Dandy horse

The Dandy horse (or the Draisine, or a Laufmaschine) is a two-wheeled vehicle, with both wheels in line, propelled by the rider pushing along the ground with the feet as in regular walking or running. This was the progenitor of the first bicycle. The dandy horse was capable of more than doubling the average walking speed, to around 10 mph (16 km/h).

The Dandy horse (de. Laufmaschine) was invented in 1817 by a Baden baron Karl von Drais (who called it a Laufmaschine), hence its name (“draisienne” or “Draisine”). He was inspired by the search for a solution to the problem of the shortage of horses as a means of transportation. The reason for this was the Napoleonic Wars and the eruption of Mount Tambora and the Year Without a Summer (1816).

The Dandy horse became a popular form of entertainment, leading to many caricatures. The idea of two-wheeled transport was refined and the first bicycle was created.