Dandy horse

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The dandy horse was invented by Baron Karl von Drais in Mannheim, Germany, patented in January 1818; Drais's name for it was Laufmaschine ("running machine"), and it also became known as a velocipede, a draisine (but that term is now used primarily for light auxiliary railcars of whatever form of propulsion), and in its French form draisienne.

The dandy-horse was a two-wheeled vehicle, with both wheels in-line, propelled by the rider pushing along the ground with his feet as in regular walking or running. The front wheel and handlebar assembly was pivoted to allow steering.

Several manufacturers in France and England made their own dandy-horses during its brief popularity in the summer of 1819 -- most notably, Denis Johnson of London, who used an elegantly curved wooden frame which allowed the use of larger wheels. Riders preferred to operate their vehicles on the smooth pavements instead of the rough roads, but their interactions with pedestrians caused many municipalities to enact laws prohibiting their use, and so after its brief moment in the limelight, the dandy-horse quickly faded into oblivion.

However, in 1862 in Nancy, France, 19-year-old baby carriage maker Pierre Lallement saw someone ride by on a dandy-horse, and was inspired to attach rotary cranks and pedals to the front-wheel hub, creating le vélocipède bicycle.

[edit] Literature

H.E.Lessing: How sophisticated was the draisine? The Boneshaker #159 (2002)