Pierre Lallement and the bicycle

Pierre Lallement was born 1843 in Pont-a-Mousson in France. There, he was raised to build baby carriages and studied engineering. One day, he noticed the dandy horse. It was a device that you sat upon and pushed off the ground using your legs. This invention inspired Pierre to create what would be the official bicycle.

Pierre got to work. He started changing the dandy horse by adding pedals, rotary cranks and other simple mechanisms. Moving from his home town to Paris, he partnered with the Oliver Brothers and Michaux. Together they started selling the Velocipede, a creation of Pierre’s idea.

After their successful business, Michaux wanted ownership of the bicycles and claimed them as his own. This started a dispute between him and Pierre. Pierre Lallement then traveled to Connecticut where he settled down and continued improving his invention.

For the next two decades, Pierre traveled between France and the U.S.A, improving his idea, getting money to make those ideas, and securing a patent. The patent would make sure that Pierre was the true and rightful inventor to the pedal bicycle.

Pierre died in 1891 without any recognition for his invention. The recognition didn’t come till much later when organizations gave him awards and places in different halls of fame.

Without Pierre’s great idea, where would we be now? If no one else had had the idea, we would have a harder time getting around. We’d be walking! He influenced the start of many types of sports and recreational activity that is loved and enjoyed by many people across the globe.

Authors Note: I chose to write about this great contributor because I appreciate the work he’s done. I bike frequently. Around cities and on the mountains and forests by me. Without Pierre’s great mind I wouldn’t get to experience that great rush of excitement that is cycling.

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