In 1818, Baron Karl von Drais of Baden, Germany patented the design for a two-wheeled Laufmaschine, or “running machine.” It consisted of two in-line wheels beneath a seat and handlebars, and was propelled by the rider pushing off the ground with his feet.

Also called the “Draisine,” the device was created not out of fancy but necessity — Drais was looking for a substitute for the horses that had starved to death in the recent volcanic winter, caused by the eruption of Mount Tambora in 1815.

His invention inspired other manufacturers in England and France, who created their own two-wheeled conveyances, calling them velocipedes or “dandy horses.”

The contraptions were a hit, but their wide adoption was curtailed by regulations against them in many cities. Because of the rough streets of the time, riders often took to the sidewalk, where they plowed into startled pedestrians.

Over the next few decades, numerous three- and four-wheeled machines were invented, propelled by cranks and pedals. It was not until the 1860s that people worked up the courage to take their feet off the ground and balance on two wheels.