Cycling is the fastest form of human powered motion. This gives you a lot of freedom, and at the same time it is environment friendly.

The bicycle is a fairly new invention, in 1818 Karl von Drais patented his laufmaschine, German for running machine. It was a very simple design but it was a human powered two-wheeled steerable machine. The first reported ride took place in Mannheim in 1817. The first test drive of a car also took place in Mannheim.

Bicycles of various designs were tested during the 19th century but most of them were far from safe and it was far between streets suitable for biking. The work on creating safer bicycles continued during the 19th century and towards the end of the century the bicycles started to look like modern bikes. Another very important step was the pneumatic tire, it was not a safety feature but was crucial for comfort. The earlier bicycles were often called bone shakers, a ride was far from comfortable. This was the start of the golden age of cycling. Thanks to cheap prices and better roads, the masses got freedom to travel longer distances.

The development of the car ended the success of the bicycle. But cycling survived and has become popular once again.