雅思听力

🎧 Listening Transcript

In today's lecture, we'll discuss the history of the bicycle. The first pedal-powered bicycle was invented in the 1860s by a French blacksmith named Pierre Michaux. However, it had wooden wheels and no brakes, making it dangerous. In the 1880s, the 'safety bicycle' introduced chain drive and equal-sized wheels, which greatly improved stability. This design became popular among women because it allowed them to ride in long skirts. By the early 20th century, bicycles were mass-produced and became affordable for the working class, leading to a boom in cycling as both transport and leisure.