Good morning. Today we're going to discuss the history of the bicycle. Now, many people assume the bicycle was invented in the 19th century, but in fact, its earliest form appeared in the late 18th century in France. This early machine, called a celerifere, had no pedals and no steering, and was simply a wooden frame on two wheels. Later, in 1817, a German inventor added a steering mechanism, but still no pedals. It wasn't until the 1860s that pedals were attached to the front wheel. Interestingly, the first practical chain-drive bicycle, similar to modern bikes, was introduced in 1885. So, the key point is that the bicycle evolved over nearly a century before becoming the familiar machine we know today.