Man Recreates the Dandy Horse trend (1938)
This photo shows a man riding a Dandy Horse, a precursor to the bicycle. German inventors Baron Karl Drias and Otto Schillinger wanted to create a device that would allow for faster movement using only human power, in part to replace horses for short-distance travel. They created this two-wheeled vehicle, with no pedals or chains, operated by the user pushing it along by running or walking. They would then lift their feet and glide until their momentum slowed, at which point they would put their feet down and push again.
The Laufsmaschine, called the Dandy Horse in other European markets, balanced on two wheels, and would stay upright if pushed at a reasonable speed. The Dandy Horse soon stepped aside for a model with a pedal and chain mechanism. But for a while, the early balance bike ruled the man-powered transportation circuit.
