The Evolution of the Bicycle

The Isle of Man has a rich cycling history and is home to such cycling greats as Peter Kennaugh and Mark Cavendish. Whether you’re having an adventure day out or warming up for next year’s Isle of Man Cyclefest, travelling around the island on a bike is great fun with incredible sights to be seen on or off-road. Whichever route you choose, be thankful these activities no longer have to be experienced from the precarious heights of the penny farthing or through the discomfort of the aptly named “boneshaker” bicycle of the past.

 So celebrate your modern comfort on two wheels by brushing up on the ancestry of the bicycle and pedal through the ages to find out the key milestones in the evolution of bike design and cycling’s showpiece event, the Tour de France, as well notable ventures of the bicycle into popular culture.

And if anybody is stirred by nostalgia and tempted to dust off a penny farthing and take it for a spin… we would recommend you don’t forget your helmet!