Pierre Michaux facts for kids
Pierre Michaux (born June 25, 1813 – died 1883) was a skilled blacksmith in Paris. He made parts for carriages in the 1850s and 1860s. Many people believe he helped invent the modern bicycle. He might have done this by adding pedals to a "draisine," which was an early type of bicycle without pedals. This new machine was called a "velocipede." However, some historical records suggest others, like his son Ernest Michaux or Pierre Lallement, might also deserve credit.
Contents
The Story of Pierre Michaux and the Velocipede
Early Life and Work
Pierre Michaux was born in a place called Bar-le-Duc in France. He worked as a blacksmith, which is someone who shapes metal using heat and tools. He made parts for carriages, which were like horse-drawn taxis, in Paris during the mid-1800s.
Building the First Pedal Bicycles
In the early 1860s, Pierre Michaux began building bicycles with pedals. It's thought that he, or his son Ernest, came up with this idea. They added cranks and pedals to the front wheel of a "draisine." A draisine was a two-wheeled vehicle that people pushed with their feet on the ground.
In 1868, Pierre Michaux teamed up with the Olivier brothers. They formed a company called Michaux et Cie (which means "Michaux and Company"). This was the first company to build bicycles with pedals on a large scale. These machines were known as "velocipedes" or "Michaudines."
Improving the Design
The early velocipede design used a curvy frame made of wood. The new company's bicycles improved this design. Their frames were made of two pieces of cast iron bolted together. This made the bikes look nicer and allowed them to be made in large numbers, a process called mass-production.
In 1865, a blacksmith from Lyon named Gabert created an even stronger frame. It was made from a single diagonal piece of wrought iron. Around this time, Pierre Lallement had moved to America. He was the only one to get a patent for the pedal bicycle there.
Challenges and Changes
Soon, people realized that the 45-kilogram (about 100-pound) cast-iron frames were not strong enough. Other companies were already making bicycles with the stronger diagonal frame. The Olivier brothers wanted Michaux to use this new design too.
Because of these disagreements, the partnership ended in 1869. Pierre Michaux and his company slowly disappeared. The first "bicycle craze" (a time when bicycles became very popular) ended in France and the USA. However, bicycles remained popular in England. Many important improvements to the bicycle happened there next.
Who Invented the Bicycle?
Pierre Michaux is often given credit for the idea of adding pedals to the "dandy horse" (another name for the draisine). This would mean he invented the bicycle as we know it. However, a bicycle historian named David V. Herlihy believes that Pierre Lallement deserves that credit instead.
Pierre Michaux passed away in France.
See also
In Spanish: Pierre Michaux para niños
