Good morning, class. Today we're going to discuss the history of the bicycle. Now, many people assume the bicycle was invented in the 19th century, but its earliest form, the draisine, appeared in 1817 in Germany. It had no pedals; riders pushed their feet against the ground. Later, in the 1860s, pedals were added to the front wheel in France. However, it wasn't until the 1880s that the chain-driven 'safety bicycle' with equal-sized wheels became popular, making cycling safer and more accessible, especially for women. This design is the basis for modern bicycles.