雅思听力

🎧 Listening Transcript

Good morning, everyone. Today we're going to look at the history of the bicycle. Many people assume the bicycle was invented in the 19th century, but in fact, early versions appeared as far back as the 15th century in Italy. However, these were not pedal-powered; they were pushed along by the rider's feet. The first pedal bicycle, known as the 'boneshaker', was developed in France in the 1860s. It had a wooden frame and iron tires, which made rides very uncomfortable. Later, in the 1880s, the 'safety bicycle' with two equal-sized wheels and a chain drive became popular, making cycling much safer and more efficient.