Last updated on July 21st, 2023
75. From the moment bicycles became a popular means of transport in the 1900s, they also joined the circus and have been used in comedic methods by clowns and other performers for over 100 years.[129]
76. The first clown bicycle was made in the 1950s and was known as the George Stratton clown bike. This was a fully functional bicycle that was only a fraction of the size of a standard bike The massive honking horn that it came with added to the comedic effect. [130]
77. Albert Einstein (1879-1955) was perhaps one of the most famous physicists to ever walk the earth, but he was also a keen cyclist. He once famously said: “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.”[131]
78. Over the years, the bicycle has attracted many artists, from photographers to sculptors, and even some of the most famous painters have made this transportation device their muse. Some of the most famous works of art featuring a bicycle are Natalia Goncharova’s The Cyclist (1913) and Salvator Dali’s Sentimental Colloquy (1944).[132]
79. The largest bicycle-sharing program in the world is in Wuhan, China, with over 90,000 bicycles available for public use. These bicycle-sharing initiatives have gained popularity all over the world, and there are very few main cities on the globe that do not have such a program in one form or another.[67]
80. Andrew Ritchie had the ingenious idea of investing in a three-part folding bike in 1975. He was in his apartment overlooking the Brompton Oratory (United Kingdom) when the idea struck – and from there, the name “Brompton Bike.”[68]
81. The first official Brompton World Championship was held in Barcelona in 2006. The race is enjoyed by fans around the world.[69]
82. The Brompton World Championship has turned into a very popular race and is arguably one of the funnest races in the world. The race even awards prizes for the World’s Fastest Fold and Best Dressed. Over 550 riders raced in 2019; they raced a 16km lap around St James Park in London.[70]
83. The world’s first bicycle race took place in 1868 at the Parc de Saint-Cloud in Paris, France. It covered a paltry distance of 1,200 meters and, in modern times, would not even be considered a race.[71]
84. Cape Town, South Africa, is host to the world’s largest single-day cycling event, the Cape Town Cycle Tour. This massive race attracts over 35,000 participants each year.[72]
85. Ironically named the “Big Boy”, the world’s shortest bike is just 7.5 centimeters long and was created by Belgian artists. This tiny little bike can hold a surprising weight of up to 100 kilograms.[78]
86. Kleine Johanna is a massive bicycle weighing in at over 4,800 pounds and as such is the world’s heaviest rideable bike. She is made almost entirely from scrap metal and is heavier than most sedan cars.[79]
87. The CADEX was the first carbon fiber bicycle frame and was introduced in 1987 by the Taiwanese bicycle manufacturer, Giant.[80]
88. In 1860, Pearson Cycles in England opened their doors for the first time. Today it stands as the world’s oldest bicycle shop and has even been recognized as such by the Guinness Book of World Records.[81]
89. John Richard Dedicoat was a British engineer and in 1877, he gave bicyclists the ability to make themselves heard with the invention of the bicycle bell.[82]
90. In 1910, seven years after the death of Mark Twain, his essay “Taming the Bicycle” was published. The essay centered around his first experience with a penny-farthing in 1884. [83]
91. The world’s largest bicycle sculpture is the “Cyclisk”, an Egyptian-style Obelisk. The sculpture is located in Santa Rosa, California, and is made from over 340 recycled bicycles.[84]
92. Reze Pakravan proved just how tough he was when he completed the longest non-stop bicycle journey on one continent. He rode 11,186 miles (18,000 kilometers) across Africa in 2013.[85]
93. Mike Sinyard, the founder of Specialized Bicycle Components, designed the first mountain bike. The bike was introduced in 1981, was called the Specialized Stumpjumper, and was designed specifically for off-road use.[86]
94. In 2019 the people of Turkmenistan got together and formed the longest single line bicycle parade. 1,995 people participated in this event that put the Government of Turkmenistan in the record books.[87]
95. Cycling is very popular in the Netherlands, and the sheer amount of cycle paths in the country is a testament to that. There are over 35,000 km of cycle paths in the country.[88]
96. The fastest unsupported circumnavigation of the world by bicycle was completed by Jenny Graham in 2018. The British cyclist completed the journey in just 124 days.[89]
97. Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn, New York City, became the first street in the United States to have a designated bike lane. The bike lane was implemented in 1894.[90]
98. The penny-farthing bicycle, with its large front wheel and small rear wheel, was popular in the late 19th century but gradually faded from use due to safety concerns.[91]
99. Utrecht, Netherlands is home to the world’s largest bicycle parking facility. An astonishing 12,500 bicycles can easily be parked in this mammoth space.[92]
100. The “Bicycle Film Festival” is an annual event celebrating bicycles through art, music, and film screenings held in cities around the world. The Festival celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2021.[93]
101. The longest unicycle journey was completed by Ed Pratt, who rode over 18,000 miles (29,000 kilometers) around the world on a unicycle.[94]
102. Look Mum No Hands! opened in London in 2010, combining coffee, food, and cycling culture. This bicycle-themed cafe is a cyclist’s dream and is the first of its kind in the world. [95]
103. The world’s tallest rideable bicycle measures 18 feet (5.5 meters) in height and was built by Richie Trimble in 2013.[96]
104. The “Bicycle Heaven” in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is the world’s largest bicycle museum, featuring over 3,500 bicycles.[97]
105. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary the first recorded use of the word “bicycle” in English was in 1868, derived from the French word “bicyclette.”[98]
106. First held in 1896, the Paris-Roubaix is the oldest bicycle race that is still in existence. The race is known for its challenging cobblestone sections.[99]
107. Shimano, the bicycle component manufacturer, was founded in 1921 and is named after its founder, Shozaburo Shimano. Today Shimano parts are some of the best-known and most used around the globe.[100]
108. A bicycle-sharing system is a system whereby users do not need to own their own bikes. They are given the option of hiring them for parts of the day, or even days and weeks at a time. The world’s first bicycle-sharing system was implemented in Amsterdam, Netherlands, in 1965.[101]
109. Copenhagen, Denmark, might as well be known as the City of Bikes. This sport is so popular in Denmark that the world’s first bicycle highway, known as the “Bicycle Superhighway,” was introduced there in 2012.[102]
110. The longest distance traveled by bicycle in one year was set by Amanda Coker in 2017, who rode 86,573 miles (139,326 kilometers). Amanda hails from the United States of America, and she completed this epic journey on a course in Tampa Bay.[103]
111. In 2009 the Netherlands decided to take sustainable energy to the next level and started work on the world’s first solar bike lane. The lane is made completely out of solar panels and was completed in 2014 in Krommenie.[104]
112. This is a bicycle enthusiast’s delight! The world’s largest collection of bicycle-related objects is held by the Musée d’Art et d’Industrie in Saint-Étienne, France, with over 3,000 items.[105]
113. Following on the heels of the word “bicycle” was the word “bicyclist,” referring to a person riding a bike, with the first recorded use of the term in 1869.[106]
114. Japan made music using bicycle bells in 2016 when they broke the world record for the largest bicycle bell ensemble. The ensemble involved a total of 964 participants.[107]
115. A velodrome is a large indoor circular cycling track. The world’s first velodrome was built in Paris, France, in 1894.[108]
116. The Oresund Bridge-Tunnel is considered one of the most dangerous roads in the world; it is also the world’s longest bicycle tunnel. This tunnel connects Sweden and Denmark, with a total length of 2.5 miles (4 kilometers).[109]
117. Cycling is the greenest mode of transportation that currently exists. It takes only 5% of the resources that you would use to manufacture a car to build a bicycle. On top of that, bicycles cause zero pollution.[110]
118. The University of North Carolina conducted a research study on the health benefits of cycling. The study found that those who cycle for a minimum of 30 minutes five days a week only need around half of the sick days as those people that do not exercise at all. [111]
119. Before the invention of the inflatable tire, as we know them today, the wheels of bicycles looked quite different. The bikes were called Velocipedes, or “bone-shakers,” and it’s easy to understand why, as the tires in the 1860s were simply iron bands on wooden wheels.[112]
120. In 1888, John Boyd Dunlop, who was a Scottish veterinarian, invented the world’s first inflatable rubber tire. Though the tire was originally invented for use on bicycles it would in later years be used on cars as well.[113]
121. Cycling has become one of the most popular modes of transport worldwide, with countries establishing shared bike services, convenient bike lanes, and even bicycle superhighways. It’s no wonder that this leads to a saving of more than 238 million gallons of gas each year.[114]
122. In 2012 it was reported that Europeans bought just 12 million cars, while a massive 19.2 million bicycles were sold on the continent. This means that there were 50% more bicycles sold than cars.[115]
123. Because bicycles are so small and compact, they tend to be able to get through traffic congestion quickly. The London Ambulance Service is taking advantage of this fact and they now have 40 cycle responders – bicycle paramedics – ready to attend to emergencies.[116]
124. The first triathlon as we know it today – swimming/cycling/running – was held on September 25, 1974, in San Diego, California. There were only 46 participants that entered the event that year.[117]
125. The International Triathlon Union and the USA Triathlon have inundated that there are four different race distances. These suggested distances have set the international standard for triathlons.[118]
126. Coming in as the shortest triathlon distance is the Sprint Distance. This race consists of a 750-meter swim, a 20-kilometer cycling event, and a 5-kilometer run.[119]
127. The Ultra Distance triathlon is also referred to as the Ironman and is a race of epic proportions. With a 3.8-kilometer swim, a 180.2-kilometer cycle, and a full marathon running event (42.2 kilometers), this race is a true test of athletic prowess.[120]
128. The United Nations announced that World Bicycle Day would be held on the 3rd of June. This special day to celebrate cycling as a “green” mode of transport was started in 2018.[121]
129. In 2020 surveys revealed that around 9% of EU citizens use a bicycle as their primary means of transport. This number is divided into 8% privately owned bicycles and 1% shared bicycles.[122]
130. The Netherlands is at the forefront of the cycling revolution, with 41% of its population choosing the bicycle over other modes of transport. They are followed by Sweden at a much smaller 21%.[123]
131. The EU is dedicated to encouraging cycling and even cycling tourism. With this in mind, they have developed a network of cycling routes across the continent. The 17- long-distance routes, once completed, will stretch over a distance of almost 90,000 kilometers. [124]
132. In November 2022, the EuroVelo had a completed distance of more than 56,000 kilometers. It also recorded an astonishing amount of over 5.3 million visitors each year. [125]
133. The bicycle has also been featured in the paintings of more abstract artists like Pablo Picasso, who painted Bull’s Head in 1942, and Marcel Duchamp’s Bicycle Wheel from 1913. [133]
134. Perhaps the most iconic song about bicycles was the number done by the iconic pop group Queen. It is said that Freddy Mercury wrote the song after watching the Tour de France. The song was released in 1978, and that year, bicycle shops worldwide sold all of the bicycle bells they had in stock – fans if the band bought them in droves to ring during performances.[134]
135. Katie Melua’s Nine Million Bicycles was released in 2005 and made reference to the fact that there are 9 million bicycles in Beijing. The song became very popular and peaked at 5th place on the official music charts, where it remained for 2 weeks. The song then spent 17 weeks in the top 100 songs in the world for 2006.[135]
136. The prize for the most downloaded bicycle-themed song goes to the hip-hop group Flobots with their song Handlebars. The song was released in 2005 on their Platypus album and became an instant hit with Tour de France fans across the world.[136]
137. War-torn Italy brought a story of hope and rebirth told beautifully in the Italian book Ladri di biciclette, which was later turned into a movie. The 1948 adaptation of Bicycle Thieves is a story of a middle-class man whose bicycle is stolen right before he has to start a new job.[137]
138. American Flyers is a 1985 movie starring world-famous actor Kevin Costner. The movie is a true tear-jerker about two estranged brothers who have the opportunity to bond over their mutual love of cycling. They decide to enter a race through the Rockies Mountain range, but when his brother is too sick to compete, Kevin has to attempt to win the race for both of them.[138]