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 in fact, the first two-wheeled vehicle, called the draisine, appeared in 1817 in Germany. It had no pedals; riders pushed their feet against the ground to move. Later, in the 1860s, pedals were added to the front wheel in France, creating the velocipede. However, it was very uncomfortable due to its wooden wheels. The major breakthrough came in 1885 when the 'safety bicycle' was introduced in England, featuring a chain drive and equal-sized wheels, which made riding much safer and more practical. This design became the basis for modern bicycles.