Designmuseum Danmark has acquired an original Dursley-Pedersen cykel for their collection.

Mikael Pedersen, the Danish engineer and inventor, moved to the English town of Dursley in 1893 to work for a company who made agricultural machinery - Pedersen had invented a new and successful design of milk separator - but while he was there, in 1896, his design for a bicycle went into production and over the following years more than 30,000 were made.

The seat, made from netting covered with leather and held by straps and wires and springs, was lighter than what was then the conventional form of heavy leather saddle but it was also meant to make the ride more comfortable … the bike was nicknamed the hammock.

There was also a lightweight racing version of the cycle and a tandem and a folding design that all used the same form of triangular frame that had been inspired by bridge engineering.

A modern version of the design has been produced in Denmark by Jesper Sølling since 1978.

at the moment in small exhibition area before the cafe at Designmuseum Danmark