In 1876, the 'Coventry Lever Tricycle' was produced. A two-track tricycle. On one side it had a large, 50" diameter wheel; on the other two 24" wheels; the rider sat in the middle on a seat supported by two flat springs attached to the frame. It was driven by pedals attached to levers which were connected to cranks that drove the large wheel.

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Believed to be in Public Domain

James Starley's differential gear, 1877.

James Starley inventions include the differential gear and the perfection of the bicycle chain drive.

A differential is a gear train with three drive shafts that has the property that the rotational speed of one shaft is the average of the speeds of the others, or a fixed multiple of that average.

The frame and wheels of this cycle were

made from steel; this made it a very heavy

machine weighing in at about 50lbs; but was

much lighter and easier to drive than the

French boneshakers. It had wired tangent

spokes adjustable at the hub and solid

rubber tyres. The brake was operated by

twisting the handle-bars; this pulled a cable

taught, which operated a roller onto the rear

wheel and aided slowing down.

In 1877, the 'Royal Salvo' was produced.

A four-wheeled cycle. On June 18, 1881, Queen Victoria ordered two, it had a large wheel on either side and a small wheel at front and rear. The Royal Salvo has a place of special importance in the history of the bicycle as it was the first to incorporate a differential gear to compensate for the difference in speed required of two wheels in parallel when they go round a corner (the wheel on the inside of a bend moves at a slower speed than that on the outside.