The bicycle is 200 years old

A man casts his shadow against the ground as he walks past an idle bicycle in Madrid, Wednesday, June 7, 2017. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Monday was the 200th birthday of the invention of the modern bicycle.

The vehicle is reminiscent of the bicycle as we know it today, but it didn’t have pedals. It served primarily as an entertainment for the upper classes.
 
The basic model of the bicycle was developed further in the 1880s, after the introduction of pedals and chains.
 
After this, the bicycle’s design hasn’t changed that much. Today, over 100 million bicycles are sold worldwide each year.
 
Having said this, we should spare a thought for the prehistoric rock paintings of Wadi Teshuinat Akakus, Fezzan, in the Sahara desert of Libya, North Africa, which are estimated to be between 5,500 and 10,000 years old.

 

© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today