Karl Drais was a German aristocrat and a prolific inventor. He noticed that the devastation of the Napoleonic Wars, compounded by the 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora in Indonesia and the subsequent ‘Year Without a Summer,’ had caused widespread crop failures that led to a shortage of feed for horses. As a result, tens of thousands of animals starved to death or were killed, highlighting the need for a new mode of transport that didn’t rely on horses.
Drais’ Laufmaschine, which translates as ‘running machine’ featured two wheels mounted on a wooden frame and a steering mechanism controlled by handlebars. The rider sat on a padded seat positioned over the rear wheel and pushed against the ground with their feet to propel the vehicle forward. The lack of pedals and a chain meant it was very similar to a modern balance bike.
On his inaugural journey, Drais traveled from Mannheim to an inn in a nearby village, covering a distance of approximately seven kilometers (4.3 miles) in less than an hour. This journey demonstrated the practicality and potential of the Laufmaschine and, using the name vélocipède Drais received a patent for his invention in France in January 1818.
The Laufmaschine quickly became popular, particularly among the aristocracy and upper classes. Nevertheless, it was difficult to ride on roads rutted by carriages, and some cities banned its use on pavements and sidewalks due to safety concerns over its speed. Over time, though, the introduction of the Laufmaschine spurred the development of further iterations and improvements that eventually led to the creation of the modern bicycle.
On 12 June 1817 Karl Drais made the first recorded journey on the forerunner of the bicycle, known as the Laufmaschine or ‘dandy horse’. Welcome to HistoryPod. Karl Drais was a German aristocrat and a prolific inventor. He noticed that the devastation of the Napoleonic Wars, compounded by the 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora in Indonesia and the subsequent ‘Year Without a Summer,’ had caused widespread crop failures that led to a shortage of feed for horses. As a result, tens of thousands of animals starved to death or were killed, highlighting the need for a new mode of transport that didn’t rely on horses. Drais’ Laufmaschine, which translates as ‘running machine’ featured two wheels mounted on a wooden frame and a steering mechanism controlled by handlebars. The rider sat on a padded seat positioned over the rear wheel and pushed against the ground with their feet to propel the vehicle forward. The lack of pedals and a chain meant it was very similar to a modern balance bike. On his inaugural journey, Drais traveled from Mannheim to an inn in a nearby village, covering a distance of approximately seven kilometers (4.3 miles) in less than an hour. This journey demonstrated the practicality and potential of the Laufmaschine and, using the name vélocipède Drais received a patent for his invention in France in January 1818. The Laufmaschine quickly became popular, particularly among the aristocracy and upper classes. Nevertheless, it was difficult to ride on roads rutted by carriages, and some cities banned its use on pavements and sidewalks due to safety concerns over its speed. Over time, though, the introduction of the Laufmaschine spurred the development of further iterations and improvements that eventually led to the creation of the modern bicycle.
1 Comment
"Safety concerns over its speed." 7 km in less than an hour? Faster on downhills, so scary indeed!