In today's lecture, we'll discuss the history of the bicycle. The first two-wheeled vehicle, called the Draisine, was invented in 1817 by Karl von Drais. It had no pedals; riders pushed their feet against the ground. Later, in the 1860s, pedals were added to the front wheel, leading to the high-wheel bicycle, or 'penny-farthing'. However, this design was dangerous because riders sat high above the ground. The modern safety bicycle, with two equal-sized wheels and a chain drive, emerged in the 1880s. This design made cycling much safer and more popular, especially among women.