The Safety Bicycle

A fascinating history of the evolution of the bicycle, spanning more than 150 years.

The safety bicycle, with front-wheel steering and pedal-driven rear wheel, has existed since the experiments of Kirkpatrick Macmillan in 1839, but his ideas were forgotten when the front-wheel driven boneshakers and penny farthings reigned supreme. In the 1870s, experimental safeties appeared, culminating in Henry Lawson's Bicyclette of 1879.The safety bicycle, with front-wheel steering and pedal-driven rear wheel, has existed in some form since the experiments of Kirkpatrick Macmillan in 1839, but his ideas were almost forgotten when the front-wheel driven boneshakers and penny farthings reigned supreme. Then, in the 1870s, experimental safeties appeared, culminating in Henry Lawson's Bicyclette of 1879. Within ten years the modern bicycle had developed, to remain basically unchanged for over seventy years. Many specialist and experimental designs have appeared since the late nineteenth century most of which, if they passed the prototype stage, failed to attract the public and now languish in museums.