A useful invention

My trusty touring bike. It's given me many years and many miles of joy. 

The German Baron Karl von Drais invented precursor to the modern bicycle during early 19th century. This velocipede named “Laufmaschine” consisted of two wheels that were held together with one central bar. Driver of that vehicle had to walk and run to gather the needed speed and then raise his legs and continue to cruise until his momentum faded. Design of Von Drais was improved in England with the commercially successful “Dandy Horse”.


More about the bicycle's history  here.