雅思听力

🎧 Listening Transcript

In today's lecture, we'll discuss the history of the bicycle. The first pedal-powered bicycle, called the velocipede, appeared in the 1860s in France. However, it was heavy and difficult to ride. In the 1880s, John Kemp Starley introduced the 'safety bicycle' with a chain drive and equal-sized wheels, which made cycling safer and more accessible. By the early 20th century, bicycles became a popular mode of transport, especially among workers. Interestingly, the invention of the pneumatic tire in 1888 by John Boyd Dunlop greatly improved comfort, reducing vibrations on rough roads. This innovation led to a boom in cycling's popularity.