Olivier brothers
Encyclopedia
The Olivier brothers, Aimé, René, and Marius, were the first people responsible for recognizing the commercial potential of a new invention : the bicycle
.
The Olivier family was wealthy, owning a series of chemical plant in France
based in Lyon
. While students in Paris
in 1864, they were among the first users of the new velocipede. In 1868, the Oliviers formed a partnership with Pierre Michaux
to mass-produce bicycles.
All through the first bicycle craze, from 1867 to 1869, it was René Olivier who led both the Michaux company and the industry as a whole. René stayed "behind the scenes" in the beginning, until severing the partnership with Michaux in 1869, at which point he formed his own Compagnie Parisienne bicycle factory, however, the bicycle craze in France (and in the USA) ended that year. The bicycle's popularity continuing only in England
, it was inventors and manufacturers there who contributed the next series of improvements to its development.
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
.
The Olivier family was wealthy, owning a series of chemical plant in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
based in Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
. While students in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1864, they were among the first users of the new velocipede. In 1868, the Oliviers formed a partnership with Pierre Michaux
Pierre Michaux
Pierre Michaux was a blacksmith who furnished parts for the carriage trade in Paris during the 1850s and 1860s. He started building bicycles with pedals in the early 1860s. He, or his son Ernest, may have been the inventor of this machine, by adapting cranks and pedals on the front wheel of a...
to mass-produce bicycles.
All through the first bicycle craze, from 1867 to 1869, it was René Olivier who led both the Michaux company and the industry as a whole. René stayed "behind the scenes" in the beginning, until severing the partnership with Michaux in 1869, at which point he formed his own Compagnie Parisienne bicycle factory, however, the bicycle craze in France (and in the USA) ended that year. The bicycle's popularity continuing only in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, it was inventors and manufacturers there who contributed the next series of improvements to its development.