The earliest bicycles had pedals attached to their front wheel just as we have in children's.tricycle these days. These bicycles had a massive front wheel and a tiny rear wheel.They were not safe and the rider was always at a safety risk due to his height off the ground. They were difficult to mount and were only ridden by enthusiasts during the 1870s .
The chain driven bicycles appeared first in London in 1885 (designer JKStarley).
They had similar wheels like the bicycles of today. Pedals were now attached via chain to the rear wheel. The overall height of this bicycle was substantially reduced and they became easier to mount and safe to use
By the 1890s, the funny old bicycle with huge front wheel became part of history.
During the British rule in India up to the time of independence these bicycles where imported from Britain and were very popular . Even well to do office goers too were seen riding a bike to office or their club. The roads very very safe in those days because very few people had a car.
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