雅思听力

🎧 Listening Transcript

Today's lecture is about the history of the bicycle. Now, many people assume the bicycle was invented in the 19th century, but its earliest form, the draisine, appeared in 1817. It had no pedals; riders pushed their feet against the ground. The pedals were added in the 1860s, but the real breakthrough came in 1885 with the 'safety bicycle', which had two equal-sized wheels and a chain drive. This design made cycling much safer and more popular, especially among women, as it allowed them to wear regular clothing. By the early 20th century, bicycles had become a common means of transport in many cities.