Today we're going to discuss the history of the bicycle. The first two-wheeled vehicle, called the draisine, appeared in 1817. It had no pedals, and riders pushed their feet against the ground. In the 1860s, pedals were added to the front wheel, creating the velocipede. However, this design was uncomfortable due to its rigid frame. The major breakthrough came in 1885 with the 'safety bicycle', which featured a chain drive to the rear wheel and equal-sized wheels. This design made cycling much safer and more practical, leading to a boom in popularity by the 1890s.