The world is full of unanswerable question like why isn’t grass purple, instead of green? What determines who a person will be attracted to, as opposed to another individual? What makes siblings so different, even though they both have the same parents and grew up under the same roof? Some questions may never have a logical answer. But, with a little sleuthing, it is possible to find some answers. For example, have you ever been curious about which came first?
Bicycle or Tricycle
Believe it or not, the first venture in a creation of this sort was developed to help give a disabled man more mobility. The very first tricycle was invented in 1680. It belonged to a German watchmaker that was a paraplegic. The wheeled wonder had gears and hand cranks.
Probably the first tricycle that more closely mimics the ones we know today was invented by two Frenchmen. The year was 1789, over 100 years after the first 3-wheeler was built.
By 1879, tricycles were a real craze. They were great for men that weren’t very athletic and women that had to constantly deal with the encumbrance of long skirts. Just a couple of years later, in Great Britain, the tricycles are a sign of social status, since the average person couldn’t afford one.
The bicycle that resembles the 2-wheeler we still enjoy today was invented by father and son Frenchmen. Its creators were well-versed in transportation of the day. They were carriage makers by profession.
However, there is still some debate regarding the real beginning of the bicycle. Some historians believe the first bike was enjoyed much earlier. One invented in 1818 had no pedals and riders had to propel their ride with their feet. Another similar ride was developed in 1790, but it had no means for the rider to steer.
But, no matter how you look at it, the tricycle predates the bicycle.
Hot Air Balloon or Airplane
So, which came first, the balloon or the airplane? If you were to place a logical guess, you would probably assume the airplane came first, since no one really believed flight was possible, until Orville and Wilbur Wright shattered history with their flying machine in 1903.