Today we're going to discuss the history of the bicycle. While many people assume the bicycle was invented in the 19th century, its origins actually date back to the early 1800s. The first verifiable bicycle, called the 'Draisine' or 'hobby horse,' was created by Karl von Drais in 1817. It had no pedals; riders pushed their feet against the ground to move. Later, in the 1860s, pedals were added to the front wheel, leading to the 'penny-farthing' design. However, these were dangerous because of the large front wheel. Finally, the 'safety bicycle' with a chain drive and equal-sized wheels appeared in the 1880s, making cycling accessible to more people. Interestingly, the pneumatic tire, invented in 1888, was initially designed for bicycles, not cars.