Early Pedal Bycycle

Illustration

Mark Cartwright
by Science Museum, London
published on 18 April 2023
Early Pedal Bycycle Download Full Size Image

A model of the pedal bicycle invented by the Scottish blacksmith Kirkpatrick Macmillan (1812-1878) in 1839. There had been earlier two-wheeled vehicles, but these were not powered by turning the pedals with one's feet. Macmillan's bicycle had no gears so the rear wheel was made slightly larger than the front wheel. The famous 'penny-farthing' bicycle, popular from the 1870s, took this idea even further and had a significant difference in size between the two wheels. Bicycles soon became popular and allowed people of modest means to travel further than they could otherwise.

Science Museum, London.

Remove Ads
Advertisement

Cite This Work

APA Style

London, S. M. (2023, April 18). Early Pedal Bycycle. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/image/17298/early-pedal-bycycle/

Chicago Style

London, Science Museum,. "Early Pedal Bycycle." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified April 18, 2023. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/17298/early-pedal-bycycle/.

MLA Style

London, Science Museum,. "Early Pedal Bycycle." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 18 Apr 2023. Web. 05 Dec 2024.

Membership