English

Alternative forms

• céléripede

Noun

celeripede ‎(plural celeripedes)

1. (historical, also used attributively) An early form of the bicycle, consisting of two wheels of equal diameter attached by a wooden bar and lacking either pedals or a means of steering.
   • 1835: The Mechanics’ Magazine, Museum, Register, Journal, and Gazette, volume XXII, page 409 (J. Cunningham)

     [… I]f Louis Philippe would read out of our book, the French would catch the infection, transmit the mails and passengers to Rennes, and thus give them that celeripede character of which they are so fond of boasting.

   • 1970: Rudolph Brasch, How Did Sports Begin?: A Look at the Origins of Man at Play, pages 112^{1} and 114^{2} (McKay)

     ^{1}Celeripede and velocipede (abbreviated often into velo), both stressed “swiftness of foot.”

     ^{2} The Frenchman’s claim goes back to 1816. M. Niepce was a pioneer of photography. Possibly with Sivrac’s contraption in mind, he built a machine that, because of its speed, he called a celeripede. It was a simple device consisting of two equal-sized wooden wheels connected by a bar upon which the rider sat and pushed himself forward by “walking.”

See also

• velocipede