How the Bicycle Changed People's Life
The bicycle was invented in Mannheim over 200 years ago: the draisine, a velocipede. Since then the bicycle has experienced a revolution, also with regard to social development.
It all started with the eruption of a volcano: the climate changed; harvests failed and many horses – which in those days were not only used in farming but also served as a means of transport for people and goods – starved to death. Without these animals life became even more difficult than it already was. Then Karl Freiherr von Drais had an idea: In 1817 he invented the draisine, which was supposed to replace the horse but was so expensive that the majority of the population were unable to afford one.
For a long while after the invention of the velocipede nothing much changed. Not until the beginning of the 1860s, when Pierre Michaux began developing bicycles with pedals. Michaux presented his invention in Paris at The International Exposition of 1867. It was an out-and-out success. Only the well-to-do bourgeoisie were able to afford bicycles. It was no different when the penny-farthing appeared on the market three years later with its large front wheel and small rear wheel.
This changed at the end of the 1870s with Harry John Lawson’s safety bicycle and John Boyd Dunlop’s air-filled rubber tyre, which he invented around 1888: equally sized wheels, a chain drive to the rear wheel and the previously mentioned tyres – that’s how bikes looked like then and that’s how they still look now. The beginning of the 20th century saw bikes being mass produced; they became affordable to all and evolved from a status symbol to an object of practical use for everyone.
Women on bicycles
The first female cyclists didn’t have it easy: their role in society and the dress code at that time made riding bikes very difficult. Their puffy and at the same time restrictive clothing made it almost impossible for them to ride regular bikes. If they wanted to ride they either had to transgress the dress code and thus the ethical code – exposed legs were not proper and trousers were rather inappropriate – or they could opt for women’s bicycles, which were extremely unstable and which women were obliged to ride sidesaddle.
Commodities and luxury goods
Today, riding bikes has become an expression of lifestyle and the bicycle is a common lifestyle object – at least in large parts of Europe. At the same time, it is still a primary means of transport in many countries. Particularly in African countries where the distances are large; public transport often does not exist and without a bike people would have to walk miles. However, it is still not a given that everyone owns a bicycle, yet the bicycle is especially important for the emancipation of women due to its role in society.
Even in China, the erstwhile bike nation, many people still rely on their bicycle. The story of a Chinese migrant who wanted to go home to celebrate Chinese New Year but didn’t have the money for a train ticket was all over the internet this year. He set off on his bike to ride over 1,000 miles to visit his family and mistakenly rode 300 miles in the wrong direction before being stopped on the motorway.
It all started with the eruption of a volcano: the climate changed; harvests failed and many horses – which in those days were not only used in farming but also served as a means of transport for people and goods – starved to death. Without these animals life became even more difficult than it already was. Then Karl Freiherr von Drais had an idea: In 1817 he invented the draisine, which was supposed to replace the horse but was so expensive that the majority of the population were unable to afford one.
For a long while after the invention of the velocipede nothing much changed. Not until the beginning of the 1860s, when Pierre Michaux began developing bicycles with pedals. Michaux presented his invention in Paris at The International Exposition of 1867. It was an out-and-out success. Only the well-to-do bourgeoisie were able to afford bicycles. It was no different when the penny-farthing appeared on the market three years later with its large front wheel and small rear wheel.
This changed at the end of the 1870s with Harry John Lawson’s safety bicycle and John Boyd Dunlop’s air-filled rubber tyre, which he invented around 1888: equally sized wheels, a chain drive to the rear wheel and the previously mentioned tyres – that’s how bikes looked like then and that’s how they still look now. The beginning of the 20th century saw bikes being mass produced; they became affordable to all and evolved from a status symbol to an object of practical use for everyone.
Women on bicycles
The first female cyclists didn’t have it easy: their role in society and the dress code at that time made riding bikes very difficult. Their puffy and at the same time restrictive clothing made it almost impossible for them to ride regular bikes. If they wanted to ride they either had to transgress the dress code and thus the ethical code – exposed legs were not proper and trousers were rather inappropriate – or they could opt for women’s bicycles, which were extremely unstable and which women were obliged to ride sidesaddle.
Commodities and luxury goods
Today, riding bikes has become an expression of lifestyle and the bicycle is a common lifestyle object – at least in large parts of Europe. At the same time, it is still a primary means of transport in many countries. Particularly in African countries where the distances are large; public transport often does not exist and without a bike people would have to walk miles. However, it is still not a given that everyone owns a bicycle, yet the bicycle is especially important for the emancipation of women due to its role in society.
Even in China, the erstwhile bike nation, many people still rely on their bicycle. The story of a Chinese migrant who wanted to go home to celebrate Chinese New Year but didn’t have the money for a train ticket was all over the internet this year. He set off on his bike to ride over 1,000 miles to visit his family and mistakenly rode 300 miles in the wrong direction before being stopped on the motorway.
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