There are about a billion bicycles in the world, twice as many as motorcars. Almost 400 million bicycles are in China. Every year some 50 million bicycles – and 20 million cars – are produced.
Although Leonardo da Vinci drew some rough sketches of a contraption that looked like a bicycle, the Frenchman De Sivrac built the first bicycle-type vehicle in 1690. It was referred to as a hobbyhorse. However, it did not have pedals. Those were added in 1840 by a Scottish blacksmith, Kirkpatrick Macmillan, who is credited with inventing the real bicycle.
On a penny-farthing bicycle, one pedal gave the wheel one turn. A lot of pedaling was needed to get around! With the advent of gears, bicycles could move as fast as cars.
Air-filled tyres were used on bicycles before they were used on motorcars.
The bicycle as we know it today – with two wheels of the same size – looks almost exactly the same as one from 1900.
The first five-seat bicycle, the quindem, was built in 1940.
World’s fastest bicycle
In 1985, John Howard, Olympic cyclist and Ironman triathlon winner from the US, set the world speed record for a bicycle when he reached 152.2 mph (245,08 km/h) cycling in the slipstream of a specially designed car. The record would stand until October 3, 1995 when Dutch cyclist Fred Rompelberg pedaled in the slipstream of a dragster at 167.044 mph (268,831 km/h), a record that still stands. What is even more amazing is that Fred, who holds a number of bicycle speed records, was 50 years old when he set the Absolute World Speed Record for Cycling. He still is the world’s eldest professional cyclist.
Cycling tip of the day
Save a tree: Get off your bum; get on your bike!
View Comments to “Bicycle facts”
it was really helpful… THANKS!!!
There are more bicycles than cars in the world. That makes sense.
ur great.thanks for all ur help?
I have never thought that there can be so much bicycles.
In Lithuania almost everyone uses their cars, but almost everyone has and a bicycle, so that why this number looks so huge.
[...] Bicycle facts.(n.d.). Published 2006, from http://didyouknow.org/bicycles/ [...]
i no it was helful
the most suprizing part is that they build 50 million bicycles a year and only 20 millionn cars a year.that is a huge diffrence
thanx yu helped me with a exit project!!!
i thought it was not a help at all i allready knew that stuff about bicycles
i agree with you
yes i have the leonardo da vinci’ bicycle photo. it really a bicycle with pedals and having the chain ring with tooth on it. it was unbelieveable tht vinci made the first sketch.but i searched for this and this is true.we know he also sketched the helicopter.
sandy,
sandy_bsb5@yahoo.co.in
bicycle is the origin of the automobile.bicycle will never end .and in this time we need bicycle so much.bicycle is eco friendly.no expensives.its the best vehicle.
john howard’ record was beatenb by a dutch cyclist Fred Rompelberg on oct. 3,1985 with a speed of 268km/h
Thnx!
I am a bicycle fan and loved the info you have here…
I am a bicycle rider and i want that every country should have an extra lane for bicycle in the main roads..