This book actually does try to answer questions like "what's necessary to invent the bicycle?" According to the book, bikes depend on 2 major branches: Bikes

This book actually does try to answer questions like "what's necessary to invent the bicycle?" According to the book, bikes depend on 2 major branches: Bikes -> Spinning wheels -> Natural fibers -> Farming and Bikes -> Steel -> Kilns/Smelters/Forges (this has quite a lot of decendents) -> Mining -> Farming Very interesting book.