THE HISTORY OF CYCLING
Over the years cycling has became much more than just a way to get around or a child's toy! For many cycling is a passion, for others it's a form of exercise and for many it's an enjoyable pastime!
It's also became a professional sport! There are many cycling races and competitions worldwide that are held on an annual basis!
Some of these races have been around since the 1890's! Many fans gather to watch live cycling at these events.
Almost everyone is familiar with the famous Tour de France! Other historic cycling events include the Liege Bastogne Liege, the Paris Roubaix, the Ronde van Vlaanderen and the Giro d'Italia.
Several of these prestigious races have been around for over one hundred years! These races laid the foundation for many other races that are held worldwide.
There are also numerous races and competitions that are held each year in towns and cities across the world. These races have become traditions and many enjoy attending to watch live cycling.
Cycling was included as one of the sports that appeared in the very first Olympic Games in Athens, Greece in 1896! And, it continues to this day to be a very important part of the Olympics! Thousands attend the Olympic Games to watch live cycling.
For races such as the Tour de France athletes must train year round. A cyclist must have both physical strength, endurance and determination! The Tour de France is a rigorous race lasting 23 days and covering approximately 1,864 miles!
The Tour de France not only attracts cyclists from all over the world, many fans also travel long distances to watch live cycling in this much anticipated yearly event.
Often cycling races include very difficult sections. Some have steep inclines or include different types of pavements. A athlete must possess excellent handling skills to remain in control of the bicycle at such high speeds.
There are basically three major types of cyclists, mountain, road and track riders. The Olympic Games is the only high level competition that includes all three types of riders.
Road racing first became an organized sport in 1868, but the first known world championship wasn't held until 1893. It is popular worldwide, but is especially a favorite sport in Europe.
As the name implies it is a race that's held on roads. In these events the cyclists usually start the race simultaneously and of course the winner is the one that reaches the finish line first!
These races include single day races and stage races. Single day races are of course, ran in one day and the lengths of the race vary with each individual race.
Stage races are several races ran consecutively, riders are timed and the one that finished the stages in the least amount of time is declared the winner. These races can run from one day to several weeks.
Mountain biking began in the 1970's and originated in California.
These races are divided into four separate categories, trials and street riding, cross country, free ride and downhill racing. Each type of racing requires a special type of bike and gear.
Athletes that race in mountain bike races not only have to develop the normal skills and strength that cycling requires, they have to become self reliant.
Since these races are held in mountains, forests and even deserts, bikers are far from help. They have to learn survival skills and also be prepared to repair their bikes if something happens. And, unless the event is televised, mountain bike racing fans can't watch live cycling.
Track cycling is normally ran on tracks built especially for the sport! It can even be held on grassy tracks that are marked on flat fields. Many road cycling racers utilize track racing as their form of training during the off season.
The running machine was the first actual bicycle invented. Baron Karl von Drais came up with his idea in 1817. The bicycle was made entirely from wood and it didn't have pedals, you rolled yourself along with your feet! It was often called the hobby horse!
Pedals were added to the next invention that appeared, the velocipede was invented around 1863. The pedals were attached to the front wheel, so as you pushed the pedals the wheel turned! Modern childrens tricycles are still made in this way!
The velocipede was amusingly called the boneshaker, the all wood frame and wheels made for a rather bumpy ride! But, it caught on and in some of the larger cities indoor riding facilities were opened.
The next new invention came in 1870, this was the first to actually be called a bicycle! This model was made of metal, but also included rubber tires for a smoother ride! Although, the pedals were still attached to the front wheel.
They were referred to as the high wheel bicycle. As manufacturers realized that the larger the wheel was the farther distance you could go with each turn of the pedals. The idea was to buy a wheel that matched the length of your legs!
The large front wheels earned them the name high wheeler's. But, the size of the wheels also made them dangerous. Since to accommodate for the wheel height, the seat was also high off the ground.
These bicycles quickly became very popular. Although, they were so expensive that they were mostly owned by people of great means. These bicycles cost an average of what most people earned in six months!
Several other inventions came along over the next few years, but the most important arrived in the mid 1880's! The safety bicycle changed the concept of the two wheeled machines!
In 1885, John Kemp Starley introduced the first safety bicycle called the Rover. The front wheel was completely steerable, the wheels were both the same size and it had a chain drive that was attached to the rear wheel.
Starely didn't patent his idea and it became widely imitated. John Boyd Dunlop's 1888 rubber tire that was inflated with air, greatly improved on the ride and comfort of the safety bicycle!
The chain drive was perhaps one of the most important improvements. It allowed easier pedaling and steering, since the pedals were no longer attached to the same wheel that steered the bicycle!
By the beginning of the 20th century a bicycle craze had begun! It had became a popular pastime as well as a means of transportation for many in the United States.
Both America and European countries saw cycling clubs begin to spread for women and men. The bicycle has even been attributed to having a great impact on the emancipation of women worldwide!
As bicycles became safer more and more women began riding them. It gave them the freedom to travel from place to place. Susan B. Anthony even sang the praises of the bicycle!
Aside from the freedom it gave women, the bicycle played a part in fueling womens liberation from the long skirts and dresses! The long skirts made it hard for women to ride a bicycle safely and eventually they began to wear bloomers!
Bloomers had been invented years earlier, but it had never became acceptable for women to wear them. They were simply baggy trousers that were knee length and were fastened just below the knee.
Cycling has became a very important part of every culture. In many places they are used in delivery services because of their ability to maneuver through traffic. Pedestrians are often amazed to watch live cycling as these riders effortlessly glide around vehicles!
They have even been used by the military! The bicycle infantry were soldiers that used bicycles to travel around on! Soldiers began using bicycles in the late 19th century.
Among the countries that had bicycle infantries were the United States, United Kingdom, France, Britain. Almost all of the European countries employed bicycle infantries and in China's invasion of Japan, they used around 50,000 bicycle troops!
Bicycles continued to be used by many armies during the 20th century and the Swiss Army's Bicycle Regiment wasn't phased out until 2001! Although there's probably not any soldiers still using bicycles today, there are some militias that still do!
Cycling has became an important part of life! It's enjoyed by both the young and the old and by both women and men! Even many that don't participate in the sport themselves, love to watch live cycling at the many races that are held each year! |
