申論題

Born in 1785 in southwestern Germany, Baron Karl Drais was one of the most creative German inventors of the 19th century. The baron’s 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.

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