Today's lecture is about the history of the bicycle. The first bicycle, invented in the early 19th century, had no pedals and was propelled by pushing feet against the ground. Later, in the 1860s, pedals were added to the front wheel, but this design was unstable. The breakthrough came in 1885 with the 'safety bicycle', which featured a chain drive and two equal-sized wheels, making it much safer. By the 1890s, bicycles became widely popular, especially among women, as they offered a new sense of freedom. Interestingly, the pneumatic tire, invented by John Dunlop in 1888, was originally developed for his son's tricycle, not for the bicycle itself.