Bikes are most commonly used in North America, South America, Europe, many African countries and Asian countries. The United States, France, Germany, Great Britain, and Japan are most popular in bicycle –producing. Riding a bicycle can reduce the amount of time spent instead of you walking to places. All ages around the world use bicycles for exercise, enjoyment, and transportation. Bikes even helped during WWII! Since there was a war raging, there was a shortage of automobiles, gasoline and rubber tire. People in Canada, United States and other countries cut down on using those supplies by riding bicycles to get to destinations. In the 1950’s, bicycle riding grew more popular, people were concerned about health and fitness problems. The interest in bicycling continues.

Bicycles were even used in Egypt, Babylon and Italy over 2,000 years ago! Those kind of bicycles could only be used by pushing your feet against the ground, the bicycles couldn’t be steered either. Those bicycles are sure different from nowadays!

In 1816, a Frenchman Niepce, put together a bicycle that could be steered. The bicycle was named "celeripede". The "celeripede" had a frame and wheels made out of wood.

The first ridable bicycle was made in 1839, by Kirkpatrick Macmillan of Scotland. The bicycle was named "hobby-horse", this bicycle could be rode without having your feet touch the ground. This was done by having a pair of cranks connected by rods to the back wheels, while pushing with your feet against the pedal to make the bicycle go.

In 1871 an Englishman, James Starley, built what is today referred to as a "ordinary bicycle", compared to the other already built bicycles. This bicycle is like the nowadays bicycle form we ride today. This bike had a big front wheel with pedals put right into the hub. But this bicycle had a problem, if you tried to press the brakes, you would fly over the handlebars. That is because the pedals are connected to the front wheel, the weight you lean against the front wheel makes the weight uneven and causes you to fall, this usually happens going downhill.

Finally in 1874, J. Lawson put together what he called a "safety bicycle". This bicycle had the two wheels the same size and the bike used chains. That is the bicycle we are now familiar with these days!

An odd bicycle was once given to an actress by the name of Lillian Russell. The giver of the bike was "Diamond Jim" Brady. This bicycle cost $10,000.00!!!! It was gold-plated, had mother-of-pearl handlebars and spokes showered with diamonds, emeralds, rubies and sapphires!! Whew! Talk about billionaires!

This all shows that from the very earliest bicycle that couldn’t be steered, can be transformed into the bicycles ridden today.

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