History of the Tricycle

Necessity Remains the Mother of Invention A paraplegic German watchmaker found the key to mobility when he built the first tricycle in 1680; the tricycle operated on gears and hand cranks. A century later, two Frenchmen invented a tricycle, and in 1818 an Englishman patented his version of a tricycle. English tricycles were lever-driven and had rotary chain drives. By the late 1800s there were almost two-dozen tricycle manufacturers that produced over 120 tricycle designs, and for a while, more tricycles than bicycles were built. Expensive tricycles became a symbol of wealth, but a century later, the market dried up.

A New Attitude
Early tricycles were unusual by today's standards; two small wheels on the right side steered the tricycle; a large drive wheel was located on the left side. Midway through their evolution, tricycle designs consisted of an 18- or 24-inch front wheel and two 40-inch rear wheels, with a 32-inch wheelbase and weight of 40-75 pounds. By the late 1800s all three wheels were the same size. Tricycles had single and double chain drives for optimal steering. Tricycles offered more stability than two-wheeled bicycles, and even the ladies were riding. Sociable tricycles allowed two people to ride together.

Child's Play
Around the mid 1800s small wooden tricycles were manufactured as children's riding toys. Photo documentation suggests that these early trikes were crude homemade cycles. By the 1870s wooden tricycles became common, and cast iron and forged steel-framed tricycles made their appearance. Wheels were either full steel or wood rims with steel spokes. Mass production began in the early 1900s. In the '30s, tricycle designs were streamlined. The most valuable antique tricycles came from this era.

Novelty and trendy describes tricycle designs from the '60s. Theme- and character-oriented tricycles moved into neighborhoods. The '70s brought tricycles that were big, bold, low riding, plastic, and decked out with accessories. Today's market has merged retro and classic tricycles with new innovations, offering parents and children tricycles in a plethora of shapes, sizes, colors, and styles.