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 a German baron. It had no pedals; riders pushed their feet against the ground. Later, in the 1860s, pedals were added to the front wheel in France, leading to the 'boneshaker'. However, it was not until the 1880s that the safety bicycle, with two equal-sized wheels and a chain drive, became popular. This design greatly reduced the risk of falls, making cycling accessible to the general public, especially women.