Today's lecture is about the history of the bicycle. Now, many people assume the bicycle was invented in the 19th century, but in fact, a two-wheeled vehicle powered by the rider appeared as early as 1817, when a German inventor created the 'running machine'. However, this early model had no pedals; riders pushed their feet against the ground. It wasn't until 1865 that pedals were added to the front wheel. But the most significant improvement came in 1885, with the introduction of the chain drive, which made cycling much safer and more efficient. This design, known as the 'safety bicycle', quickly became popular.