Safety bicycle
The
safety bicycle is a type of
bicycle that became very popular beginning in the late
1880s. The first safety was invented by
John Kemp Starley in
1885. "Safety's" are characterized by having a
diamond-shaped
frame, two
wheels of identical - or nearly identical - size, and a
chain driven rear wheel.
The safety bicycle was a big improvement on the previous
penny-farthing design which it replaced. The chain drive, coupled with
gears to multiply the revolutions of the pedals, allowed for much smaller wheels, and replaced the need for the large, directly pedaled front wheel of the penny-farthing. The safety made cycling much safer, and therefore much more popular. The same basic design of bicycle is still in common use today.
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Bicycle frame*
Bicycle chain
