Good morning, everyone. Today we're going to discuss the history of the bicycle. Now, many people believe the bicycle was invented in the 19th century, but in fact, early prototypes appeared as far back as the 18th century. However, these early machines had no pedals and were propelled by the rider's feet pushing against the ground. The first major improvement came in 1839 when a Scottish blacksmith named Kirkpatrick Macmillan added pedals to the rear wheel. But it wasn't until the 1880s that the safety bicycle, with two equal-sized wheels and a chain drive, became popular. This design made cycling much safer and more accessible, especially for women.