Leonardo da Vinci’s Bicycle is the ultimate throwback to when two wheels and a genius mind collided! Picture this: a sleek wooden frame, iron wheels, and pedals that you actually turn with your feet—way before anyone else thought of it. This wasn’t just a bike, it was a masterpiece in motion, blending art, mechanics, and the thrill of speed. With its elegant simplicity and innovative design, Leonardo was already ahead of the curve, inventing a ride that looked like it belonged in the future. It’s the bicycle that never was, but one that proves even centuries ago, the idea of freedom on two wheels was something to dream about.

This is probably the most controversial and mysterious Leonardo drawing that has been discussed since its discovery, which occurred by chance and unexpectedly, between 1966 and 1968, in the laboratory for the restoration of ancient books of the Exarchic Monastery of Santa Maria di Grottaferrata (Rome).

During the cleaning operations of the Atlantic Codex, composed of 1300 sheets of Leonardo da Vinci, the monks came across two glued sheets. They decided to separate them and discovered on the front of sheet 133 some drawings: a caricature, a sketch (in which some scholars have seen two male sexual organs with legs) associated with the word Salai’, and a bicycle. The drawings are clearly by a hand other than Leonardo’s, which scholars of the time attributed to students of the master, who, as they had done on other occasions, had copied his drawings on one of the many sheets already used. Therefore, it was believed that the invention was attributable to Leonardo, also because it was immediately associated with the chain of the Madrid I Codex which was believed to be able to complete the invention. Over time, two schools of thought have formed, on the one hand those in favor of the hypothesis of Leonardo’s invention and, on the other, those who lean towards the historical fake.

As far as we are concerned, we took inspiration from the decidedly childish drawing of the Atlantic Codex, to design a bicycle much more in line with Leonardo’s drawings, both from an aesthetic and a technical point of view, starting for example from the fact that it can be assembled without glue, but only with joints.
Leonardo da Vinci’s bicycle design works in a way that’s both simple and surprisingly advanced for its time. While he never built a working version, his sketches give us a clear idea of how it would have functioned.

Here’s how it works, step by step:

Frame and Structure
The frame is made of wood and is designed in a basic diamond shape, with two wheels connected by a pair of wooden beams. The overall look is very similar to modern bicycles but with a more simplistic, handcrafted feel.

Wheels
The wheels are made of wood and would likely have been reinforced with iron. They are connected to the frame in a way that allows them to rotate freely. There’s no mention of tires, so these wheels would have rolled directly on the ground, much like a cart.

Pedals and Chain
One of the most innovative parts of Leonardo’s design is the pedal system. The pedals are attached to a central axle. When you pedal, you move the axle, which in turn powers the wheels. However, this design is direct-drive, meaning there’s no chain as we see on modern bikes. Instead, the pedals are connected directly to the wheels, much like the simplest forms of foot-powered transportation.

Steering Mechanism
The bicycle features handlebars that allow the rider to steer. These are attached to the front fork of the bicycle, which turns the front wheel to change direction—much like any modern bike. The steering would have been controlled by moving the handlebars side to side, with the rider seated in an upright position.

Riding Position
The rider would sit upright, with feet on the pedals, and the handlebars in front to steer. The design suggests a relatively simple riding posture, with no seat suspension or advanced ergonomic adjustments.

Power
The rider would generate power by pedaling, which would move the bike forward. The simple yet effective mechanism demonstrates Leonardo’s understanding of human power and motion, even if it lacked the refined mechanics we see in today’s bikes.

Technical details