Today's lecture is about the history of the bicycle. Now, many people assume the bicycle was invented in the 19th century, but in fact, a two-wheeled device called a 'celerifere' appeared in France in the 1790s. However, it had no steering and no pedals. The first pedal-powered bicycle, known as the 'velocipede', was developed in the 1860s in Paris. It had a wooden frame and iron tires, which made rides very bumpy. Later, in the 1880s, John Kemp Starley introduced the 'safety bicycle' with a chain drive and two equal-sized wheels, which greatly improved stability and comfort. This design became the basis for modern bicycles.
❓ ¿Cuál fue la principal ventaja de la 'bicicleta de seguridad' introducida en la década de 1880?
A. Tenía un marco más ligero hecho de aluminio.
B. Incluía neumáticos de goma inflables.
C. Contaba con una transmisión por cadena y ruedas de igual tamaño para una mejor estabilidad.
D. Fue el primer modelo en tener pedales unidos a la rueda delantera.
✅ 正确答案
It featured a chain drive and equal-sized wheels for better stability.