An Educational History

 Learn more about the history of motorized bicycles by getting in touch with Lite Foot Bikes. We will be more than happy to chat with you about the long and storied history of these incredible vehicles. Contact us today for details.

1886
Gottlieb Daimler took a small internal combustion engine from Karl Benz and fabricated it onto a bicycle to create the initial motorized, peddle-assist bicycle. Following the European lead, a small nondescript company in Pennsylvania began production of the modern bike that we refer to as a Motorized (peddle-assist) Bicycle. The bike was assembled utilizing components from buggies, automobiles, and farm equipment. Following the normal development process, an effective mode of transportation was born. These units initially began to replace the horse and later developed into an efficient model that challenged other motorized methods of transit. Acceptance was stalled by both the lack of suitable infrastructure and the rapid ascent of the motorcycle. By the time World War I started, the motorized bike was heading into the history books.

1939
Schwinn introduces the iconic Whizzer. At the peak of Popular Mechanics craze, the Whizzer was initially well-received and brought transportation freedom to thousands of people. In December of 1941, the Whizzer went from being a fun way to get around town to a base necessity. The Whizzer was the right bike at the right time. Following the surrender of Japan in 1945, the apparent need of this utilitarian mode of transport declined and she started to fall out of favor. Production started to decrease in the late 1950s until it was ceased completely in 1962.

1990s
China has incorporated the bike as a primary mode of transportation for over 100 years. As the economy was deregulated in the 1980s, Chinese farmers began to move into the cities, creating a larger footprint for which people would be required to travel to and from their places of employment. In March of 1996, we first witnessed the noisy little contraptions everywhere we went. To this day, we are still amazed why they are so underutilized.

2004
With oil prices starting to creep up and China's export economy in full swing; assembled kits began to appear in the United States. Since the Chinese do not enforce intellectual property, patents, or copyrights, the quality of the kits stalled the inevitable growth of this form of transportation.

2006
Texas repeals rule 103.17, declassifying the peddle-assisted bicycles from motor scooters.

2007
Following the lead from the State of Texas to repeal licensing and regulatory authority on peddle-assisted bikes, the State also decided to repeal the driving privileges from an entrepreneurial individual (name withheld to protect the not-so-innocent). The witness of various attempts to create a safe and legal form of transportation began in earnest. Starting with a Raleigh bike and a motor from a Pocket Rocket mini bike, the journey began. However, only after failing to succeed in building a streamlined bike from many "sources" did we start to understand why this mode of transportation has not caught on.

2008
Internet hyperbole led us to try to build a legal, reliable, and safe form of transportation. Lite Foot Bikes is born and the everyday motorized bike had finally arrived.

2009
Lite Foot Bikes founder and owner David Dennis had perfected the urban electric assist and gas assist bicycles—both complete with disk brakes, shocks, lights, and more.

2010
Lite Foot Bikes finds a new home in Austin, Texas (Interstate 183 & Just East of 620) and is expanding its online business to help people in need of transportation nationwide.

Get in touch with our business in Austin, Texas, to learn more about the extensive history of motorized bikes.