Velocipede

Velocipede (/vəˈlɒsəpiːd/; Latin for "fast foot") is a human-powered land vehicle with one or more wheels. The most common type of velocipede today is the bicycle.

The term was probably coined by Karl von Drais for the French translation of his advertising leaflet to describe his version of the Laufmaschine, which he had in 1817. The term "velocipede" is today, however, mainly used as a collective term for the different forerunners of the monowheel, the unicycle, the bicycle, the dicycle, the tricycle and the quadracycle developed between 1817 and 1880.

History

Among the early velocipedes there were designs with one, two, three, four, and even five wheels. Some two-wheeled designs had pedals mounted on the front wheel, while three- and four-wheeled designs sometimes used treadles and levers to drive the rear wheels.

The earliest usable and much-copied velocipede was created by the German Karl Drais and called a Laufmaschine (German for "running machine"), which he first rode on June 12, 1817. He obtained a patent in January 1818. This was the world's first balance bicycle and quickly became popular in both the United Kingdom and France, where it was sometimes called a draisine (German and English), draisienne (French), a vélocipède (French), a swiftwalker, a dandy horse (as it was very popular among dandies) or a Hobby horse. It was made entirely of wood and metal and despite the condition of the roads at the time was sometimes ridden for long distances.

Velocipede (horse)

Velocipede (1825–1850) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a racing career which was restricted by injury he raced nine times in three years, recording seven wins, one second and one third place. Although he ran only in Yorkshire and Lancashire and was beaten into third place in his most important race, the St Leger Stakes, Velocipede was regarded by nineteenth century experts as one of the best British horses of the era. He later became a successful breeding stallion.

Background

Velocipede was a chestnut horse with a white blaze and three white socks bred in Yorkshire by Francis Moss. He was sired by Blacklock, who won several races in Yorkshire and finished second in a controversial race for the St Leger. As a stallion he was most influential as the sire of Voltaire, the direct male ancestor of numerous successful runners including Voltigeur, Galopin and St. Simon. Velocipede's dam, an unnamed mare by Juniper, had many other successful descendants including the 1000 Guineas winners Pic-nic and Mayonaise.