Good morning. 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 appeared in 1817, when a German inventor created a wooden, two-wheeled device called a 'running machine'. However, it was not until the 1880s that the modern safety bicycle with equal-sized wheels and a chain drive was developed. This design made cycling much safer and more popular, especially among women, who began using bicycles for leisure and transport. Interestingly, the first bicycles had no pedals, and riders pushed themselves along with their feet.