雅思听力

🎧 Listening Transcript

In today's lecture, we'll discuss the history of the bicycle. The first bicycle, invented in the early 19th century, had no pedals and was pushed along by the rider's feet. Later, in the 1860s, pedals were added to the front wheel, making it faster but more dangerous. By the 1880s, the 'safety bicycle' with two equal-sized wheels and a chain drive became popular, as it was much safer and easier to ride. Interestingly, this design is essentially what we still use today. However, the introduction of pneumatic tyres in the 1890s greatly improved comfort and speed, which led to a cycling boom.