Necessity is the mother of invention and the development of the modern bicycle is an outstanding example. Europe suffered poor harvests caused by the Icelandic Laki volcanic eruptions of 1809 and 1812, then the volcanic winter caused by the 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora in Sambawa Indonesia. Disastrous stock food shortages followed, leading to mass horse mortality..

To address the need for a practical alternative to horses for long distance travel, Baron Karl von Drais - German agricultural engineer, inventor, and Master of Woods and Forests - adapted the celeripede, a contraption propelled by riders straddling a beam between two wheels, with a steering mechanism in 1817.

The Baron’s Laufmaschine (running machine) is widely considered the first bicycle and came to be known as the Draisine.

Whilst groundbreaking, its speed and practicality were limited. The 1860’s saw the creation of the pedal driven front wheel, and the Velocipede was born, marking a significant step toward modern bicycles. Riders could now propel the machine without touching the ground. Wooden wheels and metal tyres made for an uncomfortable ride on the roads of the day and the term ‘boneshaker’ was coined.

By the 1870’s, innovations such as steel-spoked wheels, solid rubber tyres and lightweight tubular backbones transformed these early two wheelers into the iconic penny-farthing. With its oversized front wheel and small rear wheel, the ‘penny’ allowed for greater speed, excitement, and popularity.