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Pickwick Bicycle Club Magazine Volume 14 No.1 March 2017

Mr Watty & His Dream Machine………..

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Our indubitable Mr Watty is embarking on another epic ride to mark the 200 anniversary
of the Drasine. Here he takes up the story;

2017 marks the 200th anniversary of the
forerunner of the bicycle, which was invented in
Karlsruhe, Germany. To celebrate this significant
occasion the International Veteran Cycling
Association (IVCA) is holding its annual rally in
Karlsruhe 24th - 28th May 2017.To mark the start
of the IVCA Rally, 12 riders from around the World
will ride their Draisines 230 km from Nancy to
Karlsruhe 20th - 24th May 2017. Members of the
Pickwick Bicycle Club will be represented by Mr.
Watty, fresh from riding his Velocipede 850 km
from Paris - Avignon in 2015! His machine has been
build for him by a wheelwright in Thiers, France and
all he needs is plenty of training and the right Mr Wa@y in Training
costume!

And now for the history lesson. On the 12th July 1817, a German Baron Carl Drais von
Sauerbronn achieved the first ride by man on a machine with 2 wheels. He rode from
Mannheim to Schwetzingen and back covering 28 km. His invention in 1817 was actually a
running machine, or Laufmaschine, and although it had no pedals it was the forerunner of
the bicycle, as we know it today. In 1817 the only means of transport on land was riding a
horse or being drawn by a horse on a carriage or cart. This new invention had a wooden
frame, two wheels in line and a seat between, and the rider propelled his steed like a
skater. With most of the riders weight being on the seat, all the force from the legs could
be directed into forward motion. The main advantage over riding a horse is that a wooden
horse doesn't need feeding or grooming!