The bicycle began in 1817 as a pedal-less running machine invented by Karl von Drais in Germany and evolved through the 1800s into the chain-driven safety bicycle with air-filled tires that still defines bikes today. Racing grew alongside the machine, from the first recorded races in France in the late 1860s to the founding of the UCI in 1900 and the first Tour de France in 1903. In the 20th century, gears, lighter materials and new disciplines such as mountain biking and BMX transformed cycling into one of the world’s most popular sports and forms of transport.
Cycling history timeline
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1817 | Karl von Drais introduces the running machine, or draisine |
| 1860s | Pedals are added to the front wheel, creating the velocipede or boneshaker |
| 1868 | One of the first recorded bicycle races is held near Paris |
| 1870s | High-wheel bicycles, later nicknamed penny-farthings, become popular |
| 1885 | John Kemp Starley’s Rover popularizes the chain-driven safety bicycle |
| 1888 | John Boyd Dunlop develops a practical pneumatic tire |
| 1896 | Cycling is included at the first modern Olympics in Athens |
| 1900 | The UCI is founded to govern international cycling |
| 1903 | The first Tour de France is held |
| 1909 and 1935 | The Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España begin |
| 1970s | Mountain biking and BMX emerge in California |
| 1996 and 2008 | Mountain biking and BMX racing join the Olympic program |
The first bicycles
Karl von Drais’s running machine had two wheels in line, a frame and handlebars for steering, but no pedals. Riders pushed along the ground with their feet, gliding between strides. It showed that a person could balance on two inline wheels while moving, the key insight behind every bicycle since.
In the 1860s, French makers added pedals and cranks directly to the front wheel. These velocipedes were heavy, often built of wood and iron, and the rough ride earned them the nickname boneshakers. Because each pedal turn moved the bike only as far as one rotation of the front wheel, makers soon began enlarging that wheel to go faster.
The high-wheel era
By the 1870s, high-wheel bicycles with a very large front wheel and small rear wheel were popular, especially among young men seeking speed. They were faster than earlier designs but dangerous, because the rider sat high above the front wheel and could be thrown forward by a bump or sudden stop. Solid rubber tires and wire spoked wheels improved comfort somewhat, but the high-wheeler remained a sporting machine rather than practical transport for most people.
The safety bicycle and pneumatic tire
The breakthrough came in the 1880s with the safety bicycle. John Kemp Starley’s Rover, introduced in 1885, used two wheels of similar size and a chain drive to the rear wheel, allowing gearing without a giant front wheel. Riders sat lower and closer to the ground, making cycling safer and more accessible. In 1888, John Boyd Dunlop developed a practical pneumatic tire, which dramatically improved comfort and speed. The diamond shaped frame that followed became the standard design still used today.
The birth of bike racing
Racing began almost as soon as bicycles existed. One of the earliest recorded races took place in 1868 at Saint-Cloud near Paris, and the following year saw one of the first long distance road races, from Paris to Rouen. Track racing on velodromes became hugely popular in the late 19th century, drawing large crowds in Europe and the United States. Cycling was part of the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, and the UCI was founded in 1900 to organize international competition.
The Tour de France began in 1903, created by the French sports newspaper L’Auto to boost circulation. The first edition was won by Maurice Garin. The Giro d’Italia followed in 1909 and the Vuelta a España in 1935, forming the three Grand Tours that remain the sport’s most prestigious stage races.
Women and the bicycle
The safety bicycle arrived at a time of growing campaigns for women’s rights, and cycling became closely linked with greater independence for women in the 1890s. Bicycles let women travel on their own, and the practical needs of riding contributed to changes in fashion, including shorter skirts and bloomers. Women also raced from the early days of the sport, although professional opportunities lagged far behind men’s for most of the 20th century. Women’s road racing joined the Olympics in 1984, and in recent years major events such as the Tour de France Femmes have expanded the calendar for elite women riders.
Track cycling and the velodrome
Velodromes, banked oval tracks built for bike racing, became major entertainment venues in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Six day races, in which riders competed around the clock for nearly a week, drew huge crowds in cities such as New York, where the famous Madison Square Garden gave its name to the madison event. Track cycling remains an Olympic sport today, with events such as the sprint, keirin, team pursuit and omnium, and indoor wooden velodromes allow for extremely fast racing.
Cycling in the 20th century
Technology continued to evolve. Multi speed gearing and derailleurs spread through the first half of the century, and quick release wheels made changing wheels faster. After World War II, cycling became a mass participation sport in Europe, and professional road racing produced some of the most famous athletes of the era. Frame materials moved from steel to aluminum, titanium and carbon fiber, making bikes lighter and stiffer.
In the 1970s, riders in California began modifying bikes for off road descents, laying the foundations of mountain biking. Around the same time, young riders inspired by motocross created BMX. Both grew into worldwide sports and later joined the Olympics, with mountain biking debuting in 1996 and BMX racing in 2008.
Cycling and society
Bicycles have had a social impact far beyond sport. In the late 1800s, the safety bicycle gave many people, including women, a new sense of independence and mobility, and it influenced changes in clothing styles. In the 20th and 21st centuries, bicycles became essential transport in many cities, especially in countries such as the Netherlands and Denmark with extensive cycling infrastructure. Today, cycling is promoted for health, commuting and environmental reasons, and electric bikes have brought riding to an even wider audience.
How to explore cycling history
- Visit a museum. Many transport and sport museums display early draisines, boneshakers and high-wheelers.
- Watch classic races. Archive footage of the Grand Tours and classics shows how racing has changed.
- Read race histories. Official race websites and reputable books cover the origins of major events.
- Join a vintage ride. Some events invite riders on classic steel bikes, celebrating older equipment.
- Learn the technology. Compare old and modern components to see how gearing, brakes and frames evolved.
Common misconceptions
- That the penny-farthing was the first bicycle, when the running machine came decades earlier.
- That early bikes had chains, when the chain drive only became standard with the safety bicycle.
- That mountain biking is an old discipline, when it developed mainly from the 1970s onward.
- That the Tour de France has always followed the same format, when routes and rules have changed greatly over time.
Frequently asked questions
Who invented the bicycle?
Karl von Drais is credited with the first two wheeled running machine in 1817, while later inventors added pedals, chains and pneumatic tires.
When was the first Tour de France?
In 1903, won by Maurice Garin.
When did mountain biking become an Olympic sport?
Cross country mountain biking joined the Olympics in 1996.
