Facile Bicycle

Well, what are facile cycles? These are the precursors of the bicycles that we see today. A facile bicycle itself also represented an advance on earlier designs. As a result of a smaller difference in the size of its wheels, the Facile was safer to drive than the traditional ordinary or penny-farthing. It had sun-and-planet gearing that converted the rider's pedal power into a rotation of the wheels. Further, it was also made safer and more stable to ride by the lowering of the rider's centre of gravity. This was done by moving the seat back behind the front wheel and by putting the pedals on the levers. The rider was thus closer to the ground than on a traditional ordinary, and even then able to reach the pedals driving the large front wheel.

Learning the Details of Facile Bicycles

Examples of facile cycles are Standard Columbia and Facile-Londone. The standard Columbia was manufactured by the Pope Manufacturing Co. (acquired from Veteran Wheelmen's Association, Philadelphia.) in 1877 where as Facile-Londone Patented by John Beale and Manufactured by Ellis & Co., London in 1878.

The Standard Columbia and Facile-Londone bicycles evolved from bicycle makers trying to improve the velocipede's lack of speed and comfort. These makers realized that with a larger front wheel, the riders could travel farther distance in one rotation of the pedals. The back wheel was reduced in size for the sake of stability. Better suspension with metal-spoked rubberized wheels gave more comfort. Though speed and comfort improved, safety was lacking and due to poor braking mechanisms, the riders had "headers" which were accidents that propelled them headfirst over handlebars.

An advertisement by the manufacturer of a facile bicycle claimed the following advantages for his machine. It said that the facile could be easily learned. There are many who would like to ride a bicycle but are scared that they cannot acquire the balance. But with the Facile learning comes with no trouble and with a little judicious assistance anyone who has the full use of his limbs may learn to balance and ride alone for at least a few hundred yards in from ten minutes to an hour.

When Was The Bicycle Invented ?