Let’s Go for a Bike Ride!

Hi readers,

Tour de France is an annual event that takes place in, you guessed it, France! The event happens every year for 23 days in July, and there is so much fun and excitement that goes on during the races.

Before you go on your own bike ride with your friends or family, here are some fun facts to bring with you:

1. The first bicycles were called velocipedes (say: vel-OSS-oh-pedes).
2. Bicycles were invented in Germany. But these early bicycles weren’t like the ones we use today! They weighed 50 pounds (23 kilograms) and had two wooden wheels attached to a wooden frame!
3. Penny farthings were a popular kind of bicycle in the 19th century. They had one tiny back wheel and one massive front wheel. Some of these large wheels could be as long as an adult’s legs!
4. Over one million bicycles are made each year. (There are over half a billion bikes in China alone!)
5. Bicycles had a big influence on the invention of cars. Certain bike parts like ball bearings and steel tubing were incorporated into the first vehicles!

Interested to know more about Tour de France? Click here to learn more!

Bye for now,

-Elora, chickadeeblog@owlkids.com