Pedestrian hobby horse. Historical lithograph of women riding hobby horses. The hobby horse was an improved version of Karl Drais's dandy horse, invented in 1819. Created in London by Denis Johnson, the hobby horse was the first commercially successful two-wheeled vehicle propelled by human feet. Also known as velocipedes, these vehicles were a forerunner to the bicycle. Taken from: Histoire de la Locomation Terrestre, published in Paris in 1936.