Some people count as the first bicycle the machine designed by Kirkpatrick MacMillan in 1839, a Scottish blacksmith. MacMillan's bike was powered by pedals in front which drove the rear wheel, and was certainly the first bike with a drive wheel. The pedals were attached to rods, which directly connected to the hub of the rear wheel. MacMillan rode his bike from his home 68 miles to Glasgow over rough roads, on the first bike touring trip. He was fined for "driving furiously" for traveling 8 mph in town, and knocking down a child in the crowd that had gathered to watch the "Devil on wheels." The judge at his hearing asked him to ride the bike in a figure of eight pattern, which he did, and the judge slipped him the money for the fine. On his trip home he raced the stagecoach, which must have been quite a feat on a 57 pound bike!
Other early bikes, and also considered by some to be the "first bicycle" were those of Lallament (first crank powered bike), and John Starley (modern bicycle configuration and drive train).
I'm proud that I'm a Macmillan so many great ones came before me
Posted by: shawn christopher macmillan | February 23, 2008 at 06:46 PM
hi , as a small boy my great grandfather Thomas McCall Saw Mr Macmillan Ride Through His Village on his historic bicyle trip To Glasgow, he lived in The small Village of Penpoint which is very close to Mr Macmillans Home, he had great respect for Mr Macmillan and his invention , Although Thomas McCall upgraded The Bicycle With Brakes and other imrovements and was the first to sell them Comercially in the mid 1800s from his workshop in Kilmarnock he declined any recognition for its invention, like Mr Macmillan he never Patented his inventions, There Are Two of His Bicycles on Public Display , One at The London Science Museum. The Other in The Dumfries Observatory Museum, Jack McCall
Posted by: Jack McCall | April 14, 2008 at 06:40 AM