The Velocipede

In the early 1860s, the blacksmith Pierre Michaux, besides producing parts for the carriage trade, was producing "vélocipède à pédales" on a small scale, where he took bicycle design in a new direction by adding a mechanical crank drive with pedals on an enlarged front wheel. The wealthy Olivier brothers Aimé and René were students in Paris at this time, and these shrewd young entrepreneurs adopted the new machine.