雅思听力

🎧 Listening Transcript

Good morning, everyone. Today we're going to look at the history of the bicycle. Now, you might think the bicycle was invented in the 19th century, and you'd be right. However, the first two-wheeled vehicle, called a 'draisine', appeared in 1817, invented by a German baron. It had no pedals; you pushed it with your feet. Later, in the 1860s, pedals were added to the front wheel in France. But it was the 'safety bicycle' in the 1880s, with a chain drive and two equal-sized wheels, that became truly popular. This design is essentially what we still use today.