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Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a pedal-driven, human-powered, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist or a bicyclist
Bicycles were introduced in the 19th century and now number about one billion worldwide, twice as many as automobiles. They are the principal means of transportation in many regions.
Being the first human means of transport to use only two wheels in tandem , the Draisienne , Laufmaschine , or dandy horse , invented by the German Baron Karl von Drais , is regarded as the forerunner of the modern bicycle. It was introduced by Drais to the public in Mannheim in summer 1817 and in Paris in 1818.
Uses:
Utility: bicycle commuting and utility cycling
Work: mail delivery , paramedics , police , couriering , and general delivery
Recreation: bicycle touring , mountain biking , BMX and physical fitness .
Military: scouting , troop movement, supply of provisions, and patrol.
History
In 1817 Baron von Drais invented a walking machine that would help him get around the royal gardens faster: two same-size in-line wheels, the front one steerable, mounted in a frame which you straddled. The device was propelled by pushing your feet against the ground, thus rolling yourself and the device forward in a sort of gliding walk. The machine became known as the Draisienne or hobby horse.It was made entirely of wood. This enjoyed a short lived popularity as a fad, not being practical for transportation in any other place than a well maintained pathway such as in a park or garden. At the time, the speed record for this bicycle was 15 km/h. it was equipped with solid rubber tires.
The next step in bicycle evolution was Kirkpatrick Macmillan.He created the first bicycle with pedals in 1839. You would push the pedals back and forth which turned the wheel.
In the early 1860s, a Frenchman named Pierre Lallement made the velocipede. It had two steel wheels. The one in front was slightly larger than the other. Its pedals were connected to the front wheel, so when you pedaled, the front wheel would rotate pulling the back one with it.
Bicycles with
high wheels were very popular in the late 1800s. In 1871, the high wheel bicycle was invented;
it was the first bicycle to be called a 
velosipēdu. bicycle. They were the first
all metal bicycle, because up to that date, light metal parts could not be made
strong enough.They had one big wheel in the front and one small wheel in the
back. They ran a lot more smoothly than bicycles before it but were a lot more
dangerous. If you hit a rock or rut or sometimes even by applying the brakes,
you would fly over the handlebars of your bike.
For the women with long skirts and dresses and the better dressed men, there was the tricycle.The tricycle was a three-wheeled machine that worked just like the bicycle only it was safer. However, it was harder to steer on turns. They were made in the 1880's.
To make the high-wheeled bicycle safer, they switched the front and back wheels around, putting the smaller wheel in front and the larger wheel in back. This design made the bicycle less likely to tip forward. These bicycles were known as high wheel safety bikes.
Safety bikes were the next step in bicycle evolution.With stronger metals available, they were able to make a small sprocket and chain that was light enough for a human being to power. The safety bike had two wheel s the same size. In 1888, an Irish veterinarian named Dunlop, invented the pneumatic tire. These tires were a lot more comfortable to ride on. The pneumatic tire design was sometimes used on safety bikes.
In 1920, the kid's bike was introduced. Since adults were riding in automobiles, the market needed someone to buy their bicycles.
The mountain bike was first mass-produced in the early 1980's at a time when bicycling became popular for exercise and recreation.
Although the mechanics of bicycles have improved over time, the basic concept of this people-powered machine has stayed the same for hundreds of years.
Its rider sat astride a wooden frame supported by two in-line wheels and pushed the vehicle along with his/her feet while steering the front wheel.
The bicycle has undergone continual adaptation and improvement since its inception. These innovations have continued with the advent of modern materials and computer-aided design, allowing for a proliferation of specialized bicycle types.
The more common types include;
utility bicycles ,
mountain bicycles ,
racing bicycles ,
touring bicycles ,
hybrid bicycles ,
cruiser bicycles ,
BMX Bikes ,
tandems
Mountain bicycles
A mountain bike or mountain bicycle is a bicycle created for off-road cycling. This activity includes traversing of rocks and washouts, and steep declines, on dirt trails , logging roads, and other unpaved environments-activities usually called mountain biking . These bicycles need to be able to withstand the stresses of off-road use with obstacles such as logs and rocks. Mountain bikes can be classified into four categories based on suspension:
Racing bicycles
A racing bicycle also known as a road bike , is a bicycle designed for competitive road cycling.. The most important characteristics about a racing bicycle are its weight and stiffness which determine the efficiency at which the power from a rider's pedal strokes can be transferred to the drive-train and subsequently to its wheels. To this effect racing bicycles may sacrifice comfort for speed. The drop handlebars are positioned lower than the saddle in order to put the rider in a more aerodynamic posture. The front and back wheels are close together so the bicycle has quick handling. The derailleur gear ratios are closely-spaced so that the rider can pedal at his or her optimum cadence Other racing bicycles, especially those used in time trialling prioritize aerodynamics over comfort. Bicycles for racing on velodromes are track bicycles ; bicycles for racing offroad are mountain bicycles , cyclo-cross bicycles or cycle speedway bicycles;
touring bicycles
A touring bicycle is a bicycle designed or modified to handle bicycle touring .To make the bikes sufficiently robust, comfortable and capable of carrying heavy loads, special features may include a long wheelbase (for ride comfort and to avoid pedal-to-luggage conflicts), frame materials that favor flexibility over rigidity (for ride comfort), heavy duty wheels (for load capacity), and multiple mounting points (for luggage racks , fenders , and bottle cages ). Touring bicycle configurations are highly variable and may include road, sport/touring, trail, recumbent, or tandem configurations.
hybrid bicycle
A hybrid bicycle is a bicycle designed for general-purpose utility and commuting on a wide variety of surfaces, including paved and unpaved roads, paths and trails. It combines features from the road bike and the mountain bike , and includes variants such as the city bike , cross bike and commuter.
Different variations of the hybrid bicycle exist. There are hybrid bicycles optimized for commuting, for use in urban environments, or for use on a variety of paved and unpaved road surfaces. For some bicycle manufacturers, differences in hybrid type or nomenclature have more to do with marketing focus rather than design and specification, though specific features of certain hybrid bikes may suit one need better than another.
cruiser bicycles
Cruiser bicycles , also known as beach cruisers , combine balloon tires , upright seating posture, single-speed drivetrains , and straightforward steel construction with expressive styling. The bikes, noted for their durability and heavy weight, were the most popular bicycle in the United States from the early 1930s through the 1950s- and enjoyed renewed popularity since the late 1990s.
BMX Bikes
A BMX bike or BMX is the name of a popular bicycle used for both casual use and sport, and designed mainly for dirt and motocross cycling. Bicycle motocross or BMX refers to the sport in which the main goal is extreme racing on bicycles in motocross style on tracks with inline start and expressive obstacles , and it is also the term that refers to the bicycle itself that is designed for dirt and motocross cycling . 'BMX' is the usual abbreviation for bicycle motocross. The main feature of BMX bike is a complete lack of suspension and the presence of only one speed. The rest of the variation may be different.
tandem bicycle
The tandem bicycle or twin is a form of bicycle (occasionally, a tricycle) designed to be ridden by more than one person. The term tandem refers to the seating arrangement (fore to aft, not side-by-side), not the number of riders. A bike with two riders side-by-side is called a sociable.
Bicycle role
66% of Latvian citizens have
a bike.
City will reduce congestion and
pollution.
You can easily get
to know - mini where you want, call whenever
and wherever you want.
Cheaper than
a car, faster
than walking and
very healthy.
Sport, fitness,
physical forms of maintenance.
Regular cycling helps to live longer, healthier lives
Cycling helps to reduce anxiety, stress and depression.
interesting bicycles
