from pedalinghistory.com 译/陈文

A modern bicycle by definition is a rider-powered vehicle with two wheels in tandem1), powered by the rider turning pedals2) that are connected to the rear wheel by a chain, and having handlebars for steering3) and a saddlelike seat for the rider. With that definition in mind, lets look at the history of early bicycles that led up to the modern bicycle.

The Walking Machine

In 1817 Baron von Drais invented a walking machine that would help him get around the royal gardens faster: two same-size in-line wheels, the front one steerable, mounted in a frame which you straddled4). The device was propelled by pushing your feet against the ground, thus rolling yourself and the device forward in a sort of gliding walk. The machine became known as hobby horse. It was made entirely of wood. This enjoyed a short-lived popularity as a fad5), not being practical for transportation in any other place than a well maintained pathway such as in a park or garden.

The Velocipede6) or Boneshaker7)

The next appearance of a two-wheeled riding machine was in 1865, when pedals were applied directly to the front wheel. This machine was known as the velocipede, but was popularly known as the boneshaker, since it was also made entirely of wood, then later with metal tires8), and the combination of these with the cobblestone roads of the day made for an extremely uncomfortable ride. They also became a fad, and indoor riding academies, similar to roller rinks, could be found in large cities.

The High Wheel Bicycle

In 1870 the first all-metal machine appeared. (Previous to this metallurgy9) was not advanced enough to provide metal strong enough to make small, light parts out of.) The pedals were still attached directly to the front wheel with no freewheeling10) mechanism. Solid rubber tires and the long spokes11) of the large front wheel provided a much smoother ride than its predecessor. The front wheels became larger and larger as makers realized that the larger the wheel, the farther you could travel with one rotation12) of the pedals. You would purchase a wheel as large as your leg length would allow. This machine was the first one to be called a bicycle (two wheel). These bicycles enjoyed a great popularity among young men of means (they cost an average worker six months pay), with the hey-day being the decade of the 1880s.

Because the rider sat so high above the center of gravity, if the front wheel was stopped by a stone or rut in the road, or the sudden emergence of a dog, the entire apparatus13) rotated forward on its front axle, and the rider, with his legs trapped under the handlebars, was dropped unceremoniously14) on his head. Thus the term “taking a header” came into being.

The High Wheel Tricycle

While the men were risking their necks on the high wheels, ladies, confined to their long skirts and corsets15), could take a spin16) around the park on an adult tricycle. These machines also afforded more dignity to gentlemen such as doctors and clergymen. Many mechanical innovations now associated with the automobile were originally invented for tricycles.

The High Wheel Safety

Improvements to the design began to be seen, many with the small wheel in the front to eliminate the tipping-forward problem. One model was promoted by its manufacturer by being ridden down the front steps of the capitol building in Washington, DC. These designs became known as high-wheel safety bicycles. Since the older high-wheel designs had been known simply as bicycles, they were now referred to as “ordinary bicycles” in comparison with the newfangled17) designs, and then simply as “ordinaries.”

The Hard-Tired Safety

The further improvement of metallurgy sparked the next innovation, or rather return to previous design. With metal that was now strong enough to make a fine chain and sprocket18) small and light enough for a human being to power, the next design was a return to the original configuration of two same-size wheels; only now, instead of just one wheel circumference for every pedal turn, you could, through the gear ratios, have a speed the same as the huge high-wheel. The bicycles still had the hard rubber tires, and in the absence of the long, shock-absorbing spokes, the ride they provided was much more uncomfortable than any of the high-wheel designs. These designs competed with each other, your choice being the high-wheels comfort or the safetys safety, but the next innovation tolled19) the death of the high-wheel design.

The Pneumatic20)-Tired Safety

The pneumatic tire was first applied to the bicycle by an Irish veterinarian who was trying to give his young son a more comfortable ride on his tricycle. This inventive young doctors name was Dunlop. Sound familiar? Now that comfort and safety could be had in the same package, and that package was getting cheaper as manufacturing methods improved, everyone clamored21) to ride the bicycle.

The bicycle was what made the Gay Nineties22) gay. It was a practical investment for the working man as transportation, and gave him a much greater flexibility for leisure. Ladies, heretofore consigned to riding the heavy adult size tricycles that were only practical for taking a turn around the park, now could ride a much more versatile machine and still keep their legs covered with long skirts. The bicycle craze killed the bustle23) and the corset, instituted “common-sense dressing” for women and increased their mobility considerably. In 1896 Susan Anthony24) said that “the bicycle has done more for the emancipation of women than anything else in the world.”

Bicycling was so popular in the 1880s and 1890s that cyclists formed the League of American Wheelman. The League lobbied for better roads, literally paving the road for the automobile.

The Kids Bike

Introduced just after the First World War by several manufacturers—such as Mead, Sears Roebuck, and Montgomery Ward—to revitalize the bike industry, these designs, now called “classic,” featured automobile and motorcycle elements to appeal to kids who, presumably, would rather have a motor. If ever a bike needed a motor, this was it. These bikes evolved into the most glamorous, fabulous, ostentatious, heavy designs ever. They were built into the middle 1950s, by which time they had taken on design elements of jet aircraft and even rockets. By the 1960s, they were becoming leaner and simpler.

The Current Scene

Now lets take a look at the recent history of the bicycle in America: the “English 3-speed” of the 1950s through the 1970s, the 10-speed derailleur25) bikes which were popular in the 1970s, and of course the mountain bike of right now. There are also many oddball designs that never quite made it, including the Ingo (you have to see it to believe it).

一辆现代意义上的自行车是指一种有前后两个轮子的人力交通工具。它由人踩动踏板提供动力，踏板通过链条与后轮连接；车上有车把来控制方向，有一个像马鞍似的座儿供骑车人坐。基于这些认识，我们来回顾一下早期自行车的历史，看看自行车是如何发展到现代的。

助走自行车

1817年，冯德莱斯男爵发明了一种助走自行车，它可以让男爵在皇家花园里闲逛时走得更快。这种自行车有两个同样大小并处于一条直线上的车轮，前轮可控制方向。这两个车轮被安装在一个车架里，人就跨骑在车架上面。这种自行车靠人脚蹬地面来获取动力，人和车借此向前滑动。人们把这种自行车称为玩具马，它完全是木制的。这种自行车只风靡了很短的一段时间，因为它除了适合在公园或花园这样平坦的路面上骑外，在其他地方并不是一种实用的交通工具。

脚踏两轮车或老颠车

两个轮子的自行车的第二次出现是在1865年，这一次，车的踏板直接连接在前轮上。该车被称为脚踏车，但它更广为人知的叫法是老颠车，因为它也完全是木制的，后来车轮改用金属制成，这样的材质再加上当时的鹅卵石路，骑起来十分难受。这种车也风靡一时，而且大城市里还出现了室内骑车学校，有点像现在的溜冰场。

高轮自行车

1870年，第一辆完全由金属制成的自行车问世了。(在此之前，冶金业还不够发达，造不出强度足够大的金属来制造小而轻巧的零件。……