Bicycle

From the Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that anyone can change

Early bicycles

A modern mountain bike; its thick, wide tires allow it to be used on rocky trails

A bicycle, or bike, is a small land vehicle with two wheels, pedals, and a metal chain connected to cogs on the pedals and rear wheel. The name comes from these two wheels - the prefix "bi-" meaning two, and the suffix "-cycle" meaning wheel. It is powered by a person riding on top, who pushes the pedals around with his or her feet.

Cycling or riding bicycles is an important way to travel in several parts of the world. It is also a common recreation, a good form of low-impact exercise, and a popular sport. It is also the second most popular spectator sport in the world. Bicycling uses less energy per mile than any other human transport.^[1]

[change] Invention

Wooden Draisine (around 1820), the first two-wheeler

In 1818 a German professor, baron Karl von Drais, created the first two wheeled bicycle. It had a handlebar, and looked like a bicycle of today, but it didn`t have pedals, and it had a wooden body.

[change] Types of Bicycle

[change] Mountain Bicycle

The moutain bicycle is used for the ride on the impassable road. It has many speeds (usually more then 20), some wide tires, powerful wheels.

[change] Urban Bicycle

The Urban bicycle is used for the convenient ride around the city. It`s comfortable but it has a slow speed. It has a convenient seat but a heavy body. It has a good protection from the mud.

[change] Woman’s Bicycle

The general difference between the woman bicycle and the man`s is the location of the top tube. When the women began to ride on a bike, they wore a long skirts. They must to raise a foot, to sit on the bicycle. The manufactures of bicycles changed the location of the top tube. Now the woman bicycles made, so that the women can sat down on them in the skirt

[change] Tandem Bicycle

The tandem is a bicycle for 2 people. It has two pairs of pedal. The cyclists sit one behind another. The first cyclist steers a bicycle. There are bicycles for 3 and more people. There was a bicycle for 40 people.

[change] Electric Bicycle

Titanium Flat Road EB has an electric motor. One charge allows the distance 10 km. (6 miles). You can charge it at home. You can use only engine, or only pedals or both together.