dandy-horse
Walking bicycle ancestor
A dandy-horse is an early predecessor of the bicycle, a two-wheeled wooden frame that riders straddled and propelled by pushing their feet along the ground.
Invented in the early 19th century, it had no pedals or chain—just a seat, handlebars, and wheels.
Also called a velocipede or draisine after its German inventor.
Early pedal-driven vehicle
- 1817Early 1800s date
- MannheimIndustrial German river city
- patentObvious; inventor's monopoly
- prototypeFirst functional specimen
precursor · innovation · transportation · two-wheeler · steering · wooden frame · human-powered · contraption
Early pedal-driven vehicle
- boneshakerJarring early bicycle
- penny-farthingAntique bicycle, giant front wheel
- 19th centuryThe eighteen hundreds
- gentlemanCourteous, honorable man
fad · craze · sidewalk · promenade · ban · aristocracy · leisure class · horseless
Structural timber assembly
- handlebarBicycle steering control
- saddleMounted rider's seat
- wheelsCircular rotation devices
- balanceSteadiness or amount owed
steering column · leather seat · footrest · spokes · axle · crossbar · straddling · coasting
Moving rapidly, often seated
- glidingEngineless aerial movement
- balancingAchieving equal distribution
- straddlingPositioned across with legs
- pushing offBeginning departure by force
coasting · mounting · dismounting · steering · propelling · footwork · momentum · downhill
velocipede
Early pedal-driven vehicle
prototype · precursor · innovation · transportation · two-wheeler · steering · wooden frame · human-powered · contraption · pioneering
velocipede
Early pedal-driven vehicle
- boneshakerJarring early bicycle
- penny-farthingAntique bicycle, giant front wheel
- 19th centuryThe eighteen hundreds
gentleman · fad · craze · sidewalk · promenade · ban · aristocracy · leisure class · horseless · post-Napoleonic
wooden frame
Structural timber assembly
balance · steering column · leather seat · footrest · spokes · axle · crossbar · straddling · coasting · upholstered
scooting
Moving rapidly, often seated
- glidingEngineless aerial movement
- balancingAchieving equal distribution
- straddlingPositioned across with legs
pushing off · coasting · mounting · dismounting · steering · propelling · footwork · momentum · downhill · coordination
dandy-horsemotorcycle
Powered two-wheeler
motor scooter · e-bike · electric bicycle · moped · penny-farthing
dandy, horse, dandies, dandyish, dandyism, horses, horsed, horsing, horsey