Bicycles Around the World

 

The data and graph below show the difference between worldwide bicycle and Automobile production from 1950-2000.

 

 

World Bicycle and Automobile Production, 1950-2000

 

Year

Bicycle Production

Automobile Production

 

Million

1950

11

8

1951

11

7

1952

12

6

1953

13

8

1954

14

8

1955

15

11

1956

16

9

1957

17

10

1958

18

9

1958

19

11

1960

20

13

1961

20

11

1962

20

14

1963

20

16

1964

21

17

1965

21

19

1966

22

19

1967

23

19

1968

24

22

1969

25

23

1970

36

23

1971

39

27

1972

46

28

1973

52

30

1974

52

26

1975

43

25

1976

47

29

1977

49

31

1978

51

31

1979

54

31

1980

62

29

1981

65

28

1982

69

27

1983

74

30

1984

76

31

1985

79

32

1986

84

33

1987

98

33

1988

105

34

1989

95

36

1990

92

36

1991

99

35

1992

102

36

1993

102

34

1994

105

35

1995

106

35

1996

98

37

1997

92

39

1998

76

38

1999

93

40

2000

101

41

 

Source: Historical data series compiled by Worldwatch Institute, Vital Signs 2002 (New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2002).

 

As you can see, throughout the years bicycle production has always surpassed automobile production. Billions of people in 3rd world countries rely on bicycles as their only form of transportation. Therefore, billions of people around the world need bikes and that’s why so many are produced.

 

Problem: Around how many bicycles will be produced in the year 2010?

 

Answer: Around 110 million

 

As you can see, there are many different uses and kinds of bicycles.

 

A little history from Wikipedia:

A bicycle, or bike, is a pedal-driven human-powered vehicle with two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. First introduced in 19th-century Europe, bicycles evolved quickly into their familiar, current design. Numbering over 1,000,000,000 in the world today, bicycles provide the principal means of transportation in many regions and a popular form of recreational transport in others.

 

The bicycle is one of the most notable of human inventions. The basic shape and configuration of the frame, wheels, pedals, saddle and handlebars has hardly changed since the first chain-driven model was developed around 1885, although many important detail improvements have been made since, especially in recent years using modern materials and computer-aided design.

 

 

 

 

Related links:

www.ridemonkey.com

www.transcendmagazine.com

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/

www.dw-link.com

http://www.ibike.org/

www.ironhorsebikes.com

http://www.env-econ.net/

 

 

My name is Will Creyer and this webpage was constructed for DAYs 1st Period PreCal class. I can be reached at lorenzodego@gmail.com