Good morning, everyone. Today we're going to discuss the history of the bicycle. Now, many people assume the bicycle was invented in the 19th century, but its origins go back further. The first two-wheeled, pedal-less device, called a 'draisine', appeared in 1817 in Germany. However, it was not until the 1860s in France that pedals were added to the front wheel. Interestingly, the famous 'penny-farthing' with a huge front wheel became popular in the 1870s because it allowed greater speed, but it was quite dangerous. Finally, the modern safety bicycle, with two equal-sized wheels and a chain drive, was developed in the 1880s in England, which made cycling much safer and more accessible to the general public.
❓ Согласно лекции, почему велосипед «пенни-фартинг» стал популярным в 1870-х годах?
A. A. Это было безопаснее, чем более ранние модели.