicycle by InBicyone Italian bike model for all possible uses.