In every organization where the employees are hired by resume or by application and not by family ties, there is a need to show that the management is aware of each employee’s abilities and contributions to the successful operation of the organization. Typically, the owner of the organization will ask his staff to assess the…
Most bicycles are mass-produced, while a few are custom-made. As such, they are tailor-made for their owner. A custom-made bike can be an exercise in conspicuous consumption, with gold-leaf plating and a seat made of python skin. It can also be a replica of an old-fashioned bicycle, like the high-wheel of the 1870’s. A custom…
Of course, no sooner did people settle on a standardized form for the bicycle, than they began to create variations of said form for specific functions. For example, the first bicycle races were held in France in the 1860’s. Racing bicycles became lighter and faster over the decades, and their users tinkered with the brakes…
Bicycles have a surprisingly long history. The first two-wheeled, human-powered vehicle was the dandy horse or Laufmaschine (German for “running machine”). The rider would simply sit astride it and push it along with their feet while walking or running. Unlike later velocipedes, the dandy horse did not have pedals. “Velocipede” comes from the Latin for…
The earliest velocipedes, including the dandy horse, were largely made of wood. The mass-produced French bikes had frames made from two pieces of iron bolted together. The 1860’s also saw the first attempt at making a motorcycle, which was then described as “the Michaux-Perreaux steam velocipede.” It was simply a bicycle with a steam engine…