The next advance in design was a propulsion system that drove the bicycle wheels by pedals. The "Boneshaker" (1861 - 1871) used pedals and cranks to drive the front axle. An example from the American ...

Getty Images In the 1860s, the "boneshaker" bike became popular because it was easier to ride than other bicycles of that time... but extremely uncomfortable Cyclists will start and finish at ...

A major disadvantage of the boneshaker was the ratio between the wheel diameter ... The large front wheel made for faster travel, but increased the instability of the bike, particularly for throwing ...