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第36 至39 題為題組
Born in 1785 in southwestern Germany, Bårdh Karl Drais was one of the most creative German
inventors of the 19th century. The baron ºs numerous inventions include, among others, the earliest typewriter,
the meat grinder, a device to record piano music on paper, and two four-wheeled human-powered vehicles.
But it was the running machine, the modern ancestor of the bicycle, that made him famous.
The running machine, also called Draisine or hobby horse, was in effect a very primitive bicycle: it,
had no chains and was propelled by riders pushing off the ground with their
feet. Though not a bike in the modern sense of the word, Drais' invention
marked the big bang for the bicycle's development. It was the first vehicle
with two wheels placed in line. The frame and wheels were made of wood;
the steering already resembled a modern handlebar. Drais' big democratic
idea behind his invention was to find a muscle-powered replacement for the
horses, which were expensive and consumed lots of food even when not in
use. The machine, he believed, would allow large numbers of people faster
movement than walking or riding in a coach.
Drais undertook his first documented ride on June 12, 1817, covering a distance of 13 kilometers in
one hour. A few months later, Drais created a huge sensation when he rode 60 kilometers in four hours.
These were later followed by a marketing trip to Paris, where the hobby horse quickly caught on. The fad
also quickly spread to Britain.
The success of the hobby horse was short-lived, though. They were heavy and difficult to ride. Safety
was an issue, too: They lacked a brake, as well as cranks and pedals. There were frequent collisions with
unsuspecting pedestrians, and after a few years Drais' invention was banned in many European and
American cities. Drais’ ideas, however, did not disappear entirely. Decades later, the machine was equipped
by Frenchmen Pierre Lallement and Pierre Michaux with pedals to become the modern bicycle.
