Today we're going to discuss the history of the bicycle. Although many people credit the invention to the 19th century, the first two-wheeled vehicle, called a 'draisine', appeared in 1817 in Germany. It had no pedals and was pushed along by the rider's feet. Later, in the 1860s, French inventors added pedals to the front wheel, creating the 'velocipede'. However, this design was difficult to ride due to its heavy wooden frame. It wasn't until the 1880s that the 'safety bicycle' with a chain drive and two equal-sized wheels became popular, making cycling accessible to the general public.