In 1899, Isaac R. Johnson patented a folding bicycle frame that could be folded or taken apart. This invention made it easy to store bikes. Isaac R. Johnson was born sometime in 1812 in New York. While he was not the first to invent the bicycle frame, he was the first black man to invent and patent one, particularly one that could be folded or disassembled for easy storage. In fact, Isaac Johnson's version of the bicycle frame is similar to the version we ride today, as modern bicycles have the same pattern, but they do not fold up. Johnson's version was a folding frame that could be stored in small spaces; it was frequently used while traveling and on vacation. The patent was originally filed for by Isaac R. Johnson in April of 1899, and it was assigned the publication number: US634823 A. The only information we have about Isaac R. Johnson comes from the information he filled out when he filed his patent. We know he lived in Manhattan, New York, based on this documentation. According to the paperwork, this bicycle frame is an improved version of any previous bicycle frame due to its ability to be disassembled and stored in a truck or other small storage area. 🖋️if you love our content, please consider supporting our page on AfricanArchives.Support (follow the ko-fi page too for weekly posts roundup)