Universidad Técnica de Oruro.

Facultad Nacional de Ingeniería.

English Department.
English Courses.

PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE OF THE BICYCLES.

Edzon Ramiro Moler Mollo

Oscar Ródriguez

Dissertation to pass the 7th level of English courses.

Oruro, Bolivia

September, 11th, 2017.

ABSTRACT.
The present work makes a revision of the most important facts in the history of the bicycle,
from the motives of its conception to the last advances in its manufacture. is reviewed the first
sketches made by Da Vinci followed by the constant evolution in the use of materials such as wood
and iron up to composite materials. important facts on which this transport was immersed is also
reviewed. the main objective of this work is to show the importance that in other countries is given
to the bicycle in order to be an alternative means of transport.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS.
ABSTRACT. .............................................................................................................................. 1
INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................................... 3
THE PAST. ................................................................................................................................ 4
THE FIRST SKETCH............................................................................................................ 4
THE FIRST APROXIMATION. ........................................................................................... 4
THE BIRTH OF A LEGACY: THE FIRST STEPS IN TRANSPORTATION ................... 5
WHEN PEDALS WERE ADDED ........................................................................................ 5
MORE IMPROVES AND THE FIRST EXTREMES IN DESIGN...................................... 7
THE DEFINITIVE GEOMETRY PARAMETERS, AND THE MAIN THING: SAFETY. 8
COMPONENT DEVELOPMENT. ....................................................................................... 9
MODERN TIMES. .................................................................................................................. 10
START THE 20th CENTURY. ............................................................................................ 10
PROMISING FUTURE. .......................................................................................................... 15
THE FUTURE IS NOW. ..................................................................................................... 15
CONCLUSIONS...................................................................................................................... 16
BIBLIOGRAFÍA.................................................................................................................. 17

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INTRODUCTION.
The world population will reach 9 billion by 2040 (currently it is approximately 7,370 million).
The consumers of middle class will increase by 3 billion in the next 20 years, which will stimulate
the use of resources in an exponential way. In 2012, the panel on World Sustainability of the United
Nations (UN) affirms that the world is running out of time to make sure it covers their overall
needs in terms of water, food and energy, but there is an aspect that is omitted in this discussion
and is related to the directly with the global need for energy and with the permanent search of
mobility. The excessive increase of vehicles faces the humanity to use of large quantities of
primary energy fossil origin, which generates two fundamental problems: the need for many
resources and serious health problems environmental pollution resulting from emissions from
vehicles. Today I know has 2000 million vehicles, according to Ford projections, and in 2040 will
be 4 billion. 75% of the population will live in cities and therefore less will have 50 cities with
more than 10 million inhabitants.
A high proportion of the world's population is urban, the human being is immersed in the use
of transport to carry out their daily activities. The companies that carry out the distribution of their
products to the customers locations, and public transport authorities that must supply the service
to users, depend on a fleet of vehicles and associated equipment.
As a response to the problem of transport using fossil fuels with low energy efficiencies and
serious environmental problems, there is the alternative of a traditional vehicle, this vehicle is a
marvelous and simple machine, the bicycle. These have a higher efficiency, that allows to produce
savings in primary energy and also do not produce emissions of CO2 and other polluting gases.
Bicycles have been developing more strongly since some time ago, but its history really dates
back many years, however, it has so far been possible to develop models capable of meet the needs
of its consumers, working on a daily basis in continuous improvement and the possibility of
reaching many more people with reasonable costs and benefits not only personal but globally,
helping to the environment by a considerable percentage.
There is great interest at the global level to make new developments in the public and private
transport. This is due, as was said before, to the great number of vehicles currently circulating, for
the costs involved and by the environmental theme. From the socio-economic and environmental
point of view, bicycles have emerged as a good alternative in the field commercial, and proof of
this is the emergence of new companies whose purpose is manufacture of bicycles for mass

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production, including have traditionally been known to manufacture electric penetrated with great
success in this market like Chevrolet, Ferrari, Porsche and DHL among other.

THE PAST.

THE FIRST SKETCH

As far back as 1490, Leonardo da Vinci had envisioned a machine remarkably similar to the
modern bicycle. Unfortunately, da Vinci did not attempt to build the vehicle, nor were his sketches
discovered until the 1960s.

Illustration 1. Da Vinci’s first bicycle sketch.

THE FIRST APROXIMATION.

In the late 1700s a Frenchman named Comte de Sivrac invented the Celerifere, a crude wooden
hobby horse made of two wheels and joined by a beam. The rider would sit atop the beam and
propel the contraption by pushing his or her feet against the ground.

Illustration 2. The Celerifere.

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 THE BIRTH OF A LEGACY: THE FIRST STEPS IN TRANSPORTATION
Although the bicycle is available for exercise, moving from one point to another and walking
beautiful places, it is surprising to know that the bicycle originated in difficult times.
It all began in 1815 after a large volcano, Mt. Tambora, erupted in present-day Indonesia. So
much debris was ejected into the atmosphere that global temperatures cooled and crops around the
world were ruined, leading to famine and starvation for horses and livestock. In this pre-
automobile era, this disaster raised the question of how to transport people without horses.
Later a similar model to the Celerifere, improved with a steering mechanism attached to the
front wheel, was created in 1816 by German Baron Karl von Drais de Sauerbrun. He called it a
Draisienne, after himself, although popular parlance also dubbed it The Hobby Horse.
When using this device, the rider perched on a seat between two wheels similarly sized wheels,
and using the feet, propelled the bicycle in a similar way as the "balance bikes" kids ride today,
Drais exhibited his bicycle in Paris in 1818, and while popularly received, its design limited its use
to really just flat, well-groomed paths through gardens and parks, which were off-limits to a good
portion of the population in those days.

Illustration 3. The Draisienne or also called The Running Machine.

WHEN PEDALS WERE ADDED

Some historians credit the invention of the pedal bicycle to Kirkpatrick MacMillan, a Scottish
blacksmith who lived from 1812-1878. One day back in 1839, MacMillan was out watching people

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riding bikes, which at that time were driven by kicking the ground with your feet. Then seemed to
him that there must be a better way. . .
According to later research done by family members, after musing on the matter a bit
MacMillan came up with an idea for the first pedal set-up that could more effectively drive the
machine. Using his blacksmith tools, he put his idea into place, having then generated one of the
most important improvements to the bicycling.
Macmillan's contraption had a wood frame and iron-rimmed wooden wheels. The front wheel,
which provided limited steering measured 30 inches (760 mm) in diameter, while the back had a
40 inch (1016 mm) wheel and was attached to pedals via connecting rods. In total, Macmillan's
bike weighed 57 lb (26 kg). His creation gathered a lot of attention, and Macmillan helped generate
additional publicity when he rode the bike 68 miles to visit his brothers in Glasgow. Copies of his
invention produced by other firms soon appeared on the market, and Macmillan saw little profit
from his innovation.

Illustration 4. The MacMillan bicycle.

SAME IDEA WITH SLIGHT IMPROVEMENTS.

Many historians credit Pierre and Ernest Michaux as being the true inventors of the modern
bicycle. This father and son duo operated a company that made carriages in Paris when they first
assembled a two-wheeled vélocipède around 1867. This bike was was propelled like a tricycle,
with its cranks and pedals connected to the front wheel.
The design soon came to the U.S. when a Michaux employee named Pierre Lallement who also
claimed credit for the idea, saying he developed the prototype in 1863, set out for America. He
filed for the first bicycle patent with the U.S. patent office in 1866.
The vélocipède ("fast foot") was also known as the "boneshaker" thanks to its rough ride, caused
by its stiff iron frame and wooden wheels wrapped in an iron rim.

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 Illustration 5. The Vélocipède dubbed it The Boneshaker.

MORE IMPROVES AND THE FIRST EXTREMES IN DESIGN

The 1860s proved to be an important decade for bicycle improvements with the inventions of
ball-bearing hubs, metal-spoked wheels, solid rubber tires, and a lever-operated, four-speed
gearshift. Around 1866 an unusual version of the Velocipede was created in England by James
Stanley. It was called the Ordinary, or Penny Farthing, and it had a large front wheel and a small
rear wheel.
By 1870, metalworking had improved to the point that bicycle frames began to be constructed
entirely of metal, an improvement in both performance and material strength over the earlier wood
frames, and bike design began to change accordingly. The pedals were still attached directly to the
front wheel but solid rubber tires and long spokes on a much large front wheel provided a greatly
improved ride. Also, the bigger the wheels, the faster you could go, and the Penny Farthing as they
were called enjoyed a great popularity in the Europe and the United States in the 1870s and 1880s.
The main hazard to this design was its (un)safety factor, as the riders (usually young men) sat
so high up that they were very vulnerable to road hazards. The braking mechanism was almost
more symbolic than functional, and there was really no way to slow the bike. And, if something
were to stop the front wheel suddenly, such as a rut or object stuck in the spokes, the rider was
immediately bucked forward as he rotated up over the front wheel to land squarely on his head.
Hence the origin of the term “breakneck speed,” since a crash often produced truly devastating
results.

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 Illustration 6. The Ordinary or Penny Farthing.

THE DEFINITIVE GEOMETRY PARAMETERS, AND THE MAIN THING: SAFETY.

The next stage of bicycle development came with the creation of the safety bicycle (so-called
because of its difference from the hazardous high-wheeler), which transformed the bicycle from a
dangerous contraption limited to the realm of reckless young men to a reliable and comfortable
device that could be safely used by people of all ages for everyday transportation.
Recognizing the design limitations of the high-wheeler bicycles, tinkerers continually looked
for ways to improve the bike's basic form. A major breakthrough came in 1885 with John Kemp
Starley's the creation of (or maybe "return to" is more accurate) a bike design that featured a rider
perched much lower between two wheels of the same size, coupled with a sprocket and chain
system that drove the bike from the rear wheel. This was the same basic "diamond frame" design
still in use in today's bikes.
When Starley's new design was coupled with inflated rubber tires that ended the jolting and
painful ride inflicted on cyclists when hard rubber tires were the norm, suddenly cycling was safe
and fun again. Plus, the price of bicycles was dropping continually as manufacturing methods
improved.
All these factors combined to create the golden age of cycling. People rode them for practical
means and for leisure. It was transportation and recreation all wrapped up in one package. The
number and influence of cycling grew so rapidly in the 1880s and 1890s that they formed groups

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like the League of American Wheelman (now called the League of American Bicyclists), to lobby
for better roads in the days before automobiles were common.

Illustration 7. The Safety Bicycle.

COMPONENT DEVELOPMENT.
One of the most important developments in the 1800s included the use of John Boyd Dunlop's
pneumatic tires, which had air-filled inner tubes that provided shock absorption. Coaster brakes
were developed in 1898, and shortly thereafter free-wheeling made biking easier by allowing the
wheels to continue to spin without pedaling.

Illustration 8. A hub with the Coaster brake system.

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 Illustration 9. Young man riding a bicycle with the Dunlop’s pneumatic tires installed.

MODERN TIMES.

START THE 20th CENTURY.

During the 1890s bicycles became very popular, and the basic elements of the modern bicycle
were already in place. In the first half of the 20th century, stronger steel alloys allowed thinner
frame tubing which made the bicycles lighter and faster. Derailleur gears were also developed,
allowing smoother riding.
As the number of bicycle riders increased among the general population in Europe and North
America, so did its application in commercial and military ways. During WWI and WWII, armies
from many nations fielded bicycle-mounted troops.

Illustration 10. German soldiers riding bicycles during World War II.

Of course, once people started building bikes, it didn't take long for them to want to race each
other.

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 History holds the first recorded bicycle race to have taken place May 31, 1868 at the Parc de
Saint-Cloud, Paris. The 1.2 km jaunt was won by Englishman James Moore on a wooden bike with
iron tires inlaid with ball-bearings that helped speed him past the competition.
Interest in bicycle racing grew in proportion to its great rise in general popularity, and so it was
only natural that bike racing was included as one of the events in the first modern Olympic games
held in Athens, Greece in 1896.

Illustration 11. Cyrille Van Hauwaert was a dominant early rider in the Paris-Roubaix Classic from 1908-1911. During that
time he won the race twice and took either second or third place in the others. Note how similar his bike appears to bikes of
today. Image - public domain

After the Second World War, bicycle popularity slipped as automobiles flourished, but
rebounded in the 1970s during the oil crisis. About that time, mountain bikes were invented by
two Californians, Charlie Kelly and Gary Fisher, who combined the wide tires of the older
balloon tire bikes with the lightweight technology of racing bikes. Within 20 years, mountain
bikes became more popular than racing bikes. Soon hybrids of the two styles combined the
virtues of each.

Illustration 12. Young man riding a mountain bicycle in the California hills in the mid 70’s.

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 The most important part of the bicycle is the diamond-shaped frame, which links the
components together in the proper geometric configuration. The frame provides strength and
rigidity to the bicycle and largely determines the handling of the bicycle. The frame consists of the
front and rear triangles, the front really forming more of a quadrilateral of four tubes: the top, seat,
down, and head tubes. The rear triangle consists of the chain stays, seat stays, and rear wheel
dropouts. Attached to the head tube at the front of the frame are the fork and steering tube.

Illustration 13. The frame consists of the front and rear triangles, the front really forming more of a quadrilateral of four
tubes: the top, seat, down, and head tubes. The rear triangle consists of the chain stays, seat stays, and rear wheel dropouts.
Attached to the head tube at the front of the frame are the fork and steering tube.

For much of the bicycle's history the frame was constructed of heavy, but strong, steel and alloy
steel. Frame material was continually improved to increase strength, rigidity, lightness, and
durability. The 1970s ushered in a new generation of more versatile alloy steels which could
be welded mechanically, thereby increasing the availability of light and inexpensive frames. In the
following decade, lightweight aluminum frames became the popular choice. The strongest metals,
however, are steel and titanium with life-expectancy spanning decades, while aluminum may
fatigue within three to five years.
Advances in technology by the 1990s led to the use of even lighter and stronger frames made
of composites of structural fibers such as carbon. Composite materials, unlike metals, are
anisotropic; that is, they are strongest along the axis of the fibers. Thus, composites can be shaped
into single-piece frames, providing strength where needed.
The components, such as wheels, derailleurs, brakes, and chains, are usually made of stainless
steel and aluminum, but in another type of special bikes all the components are made of carbon
fiber.

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 Currently bikes for competition or special applications are equipped with electronic systems
both in transmission and braking systems.

Illustration 14. Common parts of a modern bicycle.

Illustration 15. A current mountain bike made entirely of carbon fiber.

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 Illustration 16. A current road bike made entirely of carbon fiber and fitted up with electronic transmission and braking
systems.

There are currently also bicycles that are powered by an electric motor that can be located in
the frame of the bicycle or in the hub of one of the wheels.

Illustration 17. Electric bicycles for one-person transport in the city or for entertainment.

But the bicycles is not only for entertainment, competition or one-person transport; they can
also be used as a means of transportation logistics and courier services, as evidenced by the
company DHL in its subsidiaries in Germany and the Netherlands, with the inclusion of electric
bicycles designed in order to transport cargo.

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 Illustration 18. The Cubicycle is built by the Dutch company Flevobike for DHL Express.

Illustration 19. The eBullit a cargo bike designed based in parameters of traditional bikes but with an electric motor and a
platform for carry cargo.

PROMISING FUTURE.

THE FUTURE IS NOW.

The future for bicycles looks promising as we approach the 20th century. Developments in
bicycle technology in the 1990s have led to advances in human-powered vehicles (HPVs) design.
Most HPVs are low-slung recumbents, which are more aerodynamic than conventional bicycles
and therefore reduce drag and increase speed. Recumbents are also safer, and many provide cargo
room and weather protection.
The use of computer technology greatly enhanced the design capabilities of manufacturers and
designers. Designers are able to simulate various forces working on the bicycle, such as pedaling

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and road shock. Computer-generated programs make testing simpler, and variations of designs are
modified more easily and quickly.
The materials used to make the bikes are different, with carbon fibre and aluminium frames
eventually replacing cast irons and wood, but the basic shape and feel of the bike is essentially as
it was at the start of the 20th century.
The advantages in materials, motion machines, control, and so on, will allow the bicycle to
replace traditional fossil fuel-burning cars, as Horace Dediu, a prominent analyst of disruptive
technologies, who has spent the past three and a half years researching the future of transportation,
says; “Bikes have a tremendous disruptive advantage over cars. Bikes will eat cars.”
CONCLUSIONS
 The bicycle is a prominent solution for the transport, for its versatility and the most
important attribute because it is one of the means of transport friendlier to the
environment.
 The evolution of bicycle along the story makes clear its importance as a means of
transport.
 The bicycle and its evolution towards the future indicates that it depends a lot on
engineering related to mechanics, electronics, electrical and materials science.

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY.
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Gruber, J., Kihm, A., & Lenz, B. (2014). Anew vehicle for urban freight? An ex-ante evaluation
of electric cargo bikes in courier services. Research in Transportation Bussines &
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n_delivery_city_hub_cargo_bicycles.html
Rajamani, R. (2006). Vehicle Dynamics and Control. New York, New York, U.S.A.: Springer
Science + Bussines Media, Inc.
Saiki, N. T. (2014). Estados Unidos Patente nº US 8,684,387 B1.
Whitt, F. R., & Wilson, D. G. (1977). Bicycling Science. Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.A.: The
MIT Press.
Wittig, H., Bartholomäus, R., & Lehmann, T. (2016). VeloCité - Development of an energy storage
system for an e-bike. Transportation Research Procedia, 14, 3631-3640.

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