雅思听力

🎧 Listening Transcript

Today we're going to discuss the history of the bicycle. Although many people assume the bicycle was invented in the 19th century, its earliest form, the draisine, appeared in 1817 in Germany. It was made of wood and had no pedals; riders pushed their feet against the ground to move forward. Later, in the 1860s, pedals were added to the front wheel in France, leading to the 'velocipede.' However, this design was uncomfortable due to its rigid frame. It wasn't until the 1880s that the 'safety bicycle' with a chain drive and equal-sized wheels became popular, making cycling safer and more accessible to the general public.