What was the first person to ride a bike?

The first person credited with riding a bike is generally considered to be Baron Karl von Drais, a German inventor who created the "laufmaschine" or "running machine" in 1817. This early two-wheeled contraption, later known as the "dandy horse," did not have pedals; riders propelled themselves by pushing their feet against the ground. Drais's invention laid the groundwork for the development of modern bicycles.