Evolution of bicycling
I recently began bicycling and it’s something I really enjoy doing. I chose to do my senior project on bicycling and the effect they have on society because it’s fun and it is good for the planet. The first invention of the modern day bicycle occurred in 1817 by an engineer from Germany named Baron Karl Dreiss von Sauerbronn. This man named his invention “swift walker “since one basically sat over the seat and pushed with ones feet as if walking. IN 1830 a Scottish blacksmith added pedals to the Germans invention but it didn’t really help the device. It wasn’t until a Persian blacksmith Pierre Michaux attached the pedals to the front hub that it attracted a lot of attention from the public. At first these “boneshakers” as they were often referred to ,they were generally very expensive ,hard to maneuver and could weigh up to 150lbs. It wasn’t until the 1890’s that a major change happened when the “safety bike” was introduced; this bicycle had a chain that carried the power to the back wheel that made it safer. This new bicycle gave woman the kind of mobility they had never known. During the 1870s a bicycle cost as much as $300, nearly one years wages for an average worker . By the late 1890’s one could find a good used model for as little as $35 giving more of the population a chance to use this popular device . In 1948 still around today Schwinn introduced the black phantom, this model became an instant classic. Later on In the century ,in the 70’s and 80’s new models became increasingly more desired by teens and young adults , the BMX bikes were designed to be raced on road tracks ,a popular sport to this day .Today there are a lot of different bicycles model ,brand ,size ,color, and uses. Today’s bicycles are a lot lighter than older models based on technology advances .Most bicycles are made from aluminum or titanium and are a lot lighter than many years ago .The high end bicycles today are made out of a very light ,strong and expensive material called carbon fiber . A full functional carbon fiber bicycle can weight as little as 7lbs.Although to the average person a couple ounces less doesn’t make a difference, when it comes to competitive cycling that has a tremendous effect on the performance of the competitor. Track bikes used in professional events cost in the range of $6,000-$14,000.
Transportation (Utility Cycling)
Utility cycling means biking as a form of transportation. This form of bicycling is the original and most used form in the world. Not uncommonly some people travel 2-15 miles a day to get to where they need to be. Although the need differ for every person, some common uses for a bicycle is to go to work, school, run errands, visit friends and other activities. In some cities that are overcrowded with traffic such as San Francisco or New York, bike carriers are cyclists hired by a company with the job being picking up packages and delivering them at a location often across the city ,this is much faster because of the ability a cyclist has to swerve around cars and they often do not obey traffic signals.