The bicycle is a simple yet transformative machine. Since the early nineteenth‐century draisine it has evolved into an efficient, affordable means of transport used by billions of people. Beyond utility, cycling carries profound philosophical and social meanings—symbolising freedom, self‑reliance and environmental stewardship. This report traces the bicycle’s historical development, explores philosophical reflections on cycling and examines its significance for society, culture and the environment.
Historical Development
Early prototypes and the “boneshaker”
The bicycle’s origins lie in early nineteenth‑century Europe. In 1817 German baron Karl von Drais demonstrated a Laufmaschine or draisine—a wooden, two‑wheeled device propelled by pushing feet against the ground . Although riders had to run rather than pedal, the draisine introduced the principle of steering the front wheel. French inventors Pierre Lallement and Pierre & Ernest Michaux added pedals and cranks to the front wheel in the early 1860s, creating the heavy iron velocipede nicknamed the “boneshaker” because its wooden wheels and iron tyres made riding on cobbles painful . In 1839 Scottish blacksmith Kirkpatrick Macmillan may have built a rear‑wheel‑driven vehicle using treadles and rods , though documentation is scarce. The first patent for a pedal bicycle is attributed to Lallement, registered in 1866 .
The high wheel and the safety revolution
In the 1870s Frenchman Eugène Meyer and British engineer James Starley developed the penny‑farthing or “ordinary” bicycle, featuring a gigantic front wheel and tiny rear wheel. Its large wheel allowed higher speeds but made mounting dangerous. By 1872 British companies were manufacturing high‑wheel ordinaries . To solve safety and accessibility problems, John Kemp Starley—nephew of James—introduced the “Rover” safety bicycle in 1885. His design used equal‑sized wheels, a chain drive to the rear wheel and a diamond‑shaped frame . Coupled with John Boyd Dunlop’s 1888 pneumatic tyre, the safety bicycle dramatically improved comfort and became the prototype for modern bikes . Mass‑produced “safety” bikes sparked a cycling craze in Europe and America; newspapers observed that by the 1890s the bicycle promised “an extension of human power and freedom” .
Twentieth‑century innovations and diversification
Early twentieth‑century developments included three‑speed internal hub gears (1903), coaster brakes, and improved steel frames . After World War II, cycling declined in many Western countries as motor vehicles dominated, but remained vital in Asia and Europe. Innovations continued: mountain bikes emerged in the 1970s–80s, exemplified by the 1981 Specialized Stumpjumper ; BMX, folding bikes and electric bikes followed. By 2000 e‑bikes offered assisted pedalling, making cycling accessible to longer commutes . Modern bikes employ lightweight aluminium, carbon‑fibre or titanium frames, hydraulic disc brakes and electronic shifting. However, the Low‑tech Magazine warns that materials like aluminium and carbon significantly increase the embodied energy of a bicycle; a steel frame requires around 17.5 kg CO₂ to produce while aluminium, titanium or carbon fibre frames use much more energy and have lower repairability .
Timeline of key milestones