Bicycle

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A bicycle, bike, or cycle is a pedal-driven, human-powered vehicle with two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist or a bicyclist.

Bicycles were introduced in the 19th century and now number about one billion worldwide, twice as many as automobiles. They are the principal means of transportation in many regions. They also provide a popular form of recreation, and have been adapted for such uses as children's toys, adult fitness, military and police applications, courier services, and competitive sports.

The basic shape and configuration of a typical bicycle has changed little since the first chain-driven model was developed around 1885. Many details have been improved, especially since the advent of modern materials and computer-aided design. These have allowed for a proliferation of specialized designs for particular types of cycling.

The invention of the bicycle has had an enormous impact on society, both in terms of culture and of advancing modern industrial usage. Several components that eventually played a key role in the development of the automobile were originally invented for the bicycle - e.g., ball bearings, pneumatic tires, chain-driven sprockets, spoke-tensioned wheels, etc.

For more information about Bicycle, read the full article at Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.


News tagged with bicycle


MIT's big wheel in Copenhagen

Biking 2.0: MIT's big wheel in Copenhagen (w/ Video)

Technology / Engineering

created Dec 16, 2009 | popularity 3.8 / 5 (12) | comments 5

Yesterday, Dec. 15, at the Copenhagen Conference on Climate Change, MIT researchers debuted the Copenhagen Wheel -- a revolutionary new bicycle wheel that not only boosts power, but can keep track of friends, ...





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Cobra Electronics CBTH2

Gadgets: Great gadgets, as a gift or not

Electronics / Consumer & Gadgets

created Dec 17, 2009 | popularity 3 / 5 (2) | comments 0

Officially this is not another gift guide. Instead I'd rather consider it the first of two roundups either of products I just haven't gotten to this year or some I have just couldn't find a home for.


World's mayors tackle climate change on their own (AP)

World's mayors tackle climate change on their own

Space & Earth / Environment

created Dec 14, 2009 | popularity 1 / 5 (2) | comments 0

(AP) -- It isn't easy getting Italy's city dwellers out of their Fiats, off their Vespa scooters and onto bicycles to ride to work, "like here in Copenhagen," says an Italian environmental official.


Study shows new brain connections form rapidly during motor learning

Study shows new brain connections form rapidly during motor learning

Medicine & Health / Neuroscience

created Nov 29, 2009 | popularity 4.9 / 5 (7) | comments 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- New connections begin to form between brain cells almost immediately as animals learn a new task, according to a study published this week in Nature. Led by researchers at the University of Cal ...


Text-a-Tip programs allow tipsters to help police (AP)

Text-a-Tip programs allow tipsters to help police

Technology / Other

created Nov 28, 2009 | popularity 3 / 5 (2) | comments 0

(AP) -- A mother in Boston tells police her 8-year-old boy was shot to death in their apartment by gunmen in hooded sweat shirts during a home invasion.



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