No single time or person can be identified with the invention of the bicycle. The modern day bicycles, descended from an early type of push-bike, without pedals, propelled by the rider's feet pushing against the ground, which were known as Velocipedes. These appeared around 1800, used iron-banded wagon wheels, and were called "bone-crushers," both for their jarring ride, and for their tendency to toss their riders.
This eventually led to the development of high-wheeled bicycles. An example of a high-wheeled bicycle was the Penny Farthing, also referred to as the 'High' or 'Ordinary' bicycle, and the first one was invented in 1871 by British engineer, James Starley. The Penny Farthing was the first really efficient bicycle, consisting of a small rear wheel and large front wheel pivoting on a simple tubular frame with tires made of rubber. Many of the old bikes had very large front wheels, because it was believed that the bigger the front wheel, the faster the bike rode.
The next development came about in England in the early 1880's, when the "safety bicycle" was invented. This particular bike, which would become the model for the modern bicycle, had a chain, sprocket driving rear wheel and equal sized wheels.