Season 1, Episode 4 — The Safety Bicycle: The Design That Changed Everything

By the late 1800s, bicycles had become faster, taller, and more dangerous than ever. The high-wheeled penny-farthing dominated the cycling world, but it came with a serious problem — riders sat high above the ground, and a sudden stop could send them crashing head-first into the road.

Cycling had reached a turning point. If bicycles were ever going to become practical for everyday people, something had to change.

That change arrived with the invention of the safety bicycle — a revolutionary design featuring two equal-sized wheels, a chain-driven rear wheel, and a lower, more balanced riding position. It may sound familiar, because this is the moment when the bicycle finally took the shape we still recognize today.