This video explores some of the challenges in designing early bicycles and how concepts such as wheel circumferences, gear ratios, and torque were used to solve problems.
I feel that the engineering of bicycles is a great way to connect some basic mathematical ideas into mechanical problem solving. Playing with properties of circles and ratios as a way to make a bike move faster builds a context to bring these geometric ideas into something physical and creative.
The story also shows how creativity and engineering don't follow a linear path. Seeing novel solutions, failed experiments, and missed opportunities give us a great framework to inspire us and guide us through new problems.
