▁Mc Call ▁( 1 8 3 4 – 1 9 0 4 ) ▁was ▁a ▁Scottish ▁cart w right . ▁Born ▁in ▁Pen pont , ▁he ▁came ▁to ▁Kil mar no ck ▁at ▁age ▁ 2 0 , ▁where ▁he ▁lived ▁until ▁his ▁death ▁( ob itu ary ▁ 1 9 0 4 ). ▁ ▁He ▁built , ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 9 , ▁two ▁versions ▁of ▁a ▁two - w he e led ▁vel o cip ede ▁with ▁le vers ▁and ▁ro ds ▁toss ing ▁a ▁c rank ▁on ▁the ▁rear ▁wheel ▁( English ▁Mechan ic ▁ 5 / 1 4 / 1 8 6 9 ▁and ▁ 6 / 1 1 / 1 8 6 9 ). ▁This ▁was ▁a ▁reaction ▁to ▁the ▁French ▁vel o cip edes , ▁of ▁the ▁mid - 1 8 6 0 s , ▁with ▁their ▁front - w heel ▁ped al ▁c ran ks . ▁In ▁fact , ▁this ▁rear - w heel ▁idea ▁occupied ▁seven ▁more ▁invent ors ▁in ▁that ▁year ▁( L ess ing ▁ 1 9 9 1 ). ▁ ▁When ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 8 0 s ▁a ▁rich ▁corn - tr ader ▁named ▁James ▁John ston ▁started ▁a ▁campaign ▁to ▁attribute ▁the ▁" first ▁true " ▁b icy cle ▁to ▁his ▁uncle ▁Kirk pat rick ▁Mac Mill an ▁and ▁his ▁native ▁country ▁of ▁Dum f ries ▁in ▁general , ▁he ▁attributed ▁the ▁Mc Call ▁designs ▁to ▁Mac Mill an ▁and ▁dated ▁them ▁as ▁of ▁ 1 8 3