In today's lecture, we'll discuss the history of the bicycle. The first verifiable bicycle, called the draisine, was invented by Karl von Drais in 1817. It had no pedals; riders pushed their feet against the ground. Later, in the 1860s, pedals were added to the front wheel, creating the velocipede. However, this design was uncomfortable due to its rigid frame and iron wheels. The major breakthrough came in 1885 when John Kemp Starley introduced the 'Rover' safety bicycle, which featured a chain drive to the rear wheel and equal-sized wheels. This design greatly improved stability and safety, making cycling accessible to the general public.
❓ 1885年推出的Rover安全自行车的主要优势是什么？
A. 这是第一辆带脚踏板的自行车。
B. 它的座椅更舒适。
C. 由于采用了链式传动和等大的车轮，它更加安全稳定。
D. 它比之前的型号更轻便、更便宜。
✅ 正确答案
It was safer and more stable due to its chain drive and equal-sized wheels.