THE GEARED "FACILE" BICYCLE

Early bicycles often had a very large front wheel, so that a single turn of the pedals would carry the rider a long way. The large wheel also gave a smoother ride. One bicycle introduced in the 1870's had a front wheel 5 feet (1.5 meters) tall and a back wheel only two fiths as large. Unfortunately, these bicyles were dangerous to ride - if the bicycle stopped suddenly, the rider was thrown over the handelbars. The Facile bicycle produced in 1888, was safer because there was less difference in the size of the two wheels. The pedals were connected to the front wheel by "sun and planet" gearing, converting the up-and-down movement of the pedals into rotation of the wheel.