40 Interesting Facts About Cycles

In today's time, people may use bikes or cars to reach early, but if we talk about health, then the use of bicycles has not decreased even today. In less cost and less maintenance, hardly any vehicle can be as effective as a cycle. Neither the cost of petrol-diesel in the cycle nor the expenditure of thousands in its repair. According to the energy of your body, the cycle can be driven as much as you can. From the big wheeled bicycles of the old times to the modern times battery-operated bicycles are very much in use today. Due to the health benefits of riding the cycle, cycle usage is increasing daily. In today's article, we will discuss some interesting and informative facts about this cycle.

• Bicycles are also called cycles; the word bicycle is derived from the French word “bicyclette.” Bicycles were formerly known as velocipedes.

• The term bicycle did not appear until 1869. The word was first taken in France to mean "a two-wheeled vehicle driven by the use of physical force".

• Every year around 100 million bicycles are manufactured worldwide. That is, 364000 cycles are made every day. Every second 4 cycles are manufactured and 2 cycles are sold every second.

• The first commercial bicycle sold in Paris was the "Boneshaker". Its weight was 80 kg. It was called "Boneshaker" because it was so difficult to operate this cycle that the whole body used to hurt.

• The smallest bicycle ever made is so small that its wheel size is equal to the size of a coin.

• The first bicycles designed for women had a saddle to sit on, and there was little cushioning in that saddle.

• The Netherlands has the highest number of bicycles per capita. There, 7 out of 8 people above 15 years have their own bicycle.

• China has the largest number of bicycles in terms of numbers. China with a population of 140 crores has 500 million cycles. America comes in second place where there are 100 million cycles. Japan comes third with 7.2 million cycles.

• At present, there are more than 100 crore cycles in the whole world and its demand is increasing day by day.

• The fastest cycle on a flat surface is driven at a speed of 133.75 kilometers per hour.

• The fastest bicycle was driven in 2011 by Austrian cyclist Markus Stöckl descending a volcanic mountain. While descending from that hill, he drove at a speed of 164.95 kilometers per hour.

• The fastest bicycle driven by another vehicle had a speed of 268 km/h. This cycle was being driven behind a car in its hood, which was reducing the resistance caused by the wind. That's why this cycle was able to run so fast. This cycle was driven by Fred Rompelberg in 1995.

• A bicycle can run straight without a driver, just its speed should be 12.8 kilometers per hour or more.

• The most expensive bicycle ever made is the Trek Madone or "Butterfly Bike" designed by Damien Hirst. This bicycle was sold during an auction for 5 million dollars.
  

Image Source : actionaid

• The largest rideable bicycle was made by Germany's Didi Senft. This bicycle was so big that the diameter of its wheel was 3.3 meters.
  

Image Source: Actionaid

• It took one million euros and four years of hard work to design and build the fastest bicycle. This bicycle was made in such a way that it could go 150 feet in just one pedal. This bicycle could go at a speed of 250 mph.

• The space required to park a car can accommodate 15 to 20 bicycles. Not only this, 100 cycles can be made in the same amount of energy and resources spent in making just one car.

• Bicycle is considered to be the best companion for short distances. More than 90% of cycling journeys are less than 15 kms.

• Cycling 10 miles i.e. 16 kms every day burns 360 calories and saves 500 rupees in the budget and saves the environment from the 5 kg of carbon dioxide that will be released into the atmosphere by driving a car.

• The first such cyclist who travelled the world by bicycle was Fred A. Birchmore. He rode his cycle 25000 miles and he got the tires and tubes of his cycle changed 7 times in this journey.

• In India, it is rarely seen that people riding bicycles use helmets, but in many countries it is necessary to wear a helmet while cycling. Bicycle helmets weren't made until 1975. The bicycle helmet was first introduced to the market in 1965 by Bell Sports of America. In 1974, wearing helmet came into force in California, while in 1989 New York passed the law for the use of bicycle helmets.

• There are twice as many bicycles as there are cars in the world today.

• Japan is the first country in the world to have several underground multi-storey automatic parking systems for bicycle parking in its cities.

• The most famous bicycle race is considered to be the “Tour de France” which has been held since 1903 and is held every year in France. People from all over the world come here to take part in this race. This race lasts for 3 weeks and ends in Paris.

• The world's toughest bicycle race takes place in Russia. The race, which takes place in the dangerous climate of the Trans-Siberian region of Russia. The participants have to cover a distance of more than 9100 kilometers in 25 days. But this race is organized only for the people of Russia.

• The air tubes and rubber tires are considered the greatest inventions in the history of the bicycle. They were discovered by John Boyd Dunlop in 1878.

• Most bicycles have a seat to sit on. But some bicycles can have more than one seat. The record of having the most seats in a cycle is 35, this cycle is 67 meters long.

• A research has shown that children who ride bicycles in their childhood are 48% less likely to become overweight when they grow up.

• Using as much energy as we walk, we can travel three times more distance in that much energy.

• At the beginning of the 19th century, there was a 6-day long cycle race, in which the winner was the one who covered the most distance in 6 days. In this race, people used to cycle continuously for 6 days to win and slept very little. Because of less sleep many used to have illusory dreams in the racing way. But now this race is closed. Source

• Race Across America is a bicycle race in America, in which there is no break time, that means the racer has to cover a distance of 3000 miles continuously. The first to finish the race is declared the winner. Source

• You will be surprised to know that paved roads were not made for driving a car but for cycling. Because people believed that a car can be driven on rocky and pebbled roads, but a bicycle cannot run on such paths.

• There is no speed limit anywhere in the world, but in England you can be sued for cycling too fast. Actually this case is under cycling in a violent way. Source

• During World War II, Japanese soldiers invaded and occupied a lot region of Malaysia by riding bicycles. Source

• Did you know that UPS was invented by two teenage boys using only a bicycle and $100 borrowed from a friend?

• A satellite was launched in India in 1981, this satellite was brought to the launch site on a bullock cart while the parts of the rocket were brought on a bicycle.

• The bicycle is considered one of the most efficient inventions in human history. There are 8000 calories in one liter of petrol. Suppose if a person could do work by drinking petrol, then by drinking only one liter of petrol, the man could cycle 360 km. Source

• Every year between 12,000 and 15,000 bicycles are found from the canals of Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands.

• Bike hobby is more in India now, but there was a time when bicycles were used the most in the country. It is estimated that from 1960 to 1990, most of the households in India had a bicycle.