Today we're going to discuss the history of the bicycle. The first pedal-powered bicycle was invented in the 1860s in France, but it had wooden wheels and no rubber tires, making it very uncomfortable to ride. In 1888, a Scottish veterinarian named John Boyd Dunlop developed the pneumatic tire, which was initially designed for his son's tricycle to reduce bumps. This innovation greatly improved comfort and speed. By the 1890s, bicycles with diamond-shaped frames and chain drives became popular, and cycling became a widespread leisure activity. Interestingly, the safety bicycle, as it was called, also played a role in women's emancipation, as it gave them greater mobility and freedom.