No one knows for sure who had the first idea for a bicycle. But everyone knows that the invention changed the world.

The earliest types of bicycles appeared in Europe in the early 1800s. They were hard to ride.

People on both sides of the Atlantic worked to make the design better. It took almost 100 years to come up with a bike that almost anyone could ride easily.

Near the end of the 1800s, people mostly got around using horses and carriages. Or they walked. Automobiles came soon, but they were rare and costly. The bicycle was the perfect option at its time.

It was inexpensive, easy to care for, and fun to use! At first, mostly men used bikes. They rode them to work. They used them to make deliveries. More people wanted to get in on that action!

People formed riding clubs. Everyone wanted to be seen “out and about” on a bicycle. Women wanted to ride too.

But riding bikes was hard for women and girls. In the early 1900s, full-length dresses with lots of skirts underneath were in fashion. The long, puffy material got caught in the bike tires. What a nuisance!

Rather than give up bike riding, women started to dress differently. They chose not to wear the layers of skirts. Skirts got shorter too, and underneath, they put on “bloomers.” Those were loose-fitting pants. They were more practical than long dresses.

Both men and women enjoyed outdoor touring in America and Europe. A “tour” was a long, relaxed bike ride, often in the country. Then bike racing caught on. Bicycle sports have exploded in popularity in recent decades. People compete in street racing, mountain biking, fat-tire ice racing, artistic cycling (gymnastics—but on a bike!), and more.