Reddit reviews Bicycle: The History

Since your questions practically require a book to answer:http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0300120478

Gotta be the Rover aka safety bicycle, named as such for the two similarly sized wheels (high wheelers were the norm when the rover came out). This bike was a turning point not only in design, of which relatively little has changed, but also in public opinion. Bikes had a pretty rocky start, were seen as playthings of the elite, or weapons of hoodlums. The rover came at the right time and place, and really solidified the bicycle as a means of sport and transport.

This is a good book.

There's a pretty alright book called Pedaling Revolution that's about the changing face of cycling in America.

Bicycle: The History is an excellent book about the history of the bicycle and its place in society.

To be honest there are more good books about racing than anything else.

If anyone wants to learn more about the history of the bike, Bicycle: The History is pretty great. The book goes into quite a bit of depth regarding the development of the velocipede.