Treadle bicycle
Introduction A '''treadle bicycle''' is a bicycle powered by a treadle instead of the more common crank. Treadles were one of the mechanisms inventors tried in order to position the pedals away from the drive wheel hub before the development of the bicycle chain or instead of it. Treadles have also been used to drive tricycles and quadracycles.
History Treadles were used before the advent of highwheelers on Thomas McCall's velocipede, on highwheelers themselves in an attempt to address safety issues, on alternative configurations of highwheelers, and on the first device called a safety bicycle by British engineer Henry J. Lawson in 1876.Some inventors even combined treadles and chains on the same bicycle.
Gallery File:Jaray-Rad mit Schwingpedalen - Verkehrszentrum.JPG|A treadle bicycle from 1925Image:Mccallvelos.jpg|McCall's first (top) and improved velocipede of 1869, later predated to 1839 and attributed to MacMillanFile:1880velocipede.jpg|Velocipede from 1880File:1888 Geared Facile Bicycle Coventry Transport Museum.jpg|1888 Geared Facile Bicycle in the Coventry Transport MuseumFile:ElliptiGO Miller Hiwy jeh.jpg|A modern ElliptiGO seatless treadle bicycle modeled after elliptical trainers
See also * Outline of cycling* Types of bicycles
References