雅思听力

🎧 Listening Transcript

Good morning, everyone. Today we're going to discuss the history of the bicycle. Now, many people think the bicycle was invented in the 19th century, but its earliest form appeared in 1817, when a German inventor created a wooden, two-wheeled device called a 'running machine.' It had no pedals; riders pushed their feet against the ground to move forward. Later, in the 1860s, pedals were added to the front wheel, but the ride was very bumpy. It wasn't until 1885 that the 'safety bicycle' with a chain drive and two equal-sized wheels was introduced, which made cycling much more comfortable and popular.