Now, children can learn to ride a bike quickly by using something called a balance car. Children don't need to master too complicated control skills and struggle to keep balance. Basically, most people can find that it is not difficult to balance these two-wheeled vehicles.
But not many people know that this kind of balance car has a history of more than 200 years. In fact, it is the prototype of a bicycle. It was invented as a substitute for horses. Due to the eruption of Mount Tambora in 18 15, the famous "year without summer" in history caused a serious shortage of livestock feed, so German ranger Karl Drais created this historic tool.
At this time, the inventor realized that people are unwilling to leave their feet off the ground, which will make them have no motivation. The bigger reality actually comes from people's doubts about the control of this new machine. About 50 years later, 1864, the popularity of roller skating entertainment in American skating rinks also made people feel at ease to leave their feet off the ground and put them on their feet. Once people can control it, it immediately becomes a symbol of freedom in the hearts of young people. At the turn of the 20th century, there are all kinds of good memories of traveling and meeting. Young couples can easily avoid others riding bicycles for private dates, or they can ride tandem bicycles for honeymoon trips.
At the same time, in France in the early 20th century, the Bicycle Travel Club started an activity called Diagonales, cycling across France. Pioneers also began to explore cycling beyond national boundaries, often going to some inaccessible areas or countries that the western world has never been to. Finally, I completed a bicycle trip around the world across the continent. This kind of cycling activity has been continued by enthusiasts, and the coverage of global cycling routes is becoming more and more complete, or the time is gradually shortened.
In the sense of returning to reality, since the 1990s, bicycles have become more and more affordable and available. Workers in offices and factories can live in remote suburbs with better environment after riding bicycles to and from work. Bicycles are used to transport parcels, mails and telegrams, and the efficiency is obviously improved. Doctors, nannies and priests arrive at guests' homes by bike to provide convenient services. Fire departments, police stations, medical and nursing institutions and the military have all gained greater speed benefits from bicycles. If traced back to the source, the pioneers and pioneers of all types of motor vehicles are basically in the form of bicycles. Until the late Victorian era, cars were actually bicycles. Nowadays, we can still see bicycles being used in these fields, such as tour guide bicycles, police bicycles, postal bicycles and so on. Although they are no longer as important as before, their value still exists, and the image of pioneers is undeniable.
From the 65438+1990s, represented by the United States, the bicycle industry began to prosper, and many people became rich by producing and selling bicycles and accessories. This was a major blow to the transportation service industry at that time. The related horse supply, stables and even seed industry have been hit hard. 1896, the estimated losses of these industries in new york alone reached $65,438+120,000. The demand of wealthy people for horse cleaning and maintenance personnel is rapidly declining.
Non-commercial effects may be more interesting. Many young couples' original plan to save money for a piano turned into two bicycles. When the bicycle became a precious gift for Christmas, it turned the golden pocket watch into an outdated thing: elite cyclists need to wear watches on their wrists to watch the time while riding. The rise of bicycles has also hit the tobacco industry, because there is no way to enjoy smoking while riding bicycles, and the sales of books and newspapers have also been affected, because people spend more time going out than staying in one place. Even barbers in concert halls and theaters complain about the decline in business. Custom hat-making, tailoring and shoemaking industries have fallen sharply, and cyclists prefer to wear ready-made club clothes and buy cheap beach shoes. This demand gave birth to the clothing industry. Later, when women's bicycles became popular, women began to make up their minds to give up their fluffy bloomers and corsets. Women's clothing began the liberation movement, resulting in the current bra underwear. At the same time, men began to like thin sweaters, which was initiated by Dr. Gustav Jaeger. Bernard Shaw, a famous Irish writer, is a bicycle lover. He adapted to this kind of clothing and called it "normal clothing". Jaeger brand still exists today.
After sewing machine, bicycle has become the second most complicated machine in household goods. It teaches and even popularizes some mechanical techniques to people, such as how to debug, repair tires, install automobile light wires, and how to deal with faults, such as replacing broken spokes and worn brake pads. Bicycle maintenance has become an examination item for some engineers and technicians to test their ability to operate other mechanical equipment. This custom still exists in some countries. Some technological innovations have also taken root on bicycles, such as the great pneumatic tire, which was re-invented and valued by bicycles, but did not feel its value in the carriage.
The technology of bicycle industry is the top technology of early high technology, such as lightweight and advanced technology. Now it is despised by mainstream technology groups. Few people know that bicycles are paving materials for cars and even airplanes. Steel stamping technology, welding technology and gear transmission technology are constantly improving in the reform of bicycles. It is no coincidence that most well-known automobile brands produced bicycles in the early days. Not to mention motorcycle, its basic structure is bicycle, and its Chinese name may be relatively independent, but its English name is actually the abbreviation of Motorized Bicycle, which was invented by Daimler, the inventor of automobile. Early forms of motorcycles were basically based on bicycles. There are not many examples on the plane, but one is enough: the first successful plane in the world, its inventors, the Wright brothers and two bicycle technicians, built it with the spirit of exploration and the technical experience of bicycles.
J Flink, a famous automobile industry historian, said: There is no technical form that has greater contribution and influence on automobiles than bicycles, and even internal combustion engines cannot match its importance.
End of the full text. Let's watch and experience how to write the history of bicycles in the future.