Today we're going to discuss the history of the bicycle. The first bicycle, called the 'velocipede', appeared in the early 19th century. It had no pedals; riders pushed their feet against the ground to move. Later, in the 1860s, pedals were added to the front wheel. However, these early bicycles were difficult to ride because they were unstable. In the 1880s, the 'safety bicycle' was introduced, featuring two equal-sized wheels and a chain drive. This design made cycling much safer and more popular, leading to a boom in bicycle use by the 1890s.