What significant engineering step was the Safety Bicycle platform built upon?
Answer
The development of the chain drive
The chain drive connecting the pedals to the rear wheel was the critical prerequisite that decoupled pedaling speed from wheel speed, allowing for smaller, safer wheels and making true variable gearing practical.
Related Questions
Who invented the Draisienne, the earliest verifiable ancestor of the bicycle?What characterized the drive system of the Ordinary or Penny-Farthing bicycle?What significant engineering step was the Safety Bicycle platform built upon?What specific model is often cited as codifying the safety bicycle layout featuring the chain drive?According to one source, which inventor is credited with introducing *a* gear mechanism onto cycles around 1871?What mechanical limitation did the direct drive system of the Penny-Farthing inherently create?In which decade did practical and reliable multi-speed derailleur systems begin appearing consistently on racing bicycles?What primary concept did the Draisienne establish for personal transport?The chain drive represented a fundamental engineering trade-off by sacrificing which feature of the direct-drive Penny-Farthing?What was a common solution cyclists used for speed control before reliable multi-speed derailleurs matured?